The paperless
hospital
Clinicians spend 44%1 of their working time on documentation, while for nurses it is 36%. In view of the shortage of qualified staff in healthcare, this is too much. With smart digitalisation, we reduce the documentation effort required and ensure that our hospital staff have more time for what is really important: our patients. 1 Key figures from: HIMMS study: On the trail of the thief of time in hospitals: The true burden of documentation at German acute care hospitals is underestimated (HIMMS Europe, March 2015)
M-KIS
The hospital information system M-KIS is at the heart of digitalisation in day-to-day hospital work and was introduced at all hospitals in Hamburg in 2022. To find out about the functions with which M-KIS offers added value, click on the relevant symbol:
Medical history and admission
The initial medical history and admission documentation forms the cornerstone of M-KIS. The more structured the way in which data on individual patients’ medical histories are recorded, the better this information can be used again over the course of their treatment. The goal is to collect all data once, which then form the basis for decisions on diagnostic and therapeutic measures. A large part of the documentation is included directly in the preparation of medical reports and does not need to be recorded again, as was previously the case in the paper-based processes.
Data exchange
The exchange of patient and health data is extremely limited due to data
protection laws in Germany. However, M-KIS can be connected to Asklepios’s
internal software systems. Examples include the Asklepios discharge
management system and parts of the appointment booking software.
The digital health network, whose establishment and development was
stipulated in the E-Health Act that came into force in 2016, is to connect
all the parties involved in healthcare, including doctors, psychotherapists,
hospitals, pharmacies and health insurance funds.
Privacy and data security
All applications in M-KIS are subject to data protection regulations and are monitored and checked. The system considerably strengthens data security, as there is no longer a need for paper documentation with possible reading or transmission errors, and files cannot fall into the “wrong hands”. Digital access to M-KIS is possible only with corresponding individual authorisation for the employees providing treatment. The principle of “everyone accesses all data” is not permitted, thus helping protect our patients’ individual data.
Intensive care wards
On the intensive care wards at the Asklepios hospitals in Hamburg, the special program M-PDMS, which is very well integrated in our hospital information system M-KIS, is being rolled out for this purpose. Data is transferred automatically, making it easier when patients are transferred between intensive care wards and normal wards. This ensures a smooth process without any information being lost.
Medication
The inclusion of medication in M-KIS and in some cases in Meona has been digitally implemented in full. The next step is to integrate a drug therapy system in M-KIS in order to support our medical staff with the medication process. Based on medical parameters, the optimal medication for our patients is suggested while also providing information on the correct dosage and intake time. If a patient is taking various different medications, the software uses the integrated medication check to flag up any potential incompatibilities in advance, thereby preventing contraindications.
Nursing
The nursing process is stored in the system in detail in the form of relevant modules. These can be accessed in a few clicks and are recorded in the digital file. M-KIS facilitates digital messages and thus a shift change including to-do lists that is comprehensible and plannable for all parties involved. The sometimes time-consuming search for paper files is no longer required, as all necessary data for the treatment are stored and can be accessed by the people involved from any location. M-KIS makes it easier to complete the extensive documentation required by law, thereby reducing the burden on nursing staff in particular.
Central emergency department
When patients are admitted to the central emergency departments at the Asklepios hospitals in Hamburg, M-KIS is fully utilised. The documentation in the central emergency department plays a key role, as more and more treatment processes start here. It ensures that all information documented on admission and examination can be viewed directly in the hospital information system as patient data and is available for further treatment.
Mobile data collection
With the introduction of M-KIS, the vital signs of patients on the wards are recorded using spot check monitors. Starting from 2023, the information will be collected directly at the patients’ beds and transferred to the system – using digital tablets and also directly via the medical measuring equipment. Additional measurement via the monitors will no longer be required, thus saving a work step for our nursing staff.
Future added value
In the future, data from KIS systems are also intended to support physicians with diagnosis and therapy. Software developers are working on AI-based applications that analyse the data stored in KIS and generate proposals for examinations and treatment. In addition, the patient data from KIS could potentially also be used for research purposes. However, legal issues relating to data protection still need to be clarified in this regard.