Mid-Staffs Selects iSOFT for EPR

Mid-Staffordshire General Hospitals NHS Trust has signed a ten-year managed service contract with iSOFT to implement and manage a trust-wide EPR system covering two hospitals.

The contract includes the supply and implementation of a complete EPR solution and will support in excess of 2,400 users at Staffordshire General Hospital and Cannock Chase Hospital.

Replacement of the Trust’s current Patient Administration System (PAS) has already begun with initial systems scheduled to go-live in April 2003, just 18-months after the initial tender for the contract was issued.

iSoft will provide the trust with an EPR solution that will include fully integrated clinical support system which will deliver integrated clinical pathways, results reporting, order communications, e-prescribing and medicines administration across the various departments and hospital sites.

The system provided will also support e-booking of hospital appointments from selected Primary Care Trusts.

The iSoft solution was chosen after a comprehensive evaluation process undertaken by users across the Trust. The company says that the trust’s procurement of the EPR project has been the most rapid it has worked on in the NHS.

David O’Neill, chief executive at the trust, said. "The trust is fully committed to the development of EPR and is looking forward to working with iSoft to enable the trust to become an EPR leader."

Mr O’Neill added: "This agreement will further develop the trust’s ability to deliver outstanding quality of clinical care while at the same time containing the cost of delivery and incorporating the flexibility to cope with far-reaching future plans.

Steve Graham, iSoft’s Chief Operating Officer, said, "We have been very impressed with the commitment and drive of the trust’s team during the procurement and are very much looking forward to working with them to deliver a rapid and successful implementation".

According to iSoft’s interim results for the six months ending 31 October, 2002, the public limited company had a profit before tax of £8.2m on a turnover of £35.3m. Over the six-month period the company states that it gained seven enterprise-wide hospital system wins in and six major contract extensions with existing customers.