New ultrasound tech at Peterborough City Hospital is first of its kind outside USA
The North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust (NWAFT) has unveiled its latest state-of-the-art ultrasound technology, which it hopes will speed up diagnosis and improve patient care within its emergency departments.
The Trust – which manages Peterborough City Hospital, Hinchingbrooke Hospital and Stamford and Rutland Hospital – is the first outside the USA to incorporate the world’s first handheld, single-probe, whole-body ultrasound system, called Butterfly iQ3, into its care systems.
The new technology is already in use at both Peterborough City Hospital and Hinchingbrooke Hospital.
The chief benefit of the new software is that it allows scans and data to be automatically delivered straight to a patient’s online record, a tactic which will let consultants read reports and scans faster, thereby enabling them to diagnose more quickly.
“We are proud to be the first internationally to introduce this Trust-wide software platform for Point-of-Care Ultrasound patient results, representing a significant advancement in how we deliver frontline care across Emergency and Critical Care services,” said Toby Edmunds, Consultant in Emergency Medicine and Critical Care at the Trust.
Along with supporting faster diagnosis, the innovative handheld machine will also help clinicians to answer clinical questions at the bedside, deliver more accurate procedures, and make quicker decision-making, innovations which will collectively help to offer safer, more cost-effective care for patients.
“Having immediate access to high-quality ultrasound at the bedside enhances our ability to make time-critical decisions, particularly in acutely unwell patients,” Edmunds explained.
The move to adopt the pioneering technology is part of a five-year project which aims to transform how the Trust uses ultrasound.
“This programme positions the Trust at the forefront of point of care ultrasound integration in the NHS and reflects a broader commitment to improving patient safety and clinical efficiency,” Edmunds said.