Smart Specimen Bag Launched
A new version of the humble pathology specimen bag that can integrate test request information with the electronic patient record is being piloted at NHS hospitals around the country. Speci-Sak II, made by MailmateSPS, is a plain specimen request form with a bag attached which goes through a specially adapted laser printer. Information recorded on […]
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IT Needed to Cut Drug Deaths
A new report by the Audit Commission has highlighted the need to invest in IT systems to cut the increasing number of patients who die after being given the wrong drugs in hospital. Approximately 1,200 people died last year in England and Wales as a result of the medication errors often caused by ineffective information […]
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Fitzpatrick Steps Down From Health Media Group
Tony Fitzpatrick has stepped down as chief executive of Health Media Group PLC, the leading UK online health content firm, following the release of a trading statement last week which said revenue will be below market expectations for the full year resulting in an operating loss. The company said the shortfall is the result of […]
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Dr Koop Lifecare files for Bankruptcy
Dr. Koop LifeCare Corp, the long-troubled US online health information provider, announced on Sunday that it and its wholly-owned subsidiary will cease operations and liquidate its assets after failing to come up with additional debt or equity financing. The Santa Monica, California-based company, once a darling of Wall Street, said its efforts to obtain additional […]
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US Alliance to Promote Electronic Medical Records
Leading US doctor, hospital and consumer groups have formed the Patient Safety Institute (PSI), a major new collaborative initiative designed to harness and integrate secure IT systems to improve patient safety and healthcare quality, The aim is to develop a confidential computer network, based on open standards, to electronically link medical records so doctors can […]
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Doctors Do Not Make Full Use of Electronic Records
Despite widespread implementation of electronic records, Norwegian doctors tend not to make full use of the functionality available to them in the systems, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal. Researchers from Trondheim looked at how medical staff used three different systems installed in 32 units. In total they received views from […]
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Health Information More Popular than Games or Chat
More young people go online to search for health information than to play games, chat or take part in other popular Internet activities associated with the age group. A new US report, "Generation Rx.com", by the Kaiser Family Foundation, found that 68% of the population aged 15-24 use online media to learn about diabetes, AIDS […]
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Gates Says NHS Must Deliver in Digital Age
It’s not every day that you get to see the richest man in the world, and the gawp factor must have accounted for a good number of the 150-odd NHS chief executives and directors that attended last week’s Microsoft-sponsored Department of Health IT conference. But the man from Redmond offered them little in way of […]
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Torex Buys Oxhealth.com to Develop Electronic Health Records
In the latest of a string of recent acquisitions Torex Health has announced it is to purchase Oxhealth.com Ltd, in a deal that will see Torex taking over one of the NHS ERDIP (Electronic Record Development and Implementation Programme) pilot sites. Torex Health will pay £375,000 for Oxhealth.com, through the issue of 50,113 Torex ordinary […]
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Milburn Pledges New IT Money and Partnerships
Health Secretary Alan Milburn used a Microsoft-sponsored Department of Health (DH) IT conference attended by Bill Gates to pledge an extra £85m for NHS IT in 2002-2003. Health secretary Alan Milburn admitted on 6 December 2001 that hard pressed hospitals had diverted IT allocations last year to meet other priorities. "I should have earmarked it […]
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