Stockport evolves EDM use

Stockport NHS Foundation Trust has expanded its deployment of the Kainos Evolve electronic document and records management system to cover all its patients, and plans to introduce an iPad-specific version.

Stockport signed a contract with Kainos to take Evolve in December 2012, and started an initial rollout of the system in October last year.

The trust has now extended the software to paediatricians who see patients in outpatient clinics and the community, sub-specialities including paediatric cardiology and paediatric trauma, and to obstetrics and gynaecology.

In June, Stockport also expanded the system to cover all brand new patients who have not previous been seen at the trust.

Judith Riley, the trust’s clinical service lead and EDRMS project manager, said the trust decided to implement Evolve to address the high costs and inefficiencies of managing patient records on paper, with a courier service sometimes used to transfer records between sites.

Riley said the trust has around 900,000 sets of case notes stored on site, as well as “high volumes” off-site.

“We also have around 40,000 sets of notes in various secretaries’ offices, so there is a high churn of notes travelling around sites.”

She added that the system will also provide staff with secure access to patient records, while its user-friendliness has helped to accelerate the deployment process.

Between 2,000 and 3,000 staff are expected to use the software regularly, including community health workers.

The trust is also trialling a mobile version of Evolve for the iPad to provide clinics and community workers with direct access to patient records.

Nigel Hutchinson, head of Evolve at Kainos, said: “We are extremely impressed with Stockport NHS Foundation Trust’s commitment to Evolve and the pace with which they are deploying the platform. 

“We’re delighted that yet another major trust has entrusted its medical records digitisation ambitions to Kainos Evolve.”

Stockport is also one of three trusts in the Greater Manchester area looking to procure a joint electronic patient record system.

A prior information issued in May, along with the University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust and East Cheshire NHS Trust, said the trusts are seeking to “procure a EPR system and associated services” as part of a wider transformation programme.