Transforming Emergency Care at University Hospital Southampton: Real-Time Visibility, Safer Workflows, and a Paper-Light ED with Miya Emergency

A Step-Change in Oversight and Clinical Prioritisation 

For Dr Alasdair Moffat, ED Digital Clinical Lead, the biggest impact is the immediate visibility Miya Emergency gives to clinicians wherever they are in the department.

“Being able to read notes easily, see how they’re organised, and know exactly what’s happening with every patient, no matter where you are in the ED – is revolutionary.”

Image: Dr Alasdair Moffat, ED Digital Clinical Lead, University Hospital Southampton

With Miya Emergency, clinicians can scan the entire department at a glance, understand where patients are in their journey, and prioritise safely without needing to physically move between majors, pit stop, resus, paediatrics, or the waiting room.

Where clinicians previously relied on paper notes or needed to check with colleagues for updates, the digital view now provides a clear, trustworthy picture of:

• acuity and triage status
• current clinical tasks
• handover details
• investigations and results
• delays or blockers in the patient journey

This ability to “know what’s going on at a distance” has quickly become embedded in daily practice and is reshaping how teams coordinate care during periods of high demand.

Stronger Nursing Oversight Across a Large, High-Pressure ED 

For nursing leadership, the shift has been equally impactful. Carole Spratt, ED Matron, describes the new level of transparency as a major step forward.

Before Miya Emergency, staff used fragmented digital tools for basic location and timing, but detailed assessment, acuity, and documentation workflows were heavily paper-based. That meant frequent trips across the department to search for notes, confirm details, and check on activity.

Now:

• Nurses in charge can monitor every area using iPads
• Real-time information makes it easier to support newly qualified staff
• Prioritisation decisions—especially in pit stop and majors—are based on live data, not interrupted communication or paper chasing

Image: Carole Spratt, ED Matron, University Hospital Southampton

“Having real-time access to patient information from anywhere in the department has changed how we manage flow and safety.”

Department Senior sisters echoed this. Sarah Aubrey, ED Senior Sister, highlighted improvements in bed booking visibility, handover consistency, and the ability to track patient movement:

“You can clearly see when a bed is requested and when it becomes ready – something we never had before.”

The standardisation of handover, merging primary and secondary into a single structured process, has driven more consistent data capture and reduced reliance on handwritten notes.

A Safer, More Consistent Paediatric ED

In Paediatric ED, Senior Sister Claudia Surrecio reported similar gains. The ability to view and update notes digitally, particularly when caring for complex children or safeguarding cases, has increased confidence and reduced administrative burden.

Image: Claudia Surrecio, Senior Sister, University Hospital Southampton

Highly practical features, such as bed readiness indicators, task management, and electronic documentation, are supporting faster, safer care coordination across one of the most pressured parts of the service.

The team report the immediate impact on visibility, communication, and note accessibility has already been substantial.

Admin Teams See Paper Reduction, Fewer Errors, and Smoother Patient Journeys

For non-clinical teams, Miya Emergency has removed many of the manual processes that created risk and delay in the previous workflow.

Wendy Parker, Deputy Admin Manager, summarised the change:

✔ Clearer, safer discharge summaries

• Discharge summaries are now complete, legible, and consistently available.
• Summaries remain open until completed, reducing missed documentation
• Electronic sending to all GPs reduces printing and postage
• For out-of-area GPs, the system automatically flags when printing is needed

“The discharge summary is now easily accessible in full—much clearer for clinicians and admin.”

✔ Drastic reduction in paper and scanning

• The department previously relied on paper forms and manual scanning, risking misfiled notes.

“The scanning part of it is a real bonus – less paperwork, fewer lost forms.”

Self-discharge forms, vital for safeguarding and risk documentation, are now consistently captured. In a recent case, this improvement directly supported a safeguarding review.

✔ Better filtering and patient search

Admin staff can view multiple areas at once (e.g., paediatrics and ED observation), enabling faster responses when relatives or clinicians ask for updates.

“If a parent asks where their child is, we can now find them immediately without switching screens.”

Initial anxiety among administrative staff settled quickly as they saw the improvements in speed, reliability, and reduction in manual work.

Image: Wendy Parker, Deputy Admin Manager, University Hospital Southampton

Documentation Quality and Consistency Moving Forward

Sarah Bradburn, CNIO, notes that one of the biggest benefits is the end of lost notes.

“We’re no longer losing patient notes – everyone can access what they need from anywhere.”

Although formal audit work is still planned, early signs suggest high usage and good adoption. This is notable given the immense volume, acuity, and staffing pressures the ED faces.

Staff adaptation has been quicker than expected, aided by:

• supportive clinical leadership
• structured training and floorwalking
• system usability and familiarity from earlier Miya modules

Image: Sarah Bradburn, Chief Nursing Information Officer, University Hospital Southampton

What’s Next: Refinement and Continuous Improvement

Teams across the ED identified several areas for ongoing development, including:

• optimising demographic data entry
• improving patient search capabilities
• refining ambulance handover and pre-arrival workflows
• strengthening integration of comments into the clinical record

These improvements form part of the continuous optimisation phase, which UHS and Alcidion teams are already progressing through regular feedback cycles.

A Department Already Feeling the Benefits 

Across adult and paediatric ED, common themes emerged from all interviews:

✔ Clear, real-time situational awareness

A department-wide view that helps staff prioritise safely.

✔ No more lost notes

Digital documentation accessible anywhere, supporting safer care.

✔ Faster, more consistent handover

Standardised prompts and structured information reduce variation.

✔ Less paper, fewer errors

Digitised workflows remove duplication and reduce scanning risks.

✔ Better communication

Task lists, comments, and shared visibility support teamwork across clinical zones.

✔ High adoption in a highly pressured environment

Despite national ED pressures, staff across roles have embraced the change.

Conclusion

The implementation of Miya Emergency at University Hospital Southampton represents more than a digital upgrade—it is a fundamental shift in how emergency care teams access information, coordinate activity, and deliver safe, timely care in one of the busiest departments in England.

From clinical oversight and nursing coordination to admin accuracy and safeguarding, UHS staff consistently describe the same outcome: better visibility, better communication, and less waste.

The early success reflects not just the technology, but the partnership, leadership, and resilience of UHS teams who brought it to life under intense operational pressure.

Feature image: Sarah Arbery, Emergency Department Senior Sister, University Hospital Southampton