EPR Patient Flow SME

Job overview

The Patient Flow Lead (SME) is responsible for the transformation and optimisation of patient flow workflows across both George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust and South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust organisations through effective use of the Electronic Patient Record (EPR) system and specifically the support of integrating the use of Capman with existing patient flow systems (Digit/Ibox, etc) as well as how comments regarding patient flow are visible on other components of the Electronic Patient Record.

This includes community wards and Clinical Services linked to portering services and domestic services.

Main duties of the job

• Lead the optimisation of patient flow across the organisation through the effective use of the Electronic Patient Record (EPR), working collaboratively with clinical, operational, digital and executive teams to improve patient journeys, operational performance and capacity management.
• Act as the subject matter expert for patient flow, bed management, capacity management, discharge processes, patient tracking, portering and associated EPR workflows, ensuring systems and operational practices support efficient service delivery.
• Support the integration and optimisation of EPR and associated systems, identifying opportunities for transformation, process improvement and workflow standardisation while escalating risks, limitations and mitigation plans where required.
• Lead the implementation and ongoing development of patient flow modules, including emergency department tracking, electronic whiteboards, bed management, discharge workflows and portering solutions.
• Develop, review and maintain policies, procedures and guidance to support consistent and effective system use.
• Analyse patient flow data, operational performance indicators and system utilisation metrics to identify trends, bottlenecks and opportunities for improvement, producing reports and recommendations for operational and executive leadership.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Patient Flow Optimisation

• Lead and implement initiatives to improve patient flow across the organisation using data from the EPR working with senior managers and all levels of workforce across Planned, Unplanned, Out of Hospital Divisions.
• Support the integration of the EPR and existing patient flow systems (Digit/Ibox) ensuring policies and workflows are a true reflection of future work and identifying and escalating to COIO and executive staff any limitations of these systems and impact on optimisation of workflows and solutions for this.
• Support the implementation of portering workflows in the EPR (through Capman) working with SWFT Clinical services.
• Analyse patient journey barriers and work collaboratively with clinical and operational stakeholders to deliver solutions.
• Identify bottlenecks and areas for improvement in discharge processes, admission pathways, and bed management and work with other senior leads to be solution focussed on how systems can be used to mitigate this.
• Oversee effective use of Capman modules for effective: Patient Tracking In ED Bed Management / Capacity Management Electronic Whiteboards Discharge documentation workflows Use of Portering and domestic resource
• Patient Tracking In ED
• Bed Management / Capacity Management
• Electronic Whiteboards
• Discharge documentation workflows
• Use of Portering and domestic resource

EPR System Expertise & Support

• Act as a subject-matter expert on the EPR as it relates to patient flow, capacity management, portering and operational pathways working with Chief Operational Information Officers for both organisations and the EPR team as well as Trust staff involved with these workflows.
• Develop relevant policies and procedures that are to be used to inform and support staff regarding the use of the EPR to optimise Patient Flow.
• Support clinical and administrative staff in accurate use of EPR modules relevant to patient tracking, bed allocation, care coordination and capacity dashboards.
• Work closely with digital teams to configure and refine EPR tools and workflows to support operational needs recognising opportunities afforded by the EPR for transformation within current practice.
• Knowledge of NHS performance standards (4-hour ED target, LOS, DTOC etc.).
• Work with Clinical Safety team and Operational Risk team to highlight risks that need to be logged with a focus on actions required to mitigate the risks

Data, Reporting & Performance Management

• Ensure key flow performance indicators (e.g., length of stay, discharge delays, transfer times), are available through the Go Live and post Go Live of the EPR and produce regular reports for operational leadership.
• Ensure workflows support accurate real-time data capture for admissions, transfers, estimated discharge dates (EDD), and delays.
• Promote data integrity across patient flow records, ensuring quality, timeliness and usability.
• Analyse and translate data and reports around patient flow and compare between pre and post go live and what may have caused any difference.
• Focus on any impact on reduction in productivity and work with EPR IT team to resolve these through process or build Change requests.
• Lead in presenting updates in relation to Patient Flow at relevant operational readiness and Transformation and Delivery board meetings where appropriate.

Stakeholder Engagement & Change Leadership

• Liaise with multidisciplinary teams — nursing, medical, allied health, operational managers, informatics and digital colleagues — to drive consistent and high-quality use of the EPR and Capman, providing system training as required.
• In conjunction with the EPR Training Workstream Lead, lead on the delivery of training, guidance, and coaching on patient flow processes and EPR use, specifically Capman.
• Lead change initiatives and transformation to embed best practice patient flow pathways, ensuring alignment with trust strategy, policies and operational goals.

Continuous Improvement

• Evaluate existing processes and workflows and recommend optimisations and improvements to enhance patient experience and operational efficiency working in conjunction with the operational teams, clinical teams and Chief Operational Information Officer.
• Facilitate lessons-learned reviews after peak activity periods (e.g., winter pressures) liaising with the information team and Chief Operational Information Officer.
• Participate in audit, service improvement, and governance activities related to patient flow & EPR.
• Participate in operational improvement programmes (e.g., discharge transformation, SAFER patient flow).
• Continuously update knowledge around National improvement initiatives regarding patient flow and raise and promote improvements for the Trusts as required

Financial Responsibility

• Take responsibility for evidencing the need for, and committing, substantial systems expenditure, with the approval of the main budget holder.
• Work with the CXIO team and executive team to write and present business

For a full comprehensive list of main responsibilities and duties, please kindly refer to job description and personal specification attached.