Developed by Solita in cooperation with the Coxa Hospital for Joint Replacement, Pulse is a real-time enterprise resource planning (ERP) system for inpatient wards that overcomes many day-to-day challenges. The Pulse system replaces whiteboards, printouts and notes that need to be constantly rewritten or replaced to show patient information and beds in real time, making it easier to care for patients and plan work.
The Pulse project started in 2016 when Coxa already had the concept of an information display that could replace the mess of printouts and notes in their nurses station. Solita was commissioned to define, design and implement this concept as a system. Development has been quick, and the first version was introduced to the Coxa inpatient wards after a few months.
The design of the Pulse system started with staff interviews to identify the primary areas for development. System functions were co-designed with the staff based on the results of the interviews, and agile methods were used to start the implementation.
The Coxa Hospital for Joint Replacement remains the only hospital in Finland that fully specialises in joint replacement surgery. The hospital employs 200 top specialists and carries out more than 5,000 joint replacements annually with patient safety that is peerless even by international comparison.
Having the reputation of a centre of excellence brings additional responsibility, as the most difficult joint replacement surgeries in Finland are being channelled towards Coxa. The Pulse system is aimed at helping Coxa in the operational management and daily care work of the wards, so that the full potential of bed capacity and staff skills can be utilised. Another important objective is to maintain a high level of well-being for both patients and staff.
Among other things, the Pulse ERP system developed by Solita solves the following daily problems at Coxa inpatient wards:
• How to manage the flow of patients and optimise the use of beds
• How to ensure patient care and well-being
• How to set nursing staff shifts and distribute responsibility for patients
• How to secure staff coping and well-being
There is more time for care work now that the amount and risks of manual labour have been reduced. Tarmo Martikainen, Managing Director (-2019) of Coxa Hospital for Joint Replacement
Before the Pulse system, Coxa used whiteboards and static printouts and notes to manage wards. Now the whole Coxa staff has a real-time understanding of the ward’s operation: who is in the ward, who are the patients and what are their individual needs.
In general, the system does not require any manual input. All essential information is extracted in real time from other systems, including the patient information system, the operating theatre system and the nurse shift system.
One important benefit is the management of staff workloads in the inpatient wards, one example of which is the bolstering of staff numbers for shifts that are considered to be highly stressful. This improves job satisfaction, which in turn affects patient experiences and care. Patient safety has also been improved due to, for example, all of the information related to patient care being available in real time to every employee.
“We would not give up the Pulse system for anything.”
-Pulse system user
