Optimising Outpatient Services with Digital Healthcare Solutions

Advancing Outpatient Services at Merlin Park University Hospital: A Strategic Deployment of Savience Technology

Merlin Park University Hospital in Galway has officially launched its new outpatient department, a significant enhancement to the Galway University Hospitals (GUH) network. This initiative focuses on optimising outpatient services by integrating Savience’s advanced self-check-in kiosks and patient flow solutions. This marks a major step toward modernising healthcare infrastructure while addressing systemic challenges such as capacity limitations, staffing constraints, and patient communication inefficiencies.

At Savience, we provide digital healthcare solutions to medical facilities to optimise outpatient services, create a better atmosphere for staff and to improve patient care. For more information, contact our team today.

Optimising Outpatient Services and Capacity with Digital Healthcare

The commissioning of this new outpatient facility is a key component of the broader plan to reallocate services from University Hospital Galway (UHG) to the Merlin Park campus. This transition supports critical infrastructure projects at UHG, including the expansion of the Emergency Department and the development of a Cancer Centre. By decentralising outpatient care, the Saolta University Health Care Group is optimising spatial and operational efficiency, ensuring that high-acuity care remains prioritised at UHG while Merlin Park handles outpatient services in a more streamlined environment.

The facility has been designed to meet modern healthcare demands, featuring 38 consultation rooms, five treatment suites, and dedicated virtual clinic spaces. Several core specialties, including General Medicine, Surgery, and Neurology, have already transitioned, with further expansions planned in the next phases.

Enhancing Patient Experience through Digital Healthcare Integration

The introduction of Savience’s self-check-in kiosks represents a progressive shift toward patient-centred digital integration and the optimisation of outpatient services. These kiosks offer an intuitive interface for appointment confirmation, demographic verification, and self-service check-ins, reducing administrative burdens, improving patient flow and therefore optimising patient experience.

By automating the patient intake process, the kiosks enhance efficiency while alleviating staffing pressures by redistributing administrative tasks. This allows frontline healthcare professionals to focus more on direct patient care, improving service delivery.

Improving Healthcare Operations with Data-Driven Digital Patient Flow Management

Savience’s digital patient flow solutions provide real-time, data-driven oversight, allowing clinical teams to dynamically allocate resources and optimise patient throughput. This ensures that congestion is minimised and that clinics adhere to their scheduled timelines.

The broader implementation of Savience technology across multiple Saolta-managed hospitals highlights its scalability and adaptability in diverse healthcare environments. The success of its integration at Merlin Park serves as a model for other healthcare institutions looking to leverage technology to optimise outpatient management.

Strengthening Patient Engagement and Communication

Effective patient communication is critical in managing and optimising outpatient services, particularly in addressing post-pandemic care backlogs. Savience’s interactive patient appointment reminders have significantly reduced no-show rates and enhanced patient engagement. By ensuring that patients receive timely notifications and updates, these tools improve clinic scheduling and overall service efficiency.

With the adoption of automated communication tools, Saolta reinforces its commitment to patient-centred care, bridging accessibility gaps and ensuring that outpatient services remain responsive to patient needs.

Expanding Digital Patient Services for the Future

Looking forward, Merlin Park University Hospital plans to introduce the Convey app by Savience as part of its ongoing digital healthcare transformation. This innovation will enable patients to manage their appointments remotely, check in via their mobile devices, and receive real-time updates about their care. Combined with interactive reminders, this marks a significant advancement in outpatient service accessibility and patient autonomy.

Shaun Fagan, Digital Health Account Manager at Savience, highlighted the importance of these innovations: “The integration of the Convey app and interactive reminders represents a major leap forward in patient engagement. These technologies not only enhance convenience but also improve the efficiency and predictability of patient interactions.”

Conclusion

The implementation of Savience’s digital healthcare solutions at Merlin Park University Hospital represents a forward-thinking approach to optimising outpatient services and care. By addressing capacity challenges, optimising workflow efficiency, and enhancing patient engagement, Saolta is creating a scalable model for healthcare innovation. This deployment underscores the ongoing need for adaptability in healthcare technology, ensuring institutions remain agile and responsive to evolving patient and operational demands.

For more information about Savience’s self-check-in kiosks and patient flow solutions, visit https://savience.com/contact-us/