Merlin Park Hospital has joined a national register of patients getting joint replacements as iver 1,500 wait for surgeries.
Merlin Park is the first hospital in the Saolta Group, and just the sixth nationwide, to roll out the Irish National Orthopaedic Register.
Patients getting joint replacement surgery will, with their consent, have information entered into the INOR database at the pre-operative, surgical and post-operative assessment stages.
This will better support early detection of implant performance and improve the efficiency of the review process for patients according to Saolta.
“We look forward to implementing this project from which we are sure our patients will benefit,” said Mr Colin Murphy, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and Clinical Lead for the INOR Project in Merlin Park Hospital.
“This will improve safety and streamline the pre-operative and post-operative review process, improving the quality of services and care provided to patients having joint replacement surgery.”
Merlin Park Hospital has struggled with a massive backlog of orthopaedic surgeries, including joint replacements, as it struggles with the ongoing closure of surgical theatres.
A letter sent by surgeons at Merlin Park to Health Minister Simon Harris late in January said that are 1,500 people awaiting complex surgery at the hospital.
INOR is a secure, web-based, real-time system first launched in May 2016.
Its stated aim is to improve patient care by monitoring their status public elective orthopaedic surgery sites.
The INOR system is managed by National Office of Clinical Audit, in conjunction with the HSE Office of the Chief Information Office.
Mr Colin Murphy praised the staff at Merlin Park for the work they have put in to bring this system online.
“It is a testament to the huge amount of work that has been invested by hospital management, by nursing teams, by IT and administrative staff that the INOR project is ready to go live in Merlin Park University Hospital.”
photo: Merlin Park Hospital
