Reducing costs and avoiding hospital admissions: can mobile working help?

The UK has an increased length of hospital stay in comparison with other European countries, and the need for further investment in community services is required if patients are to truly receive care closer to home. The increase in hospital admissions over the last few years may be attributed to the ageing UK population, as well as poor management of long-term conditions. This may be due to variations in the service provision and availability of case managers and community matrons. The poor working relationships and fragmentation of health and social care services remain a significant issue, despite renewed calls to improve integrated working, which is considered fundamental to achieving a reduction in avoidable hospital admissions. Mobile working was introduced in the NHS to help reform community health-care practice and improve continuity of care. Among other things, it provides clinicians with access to electronic patient records in real time, thus helping to reduce delays in treatment. However, we have to bear in mind that a number of factors could hinder the reduction in hospital admissions.