EHI’s industry news roundup 25.04.08

E-Health Insider’s industry news round up for the week ending 25 April 2008 featuring supplier news, appointments and awards.

Supplier news

Sussex HIS use new e-learning for staff training

Sussex Health Information Service (HIS) is using e-learning training services from ILX Group to make significant savings and enhancing training provision for its 400 staff. The service will use e-learning courses delivered via an online portal to support staff development and career progression within the NHS to provide technology that will, in turn, help support frontline carers in delivering the best possible patient care.

Absolute Software say rise in healthcare IT threat

Computer security specialists, Absolute Software, have issued a report claiming the IT security threat posed by healthcare workers is rising as they become increasingly mobile and use laptops containing sensitive patient information. They say: “Unlike some other parts of the world, UK law does not protect data kept on healthcare computer systems beyond ‘duty of care’ and a professional requirement for patient confidentiality and while encryption provides strong external security, the biggest threat is from within.”

Knowledge IT wins North East PCT contracts

Knowledge IT has won a new contract to provide the primary care trusts in Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland with IT equipment and support services. The £1.2m deal includes supplying and installing over 1,400 PCs and 1,100 printers to 155 sites throughout the region, including 116 GP practices. The move will enable the PCTs to improve the quality of services, and technical help desk support provided to GP practices, while reducing the number of site calls made by the IT engineers.

Greater Glasgow and Clyde deploy new wireless systems

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is working in partnership with Carillion IT Services to design and install a scaleable, secure wireless local area network and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) portable asset tracking solution at The Royal Alexandra Hospital (RAH) in Paisley. The RFID wireless technology is now in place across seven wards within the RAH, including accident & emergency and medical sciences.

Broomwell say home monitoring for heart patients could save £60m

Home monitoring of patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) can save the NHS over £60m each year and save thousands of lives according to telemedicine specialists Broomwell Healthwatch. Broomwell has developed a telemedical solution for CHF monitoring, which includes weight control scales and a blood pressure monitor. Their studies show that CHF related hospital admissions account for 62,582 episodes per year, costing the NHS around £211m annually. By saving the NHS over £60m a year, Broomwell’s CHF monitoring solutions could free up 29% of the overall cost spent on CHF by the NHS per annum, they claim.

British Dental Association procures new e-transaction software

British Dental Association (BDA) has announced its selection of ALBANYverify API from e-transaction software specialists Albany Software in order to reduce credit card fraud and maximise business efficiency. The BDA will utilise ALBANYverify API to enable fast, accurate, point of entry verification of UK and European bank account details, offering significant accuracy improvements and greatly reducing the risk of fraud.

Futuremedia provide new learning tool for Bupa

E-learning provider Futuremedia Learning, has launched Performance Zone, a next generation personalised learning environment, for Bupa. Performance Zone will be used by 3,200 staff in Bupa’s UK Membership Services division and builds on the success of the company’s existing Futuremedia-designed e-learning portal, Plato. Performance Zone is the first client implementation of Futuremedia Learning’s new learning portal product, which uses innovative Web 2.0 widget technology to provide a highly personalised learning experience.

Appointments

Tim Dunn has been appointed as communications and data director of Cegedim Rx  He previously worked at IMS where he was responsible for data acquisition and Pharmacy Network Services. His new role within Cegedim Rx will involve looking at potential opportunities with N3. He will also assist in the development of new products as well as maintaining strategic relationships with professional and other key stake holders within the Pharmacy sector.

Awards

Entries open for BT e-Health Insider Awards 2008

New categories in the BT e-Health Insider Awards 2008 launched today will reward excellent work by healthcare information and communications technology professionals in vital areas such as patient safety, security and wireless working. Details of the awards and online entry forms are at: www.ehealthawards.com.