This project was part of the 2023 Green Team Competition at South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust, implemented by colleagues from our care of the elderly wards.
Team Members:
- Ellie Berry, Advanced Clinical Practitioner (Frailty)
- Lorna Bannan, Assistant Service Manager (Care of the Elderly and Frailty)
Project Aim:
To reduce low value and unnecessary blood testing on Care of the Elderly inpatients.
Results:
Reduced the number of phlebotomy request forms by 9.8% and reduced the average number of requests per form from 4.2 to 4.0.
Clinical:
Reduced the unnecessary number of tests patients received, reducing impact on bruising and skin damage.
Reduced distress for patients suffering from cognitive impairment.
Allowed patients to be discharged earlier in the day as the decision was not being guided by additional blood test results. This was preferred by patients, but had the additional benefit of improved patient flow.
Reduces workload for ward and phlebotomy staff, as well as lab processing time. 92 hours of lab time was estimated to be saved in a 1 week period, enabling other blood tests to be prioritised.
Environmental:
The reduction in ordered blood tests was estimated to result in a carbon saving of 937.1kgCO2e per year, equivalent to driving 2,767.57 miles in an average car.
Financial:
This reduction is equivalent to financial savings of £18,444 each year.
Click here for more information on the Green Team Competition (including organisation impact reports).
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