Wolverhampton City Primary Care Trust is implementing digital dictation across its entire GP practice network.
The trust has chosen Lexacom to provide the digital dictation software, which is already in use by some practices.
Parkfield Medical Practice in Wolverhampton changed from tapes to digital dictation 18 months ago.
Medical secretary Anne Walker told eHealth Insider she embraced the new technology from day one and would never go back to tapes.
“After a month of using it, it was so easy, we were sure we could never go back to the old method,” she said, adding that digital dictation had changed the way she worked.
“In the old days you had to fast forward a tape to find an urgent letter which could be right in the middle of it, but the Lexacom system flags up urgent letters on the system so they’re easy to find.
“If the doctor dictates an urgent letter, we can have it ready before the patient leaves the clinic, something we would never be able to do before.”
The new software will be installed in 39 GP practices and used by more than 300 doctors and secretaries.
Wolverhampton City PCT IM&T and QIPP project manager Darren Pandaal said making best use of technology, which can help GP practice operate more effectively and offer a better service to patients, is a key priority.
Lexacom’s latest software, Lexacom 3, offers improved integration with clinical systems, reporting functions which enable referrals to be tracked and audited and secure mobile working so dictations can be done anytime and anywhere.