NHS Dumfries and Galloway rolls out Medical Interoperability Gateway

NHS Dumfries and Galloway has become the first organisation in Scotland to roll out the Medical Interoperability Gateway (MIG) in a bid to improve efficiency and care.

The health board has completed a pilot project with Healthcare Gateway which involved connecting 31 GP practices in the region and giving real-time access to patient data.

The roll out means clinicians now have access to rich patient information at the point of care to help them provide integrated care for patients, and minimise delays associated with contacting GP surgeries for the information.

Clinicians in secondary care settings in the Dumfries and Galloway region are able to access the MIG’s Detailed Care Record (DCR) directly into the patient portal which is hosted by Orion Health. Available information includes a patient summary and demographics; problems; diagnoses; medications; risks and warnings; procedures and investigations; encounters; admissions and referrals.

Nick Willox, sales director, Orion Health, said, “Being able to share patient GP data in the Orion Health Clinical Portal such as diagnoses, allergies and medications can deliver big benefits to healthcare economies, health and care teams and their patients. Health and care professionals are better able to use this information to make informed treatment decisions faster and provide the most appropriate care leading to better outcomes.”

NHS Dumfries and Galloway’s next step on its journey to digitisation is to expand MIG connectivity. It plans to provide remote teams – including district nurses and community mental health – access to patient information at the point of care.

Murray Glaister, eHealth project manager, NHS Dumfries and Galloway, said: “We knew what concept needed to be applied to help us achieve our digital transformation goals and Healthcare Gateway turned our concept into a reality. The team owned the delivery and moved it forward by liaising with third parties directly, providing a seamless pilot project experience.”

The Dumfries roll out comes soon after Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust gave its healthcare staff wider access to patient data through the deployment of the Medical Interoperability Gateway.