Aligning itself with the NHS agenda to increase patient choice, Chesterfield Wheelchair Service (WS) has adopted Ethitec's ELMS2 Wheelchair Module, to enable greater flexibility in service management and care delivery.
From managing assessment clinics to general stock control, the ELMS2 Wheelchair Module is designed to map and support the day to day operations of a busy wheelchair service. Chesterfield WS decided to implement ELMS2 based on the bespoke wheelchair features the system provides.
One aspect which particularly stood out to Chesterfield WS was the ability of ELMS2 to log and issue wheelchair agreement forms. As part of a national scheme, wheelchair clients must be given the choice between accepting an NHS prescribed wheelchair and taking a voucher to offset against the cost of a private purchase.
The ELMS2 Wheelchair Module has reduced the administrative burden of coordinating the scheme by electronically recording client preference and then automatically printing the relevant voucher.
Judith Taylor, wheelchair service manager for North Derbyshire, explains: "Choice is central to client satisfaction, particularly where permanent wheelchair loans are concerned. Since its introduction we have always endorsed and delivered the voucher scheme, but administration was a lengthy paper-based process. Now we simply check a box on ELMS2 which instantly records the client's choice and if relevant, prints the voucher straight away."
The advanced reporting features of ELMS2 have also made a positive impact on monitoring the wheelchair voucher scheme. Judith continues: "Basically, whatever information goes into ELMS2 we can easily extract a report on. This makes it easy for us to monitor uptake of the scheme as well as review against available budget. It's extremely user friendly and I wouldn't be without it now."
The benefit of ELMS2 reports extend far beyond the wheelchair voucher scheme. Superior management information in relation to commissioning and providing can be accessed with ease. Whether to obtain a summary of GP referrers or to evaluate service performance against neighbouring providers, ELMS2 gives Chesterfield WS an efficient and effective reporting tool.
From a stock control perspective, ELMS2 offers robust track and trace functionality, delivering real time information on individual wheelchair location and history. In the event of an MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) alert for example, a search can be conducted using a wide range of criteria including Asset ID, the manufacturer or batch number, delivery note number, or external reference number - and then any affected wheelchairs immediately identified and recalled.
Mike Weatherall, ELMS2 product manager, concludes: "On the surface, wheelchair services appear similar to community equipment operations, but in reality their day to day needs can be quite different. That's why we have worked with wheelchair services to develop a system which accurately reflects and supports their activities."
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