iMPAKT Platform Revolutionizes Patient Care with Data-Driven Insights

A new mobile and dashboard platform named iMPAKT aims to transform healthcare by embedding person-centred care into everyday practices. Launched through a partnership between Miroma Project Factory (MPF) and Ulster University, this innovative tool reflects the global shift towards value-based healthcare, which prioritizes patient experience and outcomes over traditional efficiency metrics.

The iMPAKT platform leverages Patient Reported Experience Measures (PREMs) and Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) to provide a comprehensive measurement framework. Designed specifically for nurses, midwives, and patients, iMPAKT incorporates eight core Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that allow healthcare professionals to collect and analyze real-world feedback effectively.

Transforming Care Delivery

The platform has been developed over more than a decade and includes data gathered from surveys, storytelling, patient records, and observational studies. This diverse data collection enables health professionals to gain insights into critical areas such as respect, involvement, connection, and trust—elements that are vital for high-quality patient care.

Through a transformative process, MPF was tasked with turning the initial research prototype into a fully functional mobile application. Utilizing its Honeycomb middleware, MPF successfully launched both iOS and Android versions of the app, alongside a web-based reporting dashboard. This dashboard provides healthcare leaders with the tools to monitor progress across various departments and benchmark performance against other healthcare settings.

Currently, iMPAKT is operational in seven international sites, including the Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney. The application allows nurses to engage with patients directly, capturing their stories and utilizing tailored dashboards to foster important team discussions and facilitate service improvements. Each cycle of use is designed to last six weeks, creating an ongoing momentum for reflection and enhancement.

A Platform for Action and Learning

What sets iMPAKT apart from traditional systems is its ability to not just report data but to provoke action, accelerate learning, and support shared decision-making among healthcare teams. The design minimizes the burden on busy staff, providing them with tools that enhance their existing capabilities.

Kat Robinson, CEO of MPF, emphasized the significance of the platform, stating, “iMPAKT is what happens when research, design, and clinical practice finally meet in the middle. It’s proof that digital tools can support dignity, not just data.” This indicates a shift towards equipping frontline staff with resources that empower them to influence cultural changes within their organizations.

The project has also gained renewed support from Ulster University, securing additional funding through the Enabling Research Award from the Public Health Agency’s HSC R&D Division. This funding aims to expand iMPAKT as a global standard for evaluating patient experience and measuring clinical impact.

The simplicity of iMPAKT may be its most compelling feature, returning reflection, storytelling, and accountability to the bedside, where they belong. As Robinson noted, “This is how we restore the heart in healthcare. Not by asking nurses to do more – but by giving them tools that show how much they already do.”

The iMPAKT platform is currently undergoing testing across the UK and Australia, with plans for commercial expansion bolstered by new research initiatives and funding collaborations. As this innovative approach to healthcare continues to evolve, it promises to enhance the quality of patient care significantly.

As organizations like MPF and Ulster University lead the way in developing such platforms, the future of healthcare may be increasingly defined by how well it integrates the voices and experiences of patients into the fabric of care delivery.