Health Informatics Bulletinbytesize issue 92
A summary of the latest news, information and forthcoming events in the north of England and beyond.
Latest news
NHS Commissioning Board launches library of NHS-reviewed phone apps to help keep people healthy
The NHS Commissioning Board has this week unveiled a library of NHS-reviewed apps that will help people manage their health, as well as ten brand new apps for people to use. The new Health Apps Library - developed through engagement with patients and clinicians in the North East and Yorkshire and the Humber - so far contains around 70 apps that have been produced by a variety of organisations and then reviewed by the NHS to make sure they are safe. Click here to visit the Health App Library or to read more click here.
VitruCare app launched
At the forefront of the exciting and innovative apps launched at Expo 2013 was VitruCare. This app takes a step change in patient care allowing patients to shape their own care with the support of their GP. Aimed at individuals with one or more long term conditions this app can be prescribed to patients and enables them to lead on their own care and create personalised care plans with their clinician which they can use independently. Click here to read more.
Breast PET Imaging Technology a UK First
The Royal Free has become the first hospital in the UK and only the fourth in the world to introduce a new imaging technology to diagnose breast cancer. The new technology, called breast PET (positron emission tomography), or Mammi, produces a 3D image of the breast which clearly shows the metabolic activity of cancerous masses. Funded by the Royal Free Charity, it can be used to diagnose breast cancer and determine the response to treatment in difficult cases, particularly in younger women with dense breasts. Read more here.
In the news this week
14 March Hunt says online record access will contribute to ‘zero harm’ NHS
Online access to medical records as part of a wider trend to embrace new technology in the NHS can bring will contribute to a ‘zero harm’ NHS, health secretary Jeremy Hunt has said. Pulse
14 March Tablets here to stay in radiology
The shift to mobile health is underway, is global, human and accelerating, a session on tablet computing at ECR 2013 heard. E-Health
14 March Nervecentre runs Leicester at night
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust has adopted the Nervecentre Hospital at Night solution developed in neighbouring Nottingham. E-Health
14 March Imperial sticks it to Windows
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust is to deploy Windows To Go – a version of the new Windows 8 operating system on a USB stick. E-Health
14 March Department of Health saves 96% on web hosting
New WordPress hosting and move to GOV.UK will cut costs from £800k to £25k. Government Computing
13 March NHSmail likely to run another year
The Cabinet Office has been asked to agree an extension to the current NHSmail contract to allow more time for a replacement to be procured. E-Health
13 March Ashford gets ready for maternity PbR
Ashford and St Peter's NHS Foundation Trust has turned to digital pen technology to capture the information it needs to claim payments under the maternity pathway payment system that is being introduced in shadow form in April. E-Health
13 March CSU numbers drop again
The steady process of attrition of commissioning support units is continuing, with the NHS Commissioning Board announcing that another two CSUs are to merge. E-Health
13 March North Bristol trust picks Alcatel-Lucent to build network for Southmead site
North Bristol NHS Trust has selected Alcatel-Lucent to build the IT and telecommunications network for its new hospital based in Southmead. Government Computing
12 March Customer platform 'a state of mind'
The ‘customer service platform’ being created by the NHS Commissioning Board will encourage the health service to think differently about the way it interacts with patients and potential users, its director has said. E-Health
12 March Healthcare needs to be “more like Walmart”
Healthcare providers need to become more like Amazon and Walmart and use technology to far better understand patients and help them to do the things they want to do. E-Health
11 March Cerner and TPP show NHS Blue Button
The NHS looks set to copy the hugely successful US Blue Button initiative, which enables patients to very easily download their electronic records by pressing an eponymous online blue button. E-Health
11 March King's rolls out Wardware
King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has rolled-out an open source nursing observations system, Wardware, to 12 wards. E-Health
Forthcoming events
Nursing the IT of the future (Birmingham) April 17
The Royal College of Nursing will lead a stream on how nurses are influencing health informatics at the annual National Health IT Conference & Exhibition.
The event is at the ICC in Birmingham and you can register at www.hc2013.bcs.org
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