Patient records go digital to 'co-ordinate care'

Tablets and phones will be used by a patient's bedside at Northampton General

All patient records at a hospital are to go digital as part of a major step "in modernising patient care".

The new Electronic Patient Record (EPR) will be switched on at Northampton General Hospital (NGH) from Saturday 28 June.

It has been developed by the software system Nervecentre, and is designed to bring all patient notes and information into "one single, secure digital format".

William Monaghan, from NGH, described it as a "pivotal moment" and said he hoped it would mean "safer and more co-ordinated care".

A hospital spokesperson said the electronic system would "enable clinical teams to access real-time information about a patient's care, helping them make quicker, safer and better-informed decisions".

'Teething problems'

Patient records are currently stored in a combination of paper files and digital systems, but will be replaced by "a central, streamlined platform that enhances efficiency and reduces duplication".

Mr Monaghan, group chief digital information officer, said: "This is a pivotal moment for NGH and our patients.

"The new EPR system puts essential information at our clinical teams' fingertips, helping them deliver safer, more co-ordinated care.

"While there may be a few teething problems as we go live, this investment in digital infrastructure will transform how we work, giving our teams more time to focus on what matters most: caring for patients."

The hospital said staff would be using secure, hospital-owned mobile devices, like tablets and iPhones, at patients' bedsides.

It means staff will be able to view the latest medical information instantly, spend less time on administration, avoid asking patients to repeat their history many times - and improve co-ordination between departments and services.

All patient information will be kept secure, it confirmed.