A new digital system designed to help hospital staff identify deteriorating patients more quickly is being rolled out across Hywel Dda University Health Board.

The electronic observations system, known as e-Obs, replaces paper records used by staff to document patients’ vital signs.

It has now been introduced across adult inpatient wards at Glangwili Hospital, with work at Withybush Hospital and a number of community sites nearing completion.

Hywel Dda says the technology will subsequently be rolled out across its other hospital sites during 2026/27.

That wider programme includes a health board network serving Ceredigion through Bronglais Hospital in Aberystwyth and Tregaron Community Hospital, although a site-specific implementation date for Bronglais has not yet been announced.

The system allows clinicians to record observations such as patients’ vital signs electronically and makes the information more readily available to other staff.

The health board says this should help teams recognise deterioration earlier, improve clinical oversight and reduce time spent on administration.

Hywel Dda says it is the first health board in Wales to implement electronic observations as part of the national digital programme.

Dr Anthony Smith, the health board’s Chief Clinical Information Officer, said the system was already improving patient safety through “better visibility of patient status, stronger clinical oversight and earlier recognition of deterioration”.

Anna Harries, Chief Nursing Information Officer, said the implementation had been delivered using Hywel Dda staff rather than relying on an external training model.

The programme forms part of a wider push to replace paper-based processes and introduce more digital clinical systems throughout the health board.

Hywel Dda provides hospital and community services across Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.

Further deployment of e-Obs across the remaining sites is planned throughout the current financial year as part of a national programme involving Digital Health and Care Wales.