One of the Global Digital Exemplars (GDEs) is now allowing patients to access and manage their hospital record online.
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (UHS) created the website, My medical record (MyMR), to allow patients to access parts of their record from home or on the go.
The site was developed by the IT team and clinicians at UHS as well as supplier, Get Real Health.
MyMR gives staff at UHS the opportunity to make information which is held in clinical and admin systems, such as upcoming appointments, test results and consultant advice, available to patients electronically.
Additionally, they can keep daily diaries on their health, upload data from devices used at home – such as blood pressure, blood sugar and Fitbit activity – and communicate with doctors and nurses without attending hospital.
MyMR was launched at UHS in 2012 and initially piloted among patients with inflammatory bowel disease before being extended to cover cancer and children’s services.
It is now available to all patients.
Matthew Beedle, MyMR product manager at UHS, said: “We want to sign up any patient who has a recent, ongoing or upcoming relationship with us as these patients will get the most benefit out of MyMR.
“We have a very exciting year ahead with more trusts lined up to adopt MyMR and UHS patients are at the forefront in terms of access to this technology.”
MyMR is not only being used in Southampton.
In 2014, it was adapted and launched at four other UK hospitals to evaluate its effectiveness as a self-management tool for prostate cancer patients.
Adrian Byrne, CIO at UHS, said: “MyMR really is leading the way in working towards a virtual hospital environment which gives patients much more control over their healthcare and better accessibility to their clinical teams and health record.
“We are extremely proud of the impact this development is having not only in Southampton and the surrounding area but across the country at a time when the digital agenda forms an integral part of the plan for the NHS over the next 10 years.”
Southampton is one of 16 trusts which are part of NHS England’s GDE programme, which aims to create a group of reference sites for NHS digitisation.
Part of this includes piloting an app called digirounds and the WhatsApp-style messaging app, Medxnote, both of which were demonstrated during a visit from NHS Digital.