E-Health Insider’s industry round up 15.5.09

This month’s E-Health Insider industry round-up covers news from the Healthcare Computing conference in Harrogate, new products, system deployments and other developments at leading healthcare IT suppliers.

Atko aims to create new healthcare partnerships

Atko Healthcare Group has launched with ‘ambitious growth plans’ and a mission to create a partnership programme to bring together small and medium-sized healthcare companies to deliver integrated solutions to healthcare organisations. Chief executive Ed Cowdery, told E-Health Insider that Atko was seeking partnerships through four routes: collaboration, contractual relationships, investment and acquisition. He said: “The partners have a common interest in promoting innovation; the group ensures that lessons learnt developing solutions in one department are quickly and effectively shared with other clinicians.” Miasoft, MobiData, Patientrack, Routine Health Outcomes, Ciptex, Assisted Homecare Solutions and Clevermed exhibited under the Atko banner at Healthcare Computing.

Further roll-out for ChemoCare

North Trent Cancer Network has rolled-out ChemoCare from the cancer centre at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to four further sites: Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust and Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Kim Fell, network director said: “We are delighted that patients treated in their local hospitals are using the same system, it will greatly improve safety.”

Colchester implements Datixweb

Datix has announced that Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation Trust has implemented DatixWeb incident reporting software in a roll-out lasting six months. Jennifer Bell, Datix system manager at the trust said: “It has been very well received. We now have the right people investigating incidents using electronic forms. Incidents are now accessible by individual managers in each area and are dealt with far more promptly.”

RealTime launches length of stay reduction programme

RealTime has launched a length of stay reduction programme, building on its software application, which provides a real time view of bed occupancy across whole trusts. Jim Gabriel, chief executive at RealTime, told E-Health Insider: “The application is cunningly disguised as a web-based bed management system so that nobody has to waste time entering reams and reams of data.” The system can be inserted into existing infrastructure to provide a web-based, point and click, set of graphical tools and views that allow the discharge process to be managed against key performance indicators.

JAC ‘cuts costs’ with ReportPlus

JAC has announced a rapid access reporting tool for clinical and financial pharmacy reporting. Developed by JAC and Rx-Info, ReportPlus delivers detailed and graphical reports on medicine usage and costs for hospital pharmacies using the JAC system. It provides pharmacy and finance departments with access to core clinical and financial reports via a simple interface allowing departments to review fiscal data. Jonathan Mills, from JAC said: “In the light of the budget, trusts need to make sure they are making the most of their money more than ever, ReportPlus will enable them to do that.”

Philips launches new viewing concept

Philips Healthcare has launched a new viewing screen that enables clinicians to display multiple images simultaneously in their preferred size and layout. The FlexVision XL, which is bigger than the equivalent of six standard monitors, aims to aid clinicians performing complex interventional procedures. The screen has been used at test sites in Paris, Berlin and Seattle and is now available commercially in the UK.

CenTrak introduces ‘world’s thinnest’ RFID staff badge

CenTrak has launched a 3mm thick RFID staff badge, the IT-740. A standard personnel badge can be layered on top of the tag, so it can be seamlessly integrated into staff uniforms and hospital operations. Ari Naim, president and chief executive officer of CenTrak said: “The new CenTrak staff badge hangs almost invisibly on the same lanyard fastener as the employee’s hospital identification badge, ensuring they are worn by everyone and providing complete staff location visibility.”

First N3 network vulnerability scanner launched

Network Defence has launched the UK’s first N3 network vulnerability scanning service for NHS trusts. The service remotely checks the N3 facing network and identifies weaknesses and vulnerabilities. It also provides trusts with a report which can be used to identify and target areas which need additional security. David Beesley, managing director for Network Defence, said: "[It scans N3] does this while the system is live. This is crucial for busy trusts that need to have access to their data at all times."

Alan Sugar’s company awarded IT contract

Sir Alan Sugar’s IT company, Viglen, has been awarded a contract worth £30m to supply a range of computer equipment to the public sector. The deal includes providing Energy Star desktop PCs, notebooks and TFT screens to more than 45 central and local government bodies, including NHS organisations. The company was selected by the Office of Government Commerce to supply almost 70,000 computers over the next two years.