Healthcare professionals using the TrakCare clinical system can now access patient information from a mobile device.

Health IT vendor InterSystems has added new functionality to its electronic patient record (EPR) and management system that enables clinicians to interact with the information using a touchscreen device.

The new capabilities are designed to make both capturing and accessing relevant patient information quicker and easier, providing access to clinical notes “with a few swipes and taps”.

It also means healthcare staff can capture images and barcodes using the mobile device’s built-in camera, and record voice notes.

United Family Healthcare, China’s largest foreign-invested healthcare provider, is an early adopter of the new TrakCare mobile capabilities.

The organisation is using the functionality to allow patients to self-register with receptionists using iPads, helping speed up the admission process.

Applications that offer on-the-go access to clinician systems have been identified as a priority among healthcare staff, yet despite a clear appetite for technology-assisted mobile working, dedicated clinical apps remain in short supply.

Yet solutions are beginning to trickle into the ecosystem. In January, Servelec and Totalmobile launched a joint product that enables care staff to access the Servelec RiO EPR from a smartphone or tablet. Meanwhile Emis and TTP both have mobile versions of their respective clinical systems.

InterSystems said it worked with practising clinicians in designing the mobile-enabled version of TrakCare, which also offers functionality for medication prescribing, medication administration, nursing rounds, and laboratory results.

Because TrakCare is web-based, the idea is customers can run the software from a mobile device without having to install an additional apps. And, because it runs off the central TrakCare system, it is said to benefit from the same level of security.

Christine Chapman, vice president for TrakCare at InterSystems, said: “More than 20 years ago, InterSystems TrakCare became one of the first web-based healthcare information systems. With a rich mobile-enabled user interface, TrakCare is built for better decisions in the mobile era, making it easy for clinicians to capture and access data, and manage clinical workflows, at the point of care.”