How to scale COVID-19 antibody testing across an ICS

A digital transformation initiative between Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System (ICS) and BridgeHead Software

As the UK experiences a resurgence in COVID-19 cases, with the potential for further lockdowns, Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System (L&SC) anticipated the current and future increase in demand for lab-based pathology COVID-19 antibody tests on patient blood samples. L&SC teamed up with BridgeHead Software during the Summer months to innovate and develop a digital solution to streamline and scale the end-to-end laboratory antibody testing process.

In this presentation, you will learn how BridgeHead’s HiPRES™ (Health Imaging Patient Record Exchange Service) will enable L&SC to increase the efficiency and throughput of Covid-19 antibody laboratory tests across the ICS. The L&SC team will explain how BridgeHead’s HiPRES™:

• Digitally transforms the current, manually intensive, lab-based testing process and accelerated the COVID-19 antibody testing operations, at scale, across the region
• Provides a secure, zero-footprint mobile app to capture the images and data associated with blood tests, including barcode scanning, patient validation, consent, and demographic updates
• Supports end-to-end tracking of blood samples throughout the system with a digital audit trail
• Offers real-time results and negates the needs for repeat testing
• Integrates with L&SC’s patient record system, laboratory information system (LIMS) and X-Labs’ National Pathology Exchange (NPEx), ensuring the data flows with the patient across the testing lifecycle
• Utilises BridgeHead’s award-winning HealthStore® solution to securely consolidate, store, protect and share the clinical and administrative data associated with tests
• Can be applied to other pathways, point of care and laboratory tests and beyond COVID-19

Presenters:

Kira Pennington, Diagnostic Digital Integration Project Manager, ICS Digital Programme Team

Jane Oakey, Consultant Clinical Biochemist, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS

Chair:

Andrea Downey, Senior Reporter, Digital Health