EuroKing launches Miracle in Scotland

Maternity information systems suppliers EuroKing has partnered with bms (Scotland) Ltd in a bid to get the company’s Miracle system used more widely in Scotland following a recent NHS announcement changing the way maternity scans take place in the country.

Scotland’s NHS Quality Improvement Board has recommended that by 2007 every pregnant woman in Scotland should be offered a scan at 13 weeks for nuchal translucency (NT) scoring, and at 20 weeks for a detailed scan, as opposed to just the one routine scan that is currently offered in the first trimester.

NT measurement helps healthcare practitioners assess a baby’s risk for Down’s syndrome and other chromosomal abnormalities as well as major congenital heart problems.

Bill Little, managing director of bms told E-Health Insider: “EuroKing Miracle Maternity Information Systems integrate [GE Healthcare’s] ViewPoint ultrasounds studies, CTG and all aspects of maternity management to provide a full audit trail with data throughout the complete pregnancy. It will ensure clinicians can archive images and measurements and access any statistics they may need to refer to.

“ViewPoint will aid hospitals as they move towards the recommended changes to routine ultrasound scanning in Scotland. It will help sonographers deal with the inevitable increase of workload the changes will bring supporting them and providing them with statistic, audit and quality control.”

Jonathan Raife, managing director of EuroKing told EHI that he hopes to see the Miracle system selling well in Scotland in response to the new scan and scoring system. EuroKing say Miracle is the only UK system to use the GE Healthcare ViewPoint system

Raife continued: “Scotland has a very poor standard of maternity information systems at the moment. It is an exciting opportunity for us to launch EuroKing Miracle in Scotland.”

Miracle has already been implemented in 140 sites, both NHS and private hospitals across England, where hospitals have invested in the system rather than wait for the iSoft Evolution software, which is being delivered by the National Programme for IT (NPfIT).

Raife added: “Trusts urgently need modern systems to meet the latest statutory reporting and child screening initiatives, and effectively manage their clinical litigation risks and so on. Miracle can do this for them, and although we face competition by NPfIT, I do believe that widespread use in the UK is a real possibility, especially with exciting opportunities like this [bms Scotland deal].”

ViewPoint has been successfully implemented by bms in two Scottish hospitals: the Queen Mother’s Hospital, Glasgow, and Borders General Hospital, Melrose.

Dr Alan Cameron, consultant obstetrician at the Queen Mother’s Hospital, said: "This new technology is a major breakthrough in ultrasound imaging and auditing. We are very pleased to have it implemented and are sure it will make our jobs much easier, resulting in maximum patient care.”

A spokesperson for GE Healthcare told EHI: “GE Healthcare makes ultrasound workflow quicker and easier with ViewPoint. It combines the reporting and image archiving capabilities you need with the experience and support of the industry leader. We are confident it will help Scottish hospitals adapt to the new recommendations.”