We have been using Formic since May 2000. We use it for a number of ongoing projects including building an anaesthetic audit database and as a surveillance tool for the Infection Control Department as well as any appropriate ad-hoc clinical audit projects. Once the forms have been scanned, the results are imported into an Access database for analysis and reporting. Formic is best suited to volume forms processing; it saves a lot of time over manual inputting.

“Having used Formic solutions for many years we have been able to experience the benefits of their data capture technology first hand. We have always appreciated their provision of very helpful customer service and support.”

JANET GATES, CLINICAL AUDIT MANAGER,

EPSOM & ST HELIER NHS TRUST

With the objective of continually improving service to their many patients, throughout the year Epsom & St Helier NHS Trust conduct a wide range of patient satisfaction surveys. These questionnaires cover a broad spectrum of clinical audit initiatives including signage at the hospitals to patient views on Coronary Care Unit care. Having used Formic’s data capture software for over ten years, the clinical audit department has first hand knowledge of the many benefits this solution brings to an organisation.

THE NEED

With the frequency and variety of surveys Epsom & St Helier NHS Trust’s Clinical Audit department was administering, the quickly came to the conclusion that manually entering the data collected was not viable or cost effective. They wanted a solution that would allow them to capture and process information from these surveys automatically. In order to have a swifter impact on the service and facilities provided to patients, survey results needed to be collated and analysed as quickly as possible.

“We needed to speed up the process from data collection to analysis allowing our team to perform more effectively.”

JANET GATES

THE SOLUTION

Epsom & St Helier NHS Trust chose the Formic solution for the design, data capture and survey processing work carried out by the clinical audit department of the two hospitals. Utilising the powerful yet intuitive document creation module they are able to design and produce in house, a variety of professional looking and easy-to-complete tickbox surveys. The completed questionnaires are scanned and the data captured and processed using Formic’s Fusion software.

THE RESULT

With years of experience of working with Fusion, Epsom & St Helier NHS Trust’s Clinical Audit Department has learnt to derive maximum benefit from their data capture technology. Turnaround time from survey design to analysis of the findings has dramatically decreased. This has had a very positive impact on their responsiveness to the needs of visitors to the hospital. In addition as they do not require dedicated data entry clerks, they can deploy resources more effectively within the department.

Overall they have been able to introduce major improvements in the provision of service and facilities within the hospitals.

CUSTOMER DETAILS

Janet Gates, Clinical Audit Manager,
Epsom & St Helier NHS Trust

MAIN BENEFITS
• Improved departmental efficiency
• Reduced departmental overheads
• Eliminated manual data entry
• Better provision of service
• Decreased turnaround time of forms processing
• Ability to design professional surveys in-house
• Increased responsiveness to patients needs