ISoft wins GP order comms contract

Tags: GPs iSoft

16 Feb 2010

NHS Connecting for Health has awarded iSoft a contract to develop a solution to enable GPs to order pathology tests and view the results online.

The deal will see iSoft provide a new module that will enable GPs to request tests from within a electronic patient record and then access the results directly from the EPR when they are ready.

Isoft will also deliver a pilot project to prove the technology. This will begin at a major acute trust that is already using the pathology system, but which has yet to be named.

According to the company, GP systems do not generally provide clinical requesting. Its solution will provide this functionality, in a form that can be integrated into all the major UK GP systems.

ISoft says it will plug into all proven interfaces, and so be GP-system independent while designed to work with most UK GP applications.

ISoft was unable to comment on the financial and delivery details within the contract. However, it said that the solution is planned for full release in the second half of 2010, when GPs will be able to request tests by local NHS trusts using iSoft laboratory systems.

Yesterday, iSoft announced that the company was in the process of creating a new UK based development team specifically to develop the capability of its laboratory systems.

The components for the GP request and results in pathology are already available, although some development work is required to address new CfH information governance standards and configuration work may be needed to integrate various components with the Spine.

Gary Cohen, iSoft’s executive chairman and chief executive officer said: “These and other developments put us in prime position to capitalise on the growth in this sector and deliver solutions at a local and national level to meet the future needs of public and private laboratory systems.”

Link: iSoft

Sarah Bruce

NPfIT GP systems 'target for cuts' (08 Dec 2009)

Reader's Comments

Here we go again...

17 Feb 10 19:02

Year end. Amazing what the tax payer gets to spend its cash on, isn't it? In this era of interoperability, some companies are still being paid to develop something bespoke rather than being told to connect to what is already out there and well-proven.

By the way, did any site implement the discharge summary system using one of the 'free' licences that CfH pre-paid iSoft for?

Missing the point

21 Feb 10 03:02

Yes, and during the 1990's labs were sending results to GP's using a multitude of different methods and standards, then along came PMIP and the widespread implementation of a national standard message for laboratory reporting.

Order comms is currently occupying the same space as results reporting did pre PMIP, ie these are local solutions, there is commonly no adherence to any common standards ( eg messaging, request catalogues, clinical coding) and as such do not lend themselves to interoperability and information sharing.

This is not to diminish the work and benefits realised from these local solutions, lets wait and see what is the detail behind this initiative and if there is a genuine opportunity to learn and expand from what is currently in place.

ISoft wins GP order comms contract

Here we go again...

More questions than answers

Missing the point