Decision Support response to COVID-19 in Scotland

Since April 2020, the Digital Health and Care Institute (DHI) has delivered a range of decision support tools for COVID at pace through its Right Decision Service platform. This includes:

• Nine mobile apps delivering COVID-related guidance and pathways to frontline practitioners in NHS Boards. These cover: management of COVID in anaesthesia and ITU (3 apps), COVID in paediatric care, obstetrics and gynaecology, and psychiatry; emergency care, Board-wide COVID guidance and pathways (2 apps)
• Three evidence-based decision support tools for early detection of deterioration, triage and appropriate escalation of COVID cases in care homes – NEWS2 (National Early Warning Score); RESTORE2 (Recognise Early Soft Signs, Take Observations, Respond, Escalate), NaRT (Nursing and Residential Home Triage tool).
• A decision support system for SIGN – Scotland’s body which leads national delivery of evidence and guidelines. This is an especially significant product of the Right Decision Service, as it has national reach and impact in converting validated  guidance into tools to supports frontline decision-making across Scotland. 

“This is amazing and just what we need – I think this could be one of the most important interventions made in this situation.”  Consultant Anaesthetist, NHS Board.