Call for semantic health interoperability
A leading UK academic has called for a new push on the development of semantic electronic health records based on ‘clinical archetypes’ as the only viable route to deliver fully interoperable electronic health care records, writes Jon Hoeksma in Slovenia. Dr Dipak Kalra of University College London said clinical archetypes, or “clinical shapes” need to […]
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Trust uses IT to help manage ‘superbugs’
IT which reduces infection control alert times from six hours to six seconds is being deployed to help in the battle against ‘superbugs’ at Wigan, Wrightington and Leigh NHS Trust in North-west England. A real-time bed management system, which is due to start as a live pilot at the end of May 2008, lies at the heart […]
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Most GP systems will require security upgrades
The majority of GP clinical IT systems will not meet the Department of Health’s new data security requirements for transfer and storage of patient data and PCTs will need to fund the costs of extra encryption, according to Connecting for Health. CfH’s programme director for GP Systems of Choice (GPSoC), Kemi Adenubi, has written to […]
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Medtronic to surf Europe’s ‘wave of telemedicine’
The US-medical device manufacturer Medtronic is planning to extend its presence as a telemedicine provider in Europe the company announced in Switzerland yesterday. “The wave of telemedicine is now hitting the medical devices industry, and Medtronic will take a lead”, said Peter Steinmann, vice president for distance monitoring at Medtronic Western Europe. CareLink was introduced […]
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Europe-wide project to detect drug reactions
QResearch, the not-for-profit research partnership between EMIS and the University of Nottingham, is supporting a new European-wide initiative, the ALERT project, to detect adverse drug reactions (ADRs) faster. The project will involve a consortium of 18 leading European research institutions using clinical data from the electronic healthcare records (EHRs) of over 30m patients from European […]
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Europe-wide project to detect drug reactions
A new European-wide initiative, the ALERT project, has received €5m EU funding to detect adverse drug reactions (ADRs) using real-time data from systems including the UK’s QResearch project, a collaboration between the University of Nottingham and GP supplier EMIS. The project will involve a consortium of 18 leading European research institutions using clinical data from […]
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Data recording may explain trust’s high death rate
An inadequate system for recording and coding data on patients has been blamed by Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust for its mortality rates coming under investigation by the Healthcare Commission. England’s healthcare watchdog announced that the trust’s mortality rate was higher than the national average, and that the commission was concerned about the effectiveness of […]
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Johnson steps up pressure on 0844 numbers
Health secretary Alan Johnson has stepped up the pressure on practices using 0844 telephone numbers as campaigners draw up a list of more than 800 surgeries with such numbers. The health secretary, who is MP for Hull and Hessle West, criticised the use of 0844 numbers in his local paper as the Department of Health’s […]
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Mobile monitoring system developed for carers
Crown Computing has developed a new monitoring system, using Near Field Communication technology, which allows carers to notify their authority as to which patient they are with. Near Field Communication or NFC, is a short-range high frequency wireless communication technology which enables the exchange of data between devices over about a decimeter (100mm) distance. Crown’s […]
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Docobo make multi-user version of telehealth device
Telehealth specialist Docobo has unveiled a multi-user version of its HealthHUB portable home monitor, meaning two or more patients can now utilise one device. The HealthHUB system enables patients to record vital signs, symptoms, lifestyle and quality of life measures around the clock from any location. This information is then securely transferred to the doc@HOME […]
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