Cancer trust extends IMS MAXIMS deal

Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology NHS Foundation Trust has extended its contract with IMS MAXIMS for a web based electronic patient records system.

The three year extension will bring an immediate upgrade of all IMS MAXIMS applications that are already deployed at the trust.

This will include an upgrade of the trust’s existing patient administration system to webPAS, which integrates with MAXIMS’ clinical modules, as well as a web upgrade will allow the trust to move to an entirely web based system.

Tom Poulter, the trust’s head of IM&T said: “This means we won’t have to install additional client software every time we upgrade.

“As there are 600 computers that makes a big difference to our system administration and technical overheads. It will also bring greater flexibility, allowing healthcare professionals to access MAXIMS wherever they are, using a secure web portal.”

The trust awarded the contract after seven years of using the system and an options appraisal that assessed other offerings, including those under the National Programme for IT in the NHS.

Poulter added: “IMS MAXIMS was helpful and constructive throughout the appraisal, which was designed to determine our precise needs and direction of travel in the years ahead.

“They were keen to meet our specific requirements and we are now on a very solid footing for delivering a whole range of benefits.”

The extended contract will last until 2015 and will see the upgrades in place by the end of March 2011.

The trust also said that IMS MAXIMS is helping it to go beyond the Clinical 5 and completely eliminate paper based records in the system by helping with projects such as electronic document management systems integration.

“An early decision to extend the contract with IMS has enabled us to benefit from a range of system enhancements on a cost-neutral basis and we look forward to working closely with IMS to implement the Clinical 5+,” added Poulter.

Shane Tickell, IMS MAXIMS chief executive said: “We have a long and very strong relationship with CCO and have proven our ability to provide tailor-made solutions for its unique needs.

The Trust’s confidence in the IMS MAXIMS solutions has been demonstrated by the fact that it has made such an early decision to extend our contract.”

Link: IMS MAXIMS