NHS trusts in Leeds and York are the first to adopt a new iSOFT solution to connect their pathology systems so requests and test results are exchanged electronically, which will prevent errors and delays and saves money.
The new deals are with Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Processing 3 million sample requests a year, the pathology department at Leeds is one of the UK's largest and provides services to other NHS trusts under national and regional agreements. It conducts 200,000 routine pathology tests a year for York. iSOFT's new service replaces a paper-and-post process of exchanging requests and results, so cuts delays but also eliminates the risk of mix-ups and results being lost.
Based on iSOFT's Viaduct integration tool, the new service is a centrally-hosted web application for connecting laboratory information systems. The service is aimed initially at the 150 UK customers for iSOFT lab systems but is open to others.
The immediate aim is to sign up other NHS trusts that have agreements with Leeds.
"This latest service is part of our pledge to customers to deliver innovative solutions that will drive improvements in service and efficiency and help reduce costs," said Adrian Stevens, Managing Director of iSOFT's UK and Ireland business.
"Seventy per cent of diagnoses now rely on pathology tests, but there is a growing concern about rising demand and increasing pressure to reduce the £2 billion UK budget for pathology tests. Connecting partner pathology departments electronically is a relatively simple and cost-effective means of achieving substantial gains that will contribute to savings nationally."
Both Leeds and York have used iSOFT's laboratory solutions for over 15 years.
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- iSOFT Group Limited's Profile
About iSOFT Group
iSOFT Group Limited (ASX: ISF) is the largest health information technology company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, and among the world's biggest providers of advanced application solutions in modern healthcare economies.
iSOFT works with healthcare professionals to design and build software applications that answer all of the difficult questions posed by today's healthcare delivery challenges. Our solutions act as a catalyst for change, supporting free exchange of critical information across diverse care settings and participating organizations.
Today, more than 13,000 provider organizations in over 40 countries use iSOFT's solutions to manage patient information and drive improvements in their core processes. The group's sustainable development is delivered through careful planning, in-depth analysis of the market, and anticipation of our clients' evolving requirements. Our business is driven by the collective talent, experience and commitment of more than 3,300 specialists in 19 countries worldwide.
A global network of iSOFT subsidiaries, supported by an extensive partner network, provides substantial experience of national healthcare markets. As a result, we offer our clients comprehensive knowledge of local market requirements in terms of culture, language, working practices, regulation and organizational structure.