Cardiff begins roll-out of EHRs for community nurses

Cardiff & Vale NHS Trust has announced that it is rolling out an integrated electronic health record for community nursing and mental health with the intention of creating a fully integrated electronic health record.

The contract with in4tek to use its PARIS system was signed in November 2004. Details of the system, which will be rolled out over the next two years, were released this week. Work has already begun on implementing a community nursing and mental health record, with an estimated completion date of October 2005.

The system, when finished, may also feature mobile access to health records. "There is a mobile PARIS, which allows community workers to access the system through PDAs," said a spokesperson for in4tek.

"Most of the community nursing takes place in the community. The system allows them to access the updates, and record them on the electronic record."

The technology will be developed around the work processes at the hospital, rather than imposed on it. "Because it’s new technology, every site can tailor the system, rather than implement it off the shelf," said the spokesperson. "It’s a development partnership."

According to in4tek, the integrated system is a "pioneer" in Wales, and has been designed to meld with existing services in the same way as another implementation at Swansea’s social services department. "It meets and exceeds the National Service Framework," added the spokesperson.

Once the mental health and nursing record systems are established, the next plans will focus on child health. "Eventually it will take in care for the elderly and probably long-term learning," said the spokesperson. The contract between Cardiff & Vale NHS Trust will run for five years.

Gary Rix, general manager of mental health services at Cardiff and Vale, said: "Our health workers made over 800,000 patient contacts in the community last year and the new PARIS technology will dramatically improve communications and allow us to undertake multi-agency projects to the benefit of those patients."

Tom Nawojczyk, CEO of in4tek, said: "We are delighted to be awarded the Cardiff contract and are particularly impressed with the drive and focus of the Trust. It is our first contract for PARIS in Welsh health care and they expect to become a key demonstrator partner site for the system."

In4tek’s PARIS system is also operating in South and East Belfast Health and Social Services Trust, as well as in two Canadian cities.