Training, Demos and New Opportunities
In today's blog, we hear from VRI Implementation Executive David Panther and two recent stories - as told by Dave himself. The VRI team focus on our services in action, the process of training users and how quick thinking can yield some great results in the long term.
From training to real-life demonstration – Aintree Hospital
Earlier this week, I arranged to deliver and install an IOW/iPad combination for use in the Aintree Hospitals Theatres department.
Whenever we deliver equipment, we also demonstrate Insight and train any available users within the hospital. This can vary from just one or two users to dozens at a time. We're ready to work with as many people as the hospital team have available, which often depends on how much internal notice the end-users have or, of course, how busy they are. On this occasion, I had arranged for early delivery at 9:00. When I got there, the team were very excited to see the new IOW. I've delivered several other units to Aintree over the last few months, and on each occasion the department has been super-keen to take ownership and start using the device.
Once I had set up the unit and verified that it was working, the Theatre Manager started to bring in her staff, 3 or 4 at a time, into the training room. It went very well for about an hour or so and I was able to train about 25 people. However, the space was inside a ward and was becoming a bit noisy and busy due to staff who wanted to get trained-up. So, one of the Theatre Doctors suggested moving to a vacant theatre to complete the training. They were keen to know how to use the kit and didn't want to miss the opportunity!
I was given a gown and overshoes, and we transferred to the empty theatre, where we completed training for 40 staff in the department. It was an excellent result for VRI in terms of trained users – each of whom was so pleased not to have missed the opportunity. Then things changed a bit. One of the Theatre Nurses asked if it was possible to use the IOW in a live situation, as they had a Polish patient about to go in for a procedure and they did not have an interpreter available to assist with completing their pre-op paperwork.
Of course, I agreed to help. As I was conducting my training using my work phone hotspot (due to network issues at the location), I first accompanied the Op Team into the ward and then the Anaesthetic room, so they could conduct their pre-op checks through an interpreter. It all went well, and they could proceed with the procedure – which would not have been possible without access to an IOW! Thankfully, the staff at that location were trained and ready to go and I could leave them to it. The IOW was theirs to use and once it was connected to their network, they were able to use it for future interpreting needs.
It was an unusual but very effective and practical use of the kit in a truly unplanned, on-demand situation.
The start of a new opportunity – Riverside Dental - Liverpool
Our very own Account Manager, Anne Denny, had organised a short InSight trial for a new client - Riverside Dental in Liverpool. Impressed by my demonstration and the application itself, Riverside Dental were very keen to get an IOW permanently installed. They are part of the Mersey Care group, and Anne is working with them now to get this over the line. After my demo, they called me with a request, asking me to use the IOW live with a patent the next day. As they had been unable to get hold of an interpreter in time for some emergency dental work they were trying to undertake for a patient.
I was due to take an IOW to the IT dept at Aintree Hospital for configuration ready for installation in the Theatres dept, but that was later in the day. With that, I thought that this was a great opportunity to show Riverside Dental just how effective the IOW could be in helping with their situation and thought that it would certainly be worth a detour enroute to Aintree to demonstrate this!
I was there when the patient arrived and assisted in showing the team how best to position and use the device with a Mandarin Video Interpreter. Once connected, I left the dental team and their patient to complete their procedure. After the successful session, I collected the IOW, gave it a thorough clean, and delivered it to Aintree Hospital, ready for set up for the Theatres team. It went very well, and the benefits demonstrated have prompted the team at Riverside to obtain an IOW for installation in their practice and across their wider organisation.