Electronic Prescriptions Project Schedule Under Threat
One of the key figures behind the development of electronic transmission of prescriptions (ETP) in the UK has publicly questioned whether the Department of Health (DH) can achieve its target of rolling out ETP nationally by 2006. Ewan Davis, chairman of PharMed, which is leading the Transcript consortium — one of three approved ETP pilots […]
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InHealth Group Buys UK Arm of IBA Health
InHealth Group, the acquisitive UK health services, equipment and IM&T firm, today announced it has acquired the UK business of Australian health IT supplier IBA Health Limited The deal is valued at £5.2m excluding annual support fees and the option for future software licences. InHealth Group is also investing £1.8m in ordinary shares of IBA […]
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Cardiff to be Oracle Healthcare Customer Advisor
Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust will be a key Customer Advisor in Oracle Corporation’s development of a web-based, patient-centred healthcare information system based on its leading e-business suite. The Oracle Healthcare integrated solution is intended to help provide improved efficiency, cost-effectiveness and quality of care to hospitals and other care delivery organisations by consolidating clinical, […]
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Technology Adoption Likely to be Slow in 2002, say Gartner
Technology advances such as the use of XML, mobile technologies, speech recognition, workflow, business process management and public key infrastructure are tantalisingly close to prime time in healthcare, but 2002 will see only a fraction of the adoption that might be expected, according to analysts, Gartner. Introducing Gartner Predicts 2002: Healthcare, editor, Kenneth Kleinberg, writes, […]
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IT Investment Gives Californian HMO an Edge Over the NHS
A comparison of the NHS and non-profit Californian health maintenance organisation, Kaiser Permanante, has revealed that investment in information technology is one of the explanations for the HMO’s superior performance on several measures. Writing in the British Medical Journal, the researchers from the University of California and the Healthcare Redesign Group, conclude, “Healthcare costs per […]
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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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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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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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Computer Motion Recieves $2m Grant for Telesurgery Training
Computer Motion, Inc., the world’s leading developer of surgical robotic systems, has been awarded a $2m research and development grant from the US Department of Commerce, and National Institute of Standards (NIST) to combine surgical robotic systems with telemedicine to train surgeons in new procedures. According to the NIST grant proposal the potential market opportunity […]
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Aventis Launches Doctor-Patient Internet Communications Tools
Aventis Pharmaceuticals Inc., the U.S. pharmaceuticals business of Aventis Pharma AG, has launched an Internet-based communications platform designed to link family physicians to patients. The service enables two-way, secure communication, and provides convenient access to information and services designed enhance the delivery of patient care. The new system, called MyDocOnline, provides patients, physicians and their […]
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