The Benefits of Alertive: A CNIO’s Perspective

Norfolk and Norwich University NHS Trust’s Chief Nursing Information Officer (CNIO), Emily Wells, shares her positive experience with Alertive, a secure messaging app, in an interview. She discusses the app’s benefits, its successful implementation, and how it has helped streamline communication within the Trust. Healthcare professionals are encouraged to consider using Alertive to improve their communication practices.

During the interview, Emily discussed the importance of a change team for digital projects. She emphasised the change team’s role in successfully implementing Alertive, working closely with Alertive’s team to ensure a seamless transition. The change team also helped spread awareness and understanding of the app throughout the Trust, ensuring users knew what Alertive would be used for and what it would not be used for.

Emily also highlighted the benefits of Alertive’s secure audit trail of communications. The app provides a safe way to securely message patient information, with a full conversation transcript available. This has helped the Trust to have much more evidence than they would have had previously, ensuring that communication is secure and consistent.

“Historically, we know that the Trust was using a number of different ways of communicating Bleeps, DECT phones, WhatsApp and Teams, and not always in the right way. What Alertive enables is a safe way that we can securely message patient information. What we are then able to do if there’s an investigation, for example, is acquire that full transcript of the conversation. So we’ve got much more evidence than we would’ve had previously.”

When asked about the problems Alertive is helping to solve, Emily mentioned that the app was used during the height of Covid to set up a virtual ward and communicate effectively, even though most of the team were working remotely. This allowed the team to test how Alertive was used and get early feedback, proving its usefulness in unexpected situations.

Implementing Alertive has brought significant benefits to switchboard processes, particularly improved communication efficiency and time-saving measures. With the introduction of Alertive, individuals can now directly communicate with each other through the platform, eliminating the need to rely on traditional switchboard methods such as ringing to reach someone. This streamlined communication process has resulted in a notable increase in productivity for switchboard operators, who no longer need to dedicate extensive time and effort to connecting calls. As a result, more time has been freed up for switchboard personnel to focus on other important tasks and responsibilities. Additionally, as Alertive continues to be adopted and integrated further within the organisation, the reliance on the switchboard for internal communications will likely decrease even more, allowing for enhanced efficiency and further time savings.

“One thing that we’ve noticed with the implementation of Alertive is the change in work processes for switchboard because people can communicate with each other directly via Alertive rather than ringing the switchboard to bleep somebody. This has meant that there’s been more time freed up for the switchboard. That means that only those that come from external bleeps will need to be going through switchboard, and this will continue to decrease as the implementation grows.”

In conclusion, Alertive has proven to be a valuable tool for streamlining communication processes within Norfolk and Norwich University NHS Trust. The positive experience shared by CNIO Emily Wells highlights the benefits of the app’s implementation, including improved communication efficiency and significant time savings. With Alertive, healthcare professionals can communicate directly, eliminating the need for traditional switchboard methods and freeing up valuable time for other important tasks. The secure audit trail of communications ensures the confidentiality and consistency of patient information, providing a safe and accountable platform for messaging. Furthermore, Alertive’s effectiveness was demonstrated during the height of the Covid pandemic, enabling effective communication and collaboration among remote teams. The successful implementation of Alertive at Norfolk and Norwich University NHS Trust is an example for healthcare professionals to consider adopting the app to enhance their communication practices and improve overall efficiency.

To experience the benefits of Alertive in your own healthcare organisation, consider integrating this secure messaging app into your communication workflows. Streamline your processes, increase productivity, and ensure the confidentiality of patient information. Contact Alertive’s team today to explore how their solution can revolutionise communication within your healthcare setting and drive improved patient care outcomes.