Real-Time Surgery Updates Now Available at LRH

Real-Time Surgery Updates Now Available at Latrobe Regional Health

In a Gippsland first, Latrobe Regional Health (LRH) has introduced real-time surgical updates for patients’ families and carers through a new Patient Procedure Tracker which went live in late April.

The system allows loved ones to track a patient’s journey through surgery—from waiting, to theatre, recovery, and discharge—via unique identifying numbers displayed on dedicated screens throughout the hospital.

“This simple system provides reassurance. Families can see where their loved one is in the surgical process without needing to ask staff for updates,” LRH Acting General Manager Surgical Services Janelle McInnes said.

Beyond patient experience, the Patient Procedure Tracker improves clinical accuracy by removing reliance on paper records. “We perform over 10,000 procedures a year, and each one traditionally involves up to 15 individual paper forms. By removing the paper trail and committing that information to an electronic platform this ensures records are updated in real time,” Ms. McInnes said.

Early feedback from patients and families has been overwhelmingly positive.

“Even in its early days, we’ve seen how valuable it is for families to independently check their loved one’s progress,” Ms. McInnes said.

The system’s design was shaped in consultation with LRH’s Community Advisory Committee to ensure it met the needs of carers and families.

“The Community Advisory Committee helped us focus on what information was genuinely helpful including how we could protect patient privacy. Additionally, they gave advice on where to place the screens and how information could be provided to consumers in advance” Clinical Lead for the project, Georgia Zammit said.

Over the coming months, the tracker will be rolled out to more screens across LRH and made available through the hospital’s website.

Pictured: LRH Theatre Education support team, Kacie Etherington, Astrid Hill and Lauren Bauer.