Industry round-up October 2010

This month’s industry round up focuses on new deals and product launches; including kit that will be on show at EHI Live 2010. Look out for news of a trust trying out posture minding software designed to prevent back problems and cut absenteeism among staff.

North Staffordshire deploys Ardentia warehouse

North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust is to deploy a data warehouse and reporting tools from Ardentia to improve data quality, prepare for the introduction of service line management and reporting in mental health trusts, comply with Monitor requirements and progress towards foundation status. The trust will deploy Ardentia’s HealthWare warehouse and Cassius web reporting and mental health reporting modules over the next six months, with a view to business managers and clinicians using the data from spring next year. It also plans to deploy a patient level costing solution, linking its activities with finance and electronic staff records.

More organisations get into SHAPE

Strategic Health Asset Planning and Evaluation (SHAPE) says it has seen a 40% increase in use as health organisations look for more cost efficient ways to deliver services. SHAPE is managed and maintained by the NHS North East and North East Public Health Observatory (NEPHO), but is nationally available – free – to NHS professionals. It links clinical analysis, public health and demographic data with healthcare estates performance and facilities location and is configured to strategic health authority and primary care trust boundaries to facilitate scenario planning.

Trusts implement Ardentia adapter

Four trusts have implemented an ‘adapter’ from business intelligence specialist, Ardentia, that allows them to undertake in-depth, enterprise-wide reporting from their RiO electronic patient record system. East London NHS Foundation Trust, North East London NHS Foundation Trust, Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, and Hampshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust have implemented the RiO adapter, which allows data from the PAS to be brought in from any data warehouse to allow multiple staff to analyse information from a single repository.

East Sussex signs digital dictation deal

East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust has awarded a contract to BigHand and ScribeTECH for digital dictation and outsourced transcription. After a test period, the trust intends to roll out software from the two companies to 350 users across its two main sites. Jane Morris, general manager for cardiology and stroke services, said: “One of the reasons for choosing BigHand was their integrated server-side speech recognition technology which eliminates the need to spend hours of time on training your voice. This could boast huge advantages in the long term.

Ambulance service chooses Hornbill’s Supportworks

East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust has selected Hornbill’s Supportworks ITSM Enterprise to manage IT support calls from staff working in its operations centres and ambulance stations. Supportworks ITSM replaces a manual helpdesk system based on spreadsheets and emails, and will support the trust’s adoption of ITIL best practice. The IT service desk expects to see further efficiencies through the planned introduction of the SelfService portal.

Trust tries out PostureMinder

The clinical ergonomics team at NHS South of Tyne and Wear has been evaluating PostureMinder software with a view to cutting back pain and absences from work. The software warns staff if they are not sitting properly and reminds them to take regular breaks, drink water, and take other measures to prevent unhealthy working patterns developing. The team found the software could teach good working habits. Employees can also personalise it to suit their own needs.

Carestream Health launches and updates products

Carestream Health has made a number of announcements about new launches and upgrades to its existing products. These include the availability of its latest Carestream PACS platform, which includes advanced 3D capabilities, and an affordable new tabletop CR, the Carestream Directview Vita CR. The company says the latter is a compact imaging system for use in independent imaging clinics and small doctors’ centres, and can be bundled with its image suite software to form a mini-PACS solution.

OMNI-Lab meets new standards

Integrated Software Solutions has announced that its OMNI-Lab Newborn Screening management software now meets the requirements of HL7 version 3. Managing director Alex Anderson said: "Although traditionally an HL7 V2.x-based organisation, we wanted to ensure that we were compliant with the national standard and the requirements of such leading providers as Birmingham Children’s Hospital. OMNI-Lab Newborn Screening now has the ability to be a spine-compliant outbound messaging system. SNOMED codes have been added to the Newborn Screening result codes for the newborn screening programme at the hospital and those are being output within messages exchanged by the hospital and the child health authorities."

Msoft launches blood tracking on iPad

MSoft says it is in discussions with a number of trusts to allow them to track the supply of blood to patients via Apple’s iPad. Until now, staff have had to use more traditional handheld devices or a computer on wheels. MSoft managing director Matt McAlister said: “In a short space of time, the iPad has become a must have device for both domestic and commercial users – and with rumours of an iPad mini being launched in time for Christmas, demand is only likely to increase.” MSoft has won a series of new contracts to provide blood tracking security systems to NHS hospitals, including Liverpool, Chester and Lincoln.

Sunquest launches Diagnostic Intelligence

Sunquest Information Systems has released Diagnostic Intelligence, which delivers actionable, real-time information to easy-to-interpret dashboards, and helps clinicians make data-driven decisions to improve safety and workflow and meet key performance indicators. Richard Atkin, president and CEO of Sunquest, said: “The Sunquest Diagnostic Intelligence solution provides the capability to measure and report against key business metrics, enabling our customers to deliver mission critical laboratory services to their enterprise.”

Philips SpeechMike III from G2 Speech

The Philips SpeechMike III is now available from G2 Speech. The new model handset is designed for ease of use and has an antimicrobial surface. Other improvements include exceptionally clear sound quality for use with speech recognition systems. G2 Speech will have the SpeechMike III on its stand at EHI Live 2010, which takes place at the NEC in Birmingham from 8-9 November.