Synopsis Blog

In 2008, the NHS Modernisation Agency said:

An essential ingredient to shortening patient pathways is free uninterrupted flow from start to finish. Cancellation of any part of the process is usually a postponement rather than a removal and thus results in delay“.

The statement was a reflection of preoperative assessment at the time, and a preview of the challenge still to come.

In the 22+ years we have been working in preoperative assessment and anaesthesia, we’ve seen dramatic changes for the better. Processes, dedicated staff, pre-defined protocols, improvements in quality… the list goes on.

Yet there are areas of preoperative assessment that are hard to tackle. The improvements listed above only continue to be relevant if they can be adapted and scaled to the changing service. It might be that a key process changes, or that staff are made more or less available. It might be that the location and nature of assessment develops, and the pressure to assess in a timely manner drives ad-hoc changes that don’t work for everyone.

And of course, there is always the ever-present challenge of the inflexible paper record.

When we thought about the design of Synopsis IQ for preoperative assessment, the Modernisation Agency phrasing seemed highly relevant. Taking the key themes from the first sentence, we saw:

“Essential, shortening, patient pathways, free, uninterrupted flow, start to finish“.

Good preoperative assessment is essential, and we wanted to build a product that made it easier, safer, quicker and more enjoyable. We looked hard at how software had caused frustration by introducing inflexible workflows and demanding the NHS changed to suit. The solution to that problem meant that Synopsis had to offer flexibility and localisation, and it had to be free of charge.

We also saw that simply digitising a patient questionnaire was only the first small step. Placing the patient questionnaire on a screen, as Synopsis IQ does, immediately improves the process because it allows for greater flexibility, choice and security. But what about the outcomes of the questionnaire?

Synopsis takes the outcomes from the patient questionnaire and turns them into value. That value is clinical, procedural and financial. The entire pathway, from questionnaire through nursing assessment, observations, examination and investigations is covered. And as you work through the process, you’ll see the depth and power of the information building. You’ll also find a risk assessment tailored for every patient, an anaesthetic plan and a post-operative questionnaire (PRO/PROMS).

Interruptions are frustrating. So, again we thought about how to minimise them. Synopsis allows any authorised colleague to sign-in and look at the information available on the patient. You can do this from almost any location securely, quickly and easily. The process isn’t constrained by one step or another; all colleagues can work as normal, and interact with one another via the in-application messaging or via email, ‘phone or face to face as normal.

Preoperative assessment has improved enormously in the past few years, but we want to be part of an accelerating and broader improvement. One that supports nurses, anaesthetists, surgeons and administrators to work together for better patient care.

To organise a no-obligation demonstration, or simply to talk through the options, please contact us today on 0141 206 3740.