Software that saves over a day per week
April 1st 2006 Still relying on pen and paper for data collection? Keying it all into a computer afterwards? Stop wasting your time. Get with the program and improve service and profits simultaneously
Expolink's quality monitoring solution, Maximiser has assisted Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust with its infection control procedures - the Trust is among the best in the country for managing infection.
The Hotel services team, headed by Beryl Jordan with responsibility for 596 beds over 139 sections, places a huge emphasis on quality control and meeting the National Standards of Cleanliness, which is made simpler by the user of Maximiser.
For years Beryl and her team had relied on pen-and-paper collection of data, which was then inputted into Excel for manipulation. With Maximiser assessments are much quicker, ensuring more floor area could be covered with dramatic results.
Beryl currently saves around 10 hours per week in productivity through the use of the system, which alleviates the need for time consuming rekeying of data and unnecessary administration.
"With Maximiser we can now move freely around while carrying out structured assessments, it's so much more efficient and flexible than pen and paper. I can immediately, post inspection, download various statistics and analyse the data in accordance with the required standards," says Beryl. This effective data capture solution ensures the team can focus on managing failed areas and give them maximum attention, ensuring a more strategic approach to quality control and an overall improved service level.
Maximiser has recently been upgraded to allow data collection from multiple locations and multiple users into one centralised database and incorporate integral cameras to support recording of failures whilst out on inspection. It also offers improved management of outstanding failures and comments and sorting, grouping and filtering of information.
David Crook, Chairman of Expolink's Software division comments: "Maximiser is a proven tool for improved efficiency, productivity and working to standards of cleanliness. It's a versatile tool trusted by over 30% of hospitals and is the chosen business model for leading quality monitoring contractors throughout the UK".
Miximiser in under a minute
Expolink's Maximiser quality management system operates from a real-time handheld PC and provides a structured approach to your inspection process as you move about the site. Based on a form checking procedure it can incorporate any scoring criteria to meet your needs and capture comments and signatures. A digital camera may even be added to take pictures of maintenance issues to back up an inspection failure.
Following inspection, data can simply be transferred from the handheld unit to the centralised PC (by cradle or real-time wireless connection) to consolidate results, preventing the need to rekey data. The in-depth reporting module allows in-depth analysis of consistent failures, due/overdue inspections and trend reporting for any location over a period in time.
After an initial consultancy, Maximiser will be pre-configured to hold the data assessment criteria you require. Expolink can supply proven templates as well as optional modules for PEAT, Infection Control, Waste Management, Cleaning, Catering, Grounds and Streets. Following installation full training will be given and backed up by comprehensive customer support by e-mail or phone. The company also offers a host of accessories, upgrades to software and finance options. More articles from Expolink: | 
