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UCLH forced to re-take control of patients’ records
UNIVERSITY College London Hospital has been forced to seize control of its electronic patient record system following the collapse of a £74-million deal with a private company.
Plans to make all patient records accessible by computer and develop the hospital’s IT systems to include a helpdesk and support staff have been set back by more than a year after IDX Systems – part of GE Healthcare – failed to deliver promised services on time.
A series of talks behind closed doors have secured a secret compensation figure, which the hospital refuses to disclose for reasons of commercial sensitivity.
Although, as part of the 10-year deal, IDX managed provide the hospital with improved computers, a helpdesk and an on-call support team, it failed to complete work on the Carecast Electronic Patient Records (EPR) system.
This means the system, which should have been fully working by now, has a computerised record for all patients but many don’t yet have clinical notes attached to them.
A hospital spokesman explained the shortcomings of the unfinished system, saying: “The system does not yet have the ability to take electronic orders. If clinicians or administrators want to order a pathology result, blood test, radiology test or patient transport they cannot do it electronically yet.”
IDX’s services have also been axed from Queen Mary’s Hospital in Sidcup, where similar delays to the patient records system were also incurred.
UCLH’s undisclosed compensation will cover time delays and costs incurred as it manages without services they had expected would now be complete.
But work hasn’t ground to a halt, after IT company Logica CMG was brought in to help the hospital’s in-house computer department complete work on the electronic patient records.
The spokesman added: “The trust has been developing alternative tools during this period, and will continue to do this to limit the time and financial impact. The trust is currently establishing a revised date for the completion of the EPR.”
He added: “UCLH’s situation is not unique. There are problems with the introduction of EPR across the entire NHS but we are continuing to make progress.”
The compensation cash will go to the hospital’s development of its own IT system.
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