New QOF software to hide data, but not for all GPs
NPfIT has developed software that automatically anonymises GP electronic patient records for audit by primary care organisations under the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF), in response to concerns over confidentiality from the BMA – but it will not work with all practices. The program, QOF Assessor Toolkit, will connect with the majority of GP software, […]
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Getting ready for the leap forward
With the National Programme for IT now geared up for delivery, Paul Charnley, regional implementation director for the North West and West Midlands cluster, spoke to E-Health Insider’s Jon Hoeksma…
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New alliance could be US e-prescribing’s cup of tea
A group of IT companies involved in providing healthcare solutions have started up Café Rx, an open alliance devoted to championing the adoption of electronic prescribing across the US. The organisation, announced last week at the National Council for Prescription Drug Programmes’ (NCPDP) Educational Forum in San Francisco, promises to support and lobby for electronic […]
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Gartner awarded market intelligence contract
The National Programme for IT has awarded a one-year £154,000 contract to IT analysts Gartner to provide it with market intelligence services. The deal follows the award of a £117,000 contract to Ovum for ‘supplier relations’ services in July. According to NPfIT the market intelligence to be supplied by Gartner will help it monitor the […]
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University Hospital Aintree wins pharmacy IT award
The pharmacy department at University Hospital Aintree, Liverpool has won the 2004 First DataBank Guild of Healthcare Pharmacist Information Technology Award for its effective electronic transfer of discharge prescriptions pilot. The University Hospital Aintree pharmacy department was chosen for its development of a system to transfer patient discharge information securely and quickly between the hospital […]
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IT projects fail because best practice not applied
Billions of pounds are wasted every year on new IT systems, with only 16% that can be considered a true success, because of failure to apply established best practice, says a new report by the Royal Academy of Engineering and the British Computer Society. ‘The Challenge of Complex IT Projects’ says that despite many examples of […]
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CHI delivers “must do better” verdict on information use
Acute trusts need to improve the collection and use of good quality information, according to the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) which plans to publish a model of best practice in information use at the end of this month. CHI’s verdict is contained in a summary report on what it has found in acute services. It […]
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Agency due to lead NHS IT change management scrapped
The Government is to scrap the NHS Modernisation Agency (MA), the agency charged with delivering the change management programme that is meant to accompany the new computer systems to be delivered by the National Programme for IT (NPfIT). The MA, which has 760 staff and a £230 million budget, was meant to be responsible for […]
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Parliamentary briefing paper sets out challenges for NPfIT
A new parliamentary briefing paper on the National Programme for IT has highlighted stakeholder involvement, communications, "imposing change on a highly devolved NHS", and the complexity of the programme each as potential areas of concern for the success of the project. ‘New NHS IT’ a Parliamentary briefing note prepared by the Parliamentary Office of Science […]
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Technology strategy needed for all pathology networks
A new Department of Health policy for modernising pathology services says all managed pathology networks need to have a formal technology strategy in place with a focus on getting maximum benefit from emerging technologies while also managing risks. The broad ranging policy document, Modernising Pathology Services , launched this week by health minister, John Hutton, […]
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