Information Will Play a Key Role in Diabetes NSF
The Department of Health’s new diabetes National Service Framework (NSF) envisages a key role for information in the management of this widespread and increasingly common condition. A Diabetes Information Strategy has been published alongside the NSF by the Information Policy Unit,a move described as “absolutely essential” by campaigning charity, Diabetes UK. Factors such as the […]
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NHS ‘Numbers for Babies’ Goes Live
A new computerised ‘numbers for babies’ system went live across the NHS at midnight on 29 October, marking a significant step towards the goal of electronic patient records. Starting today all babies born in England and Wales are to be issued with an NHS number at birth, helping to ensure that personal records are consistent […]
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MEDLINEplus Awarded URAC Quality Seal
Medlineplus, the online health information database service of the US National Library of Medicine (NLC), has been awarded health web site accreditation by the quality body URAC. The NLC-run website is part of the US National Institute of Health, and is the first government-run website to receive the URAC seal. It is the sixteenth health […]
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Patient ID Chip Set for Global Launch
A tiny ID microchip that can be implanted in the human body, and then used to identify patients and enable their key medical information to be accessed securely, is to be launched globally at the beginning of May. The VeriChip, is a miniaturised, implantable radio frequency identification device (RFID), about the size of a grain […]
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Expanded Role for NHS Direct
Supporting people with chronic conditions, supporting ambulance services and reducing waiting times in A&E will be part of the expanded role for NHS Direct, health secretary Alan Milburn has announced. At a speech in Newcastle to mark the service’s fourth anniversary, Mr Milburn said, "NHS Direct shows that putting in the resources delivers real results […]
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Audit Commission says Information Quality a Priority
The Audit Commission has published a new report highlighting the need for NHS organisations to take urgent steps to improve the quality of data used in administrative and clinical systems. ‘Data Remember: Improving the quality of patient-based information in the NHS’, mainly focuses on the quality of data used in administrative systems, and says that […]
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Siemens to Help Build Digital Hospital
Siemens Corporation is to work with the US HealthSouth Corporation to create a groundbreaking totally integrated, all-digital and completely automated hospital. Technology will be used in every part of the new hospital to improve quality and save costs. Every patient treated in the new hospital will wear a "wellness monitor" to monitor their vital signs […]
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Healthcare at Home Chooses Ascent Relationship Management
UK high-tech homecare provider, Healthcare at Home Ltd, has chosen Ascent relationship management (RM), supplied by Ascent Technology, to provide it with an integrated customer relationship management system. Ascent will be used to provide an enterprise-wide patient relationship management system which will truly put the patient at the heart of Healthcare at Home’s business. The […]
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Docobo Demonstrates Benefits of Cardiac Monitoring System
Docobo Ltd, the leading Estonian telemedicine firm, has announced the publication of favourable results for clinical trials of its doc@home home monitoring programme for patients with hypertension, which it claims confirm the usefulness of the system for treating cardiac patients. Benefits identified in the trials included reductions in patients’ blood pressure and body weight, together […]
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NHS Awaits Treasury Approval of Landmark Microsoft Deal
The Department of Health and NHS Purchasing and Supplies Agency (PASA) have completed negotiations of a critical national software licensing deal with Microsoft to provide the company’s latest desktop personal productivity and back office applications to 300,000 NHS users. Final approval of the business plan is expected from the Treasury within the next two weeks. […]
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