This month’s industry round-up has news about contracts, the latest deployments and product launches – including the announcement of Lorenzo for the iPhone – and some new or improved websites for those working in health and IT.
NHS NSS signs InterSystems deal
NHS National Services Scotland and InterSystems have formally signed a national framework contract to replace patient management systems across the country. The contract will see InterSystems provide its TrakCare product to five consortium NHS health boards: Ayrshire and Arran, Borders, Grampian, Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and Lanarkshire. The framework will allow the remaining health boards to place contracts after the first two years. The deal is worth £44m initially.
Novell extends £6m NHS deal
Novell has announced it has extended its £6m NHS deal to provide IT security, infrastructure software and collaboration solutions in order to support the government’s cloud computing programme. The deal is for Novell’s Intelligent Workload Management solutions including ZENworks Configuration Management, Patch Management and SecureLogin and Teaming+Conferencing.
Basildon and Thurrock deploys bar-coded wristbands
Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has deployed a thermal wristband printing solution from The Barcode Warehouse. The system, which integrates with the trust’s patient administration system, shows the patient’s name, NHS ID and Patient ID numbers, date of birth and 2D barcode. Michelle Smith, Project Manager for the BTUH said: “The use of electronically printed wristbands greatly reduces the risk of misidentifying patients and administrating incorrect medical care.”
NHS Bury and Cloud2 deliver SharePoint
NHS Bury has awarded a contract to Cloud2 to use its NHS Solution Accelerator to deliver Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 across the primary care trust. The company won a competitive tender process to implement a strategic intranet and document management solution to facilitate information sharing.
ISoft announces Lorenzo for iPhone
ISoft has announced that medical professionals will be able to access Lorenzo, the strategic electronic patient record system for the North, Midlands and East of England, on Apple’s iPhone later this year. A prototype application will allow users to access scans, x-rays and patient records and directly register patients’ vital signs. Dr Michael Dahlweid, iSoft’s chief medical officer said: “We need to bring the patient into the consumer space, at the same time we need to ensure we extend the richness of electronic health records to the finger tips of medical professionals.”
HD Clinical launches Solus
HD Clinical has announced the launch of its latest product, ‘Solus’, which it describes as a next-generation web-based information system “for bringing integrated health records to life.” Solus interfaces with medical data sources and devices and provides tracking, reporting and access to the information they contain. Clinical modules can be built to handle any specific departmental dataset. The first clinical module to be released is acute stroke management, which contains built-in decision support and target monitoring.
Voice Technologies launches new WinVoicePro software
Digital dictation specialist Voice Technologies has launched its new WinVoicePro software. Created in collaboration with the NHS in both England and Scotland, the company says WinVoicePro works seamlessly with dictation management software WinScribe to help staff maximise efficiency and cut down on correspondence times. Letter templates are created through an automated system that links with electronic patient records or patient administration systems, from which information can be automatically entered to reduce errors. Documents are then sent electronically for review and sign off, and can be distributed to systems such as Docman so others can access them.
Conduco PLC moves into RTLS technology
Conduco, a Manchester based software development company, has launched a real time locating system for the health sector. The company argues that using RFID technology to track medical equipment could reduce NHS equipment inventories by around 20%, creating cost savings and increasing staff productivity. David Nicholls, managing director of Conduco, said: “We have engaged with numerous NHS trusts and have identified a clear business case around the overstock of expensive and portable medical equipment.”
Dataline launches update to its free SNOMED browser
Dataline Software has launched a new version of Snoflake, a not-for-profit website that it has hosted since 2006 that is designed to raise awareness of SNOMED and the benefits of using it in the UK. www.snoflake.co.uk. Version 3.0 has a range of new features, including a simplified user interface, based on user feedback, the International SNOMED CT 2009 dataset, a quick code search and a simplified ‘add to favourites’ for access to commonly used codes.
Medpedia Clinical Trials launches
An online platform has been launched to give patients and physicians access to information about clinical trials. Medpedia Clinical Trials, allows information to be automatically fed into appropriate contexts. For example, it might appear alongside a Medpedia article on the same subject or in a feed set up by somebody interested in the subject. The resource is free.
UK charity launches new maternity website
UK-based maternity charity, MIDIRS, has relaunchedits website. The site is an information resource for healthcare professionals and student midwives. The revamped site includes a new look, better navigation, and new user functions.
Decon Sciences Group launches new website
Decon Sciences Group has launched a new, consolidated website that incorporates information from all its divisions, including its software solution Scantrack.
Southampton wins clinical trial database award
Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust, Southampton University and Cancer Research UK have won an NHS innovation’s award for developing software to manage clinical trials in more than 200 hospitals across the country. The EDGE trials management system allows medical and research professionals, to access a live, detailed database of ongoing clinical trials from any location. Professor Peter Johnson, Cancer Research UK’s chief clinician, said: “The EDGE technology will assist doctors and nurses in carrying out top quality research and support doctors and nurses in the vitally important care they offer to patients on clinical trials.”