Clinical dashboards and their use in an adult mental health inpatient setting, a pilot study

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the experiences and opinions of mental health professionals working in two rehabilitation wards to a clinical dashboard system. Design/methodology/approach – Following the creation of the clinical dashboards, a questionnaire was developed and sent to staff and patients across two clinical wards involved in the clinical dashboard mental health pilot. Findings – The clinical dashboards were viewed as being useful tools for clinicians, supporting engagement. They can offer rapid access to large volumes of clinically useful information, in a palatable format. The pilot suggested that they could be presented in different ways to make them easier to engage with however they could also result in more paperwork for clinicians. Research limitations/implications – The main limitations included the sample size, responder bias and the limited sampling period. It would have been helpful to have obtained further responses to understand why individuals came to their conclusions. Practical implications – The development and use of clinical dashboards in a psychiatric rehabilitation setting offered the opportunity to improve quality, collect and respond to relevant clinical data trends: which is regarded positively by staff and patients. Originality/value – This study represents the first study to examine the use of clinical dashboards within a UK long stay adult mental health ward setting. The results suggest a positive response from both staff and patients and illustrates the potential benefits relating to clinical quality.