Digital Automation can Revolutionise how Healthcare Providers Manage their Estates and Facilities

Artificial Intelligence is revolutionising many fields of activity across our entire economy, and it brings with it the opportunity to empower organisations to do more effectively with limited resources.

It is not only in the field of frontline care that Intelligent technologies can have an impact. Intelligent Digital Automation can influence a range of back-office functions, such as Estates & Facilities, that feeds through to front line patient care.

At EventMAP we have experience in the area of digital automation. We began life as a spinout company from research projects involving Queens University Belfast and Nottingham University, nearly 20 years ago. From there our field of activity has expanded to incorporate the use of artificial intelligence across multiple sectors of the economy. We have been working closely with Quality Trusted Solutions (QTS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL). In partnership with them, EventMAP have worked to develop a live digital platform, empowering estates and facilities professionals within the healthcare sector, to automate and deliver in key areas, such as the annual Estates Returns Information Collection (ERIC). Deploying the use of artificial intelligence to automate, support, and improve the efficiency of resource management, such as the use of meeting rooms, clinical spaces, shared desk space and training facilities. With the use of advanced audit capabilities, we have been able to help Trusts analyse their resource use, identify excess capacity and then re-purpose that space, for more effective outcomes.

What does all of this mean for healthcare organisations as we move forward?With the use of automated solutions, organisations can deliver more with less. They can more accurately gather and report on data. Once that data is gathered and analysed, they are not only equipped to formulate decisions based on accurate information, but they can also now use that information to use resources more efficiently and effectively. One thing that comes through repeatedly in the annual ERIC submission is that acquiring consistent accurate data across departments, let alone entire Trusts is difficult. Once information is garnered, it is seldom easy to analyse in a speedy and easy to interpret format, so that it can be acted upon intelligently, much less used daily to manage delivery at the coal face. It is comforting to know that the tools exist, and are under continuous improvement, to revolutionise these processes, in much the same way that patient care is being modernised.

To assist in this endeavour, NHS Shared Business Services is developing frameworks to provide support to NHS and other public bodies, and to support the implementation and purchase of intelligent automation tools. The very mission of this initiative, is to support healthcare providers to utilise these tools to “increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve quality”.

Healthcare, as with so many areas of society is facing growing challenges over coming years. Climate change, carbon targets, aging population, new and ever more expensive treatments, changing government priorities and public expectations. In the face of all of this, embracing new technology will assist healthcare providers as they work to meet these challenges.

EventMAP and QTS are working hard to provide estates and facilities users, with the tools to meet these opportunities. If you would like to know more about our work with healthcare Trusts, check out our case studies. If you would like to discuss ways in which we can assist as you move to digitise the analysis, planning, transformation and management of estate use with intelligent automated solutions, please contact us.