Overhaul of digital health records system by 2024

The multi-million pound investment was approved by the States in 2020 in response to Covid-19 as a key element of the Partnership of Purpose, a transformation programme aimed to future-proof the Bailiwick’s healthcare model.

After an 18-month procurement and evaluation process, IMS Maxims, an electronic health record software supplier, has been chosen as the preferred supplier for the underlying software used by HSC’s Acute and Mental Health services.

Patient administration systems developer Servelec will be the supplier for Community and Child Health services.

HSC member Deputy Aidan Matthews said that reaching this milestone was a significant step forward.

‘We are referring to this new system as My eHealth record as it is working towards creating one electronic view of each patient,’ he said.

‘On the one hand, it will provide a modern experience of technology that our clinicians expect to support their work, but the importance of this project goes way beyond that – ultimately the modernisation of our health and social care provision is dependent on the implementation of this new system.’

The States is finalising negotiations and hopes to conclude a formal contract next month.

‘It is laying the foundations of a paperless system joining together HSC, the Medical Specialist Group, and other health and care providers, across the Bailiwick,’ Deputy Matthews said.

‘Delivering this change to our core software is a major undertaking and will require the support of all our stakeholders and will take two to three years of work by our teams to complete.’

Electronic records system TrakCare has served the department since 2012. It was in use at Scottish hospital NHS Forth Valley when hundreds of patients were wrongly told they had serious conditions, including cancer, after an IT error caused incorrect discharge letters to be sent out.

On older systems, patients records can be scattered across different sections, causing delays to diagnoses and treatment.

IMS Maxims chief executive Thomas Anderson was delighted with the States’ decision to choose the company as the supplier for the integrated system.

‘We look forward to working together to deliver what will be an important change project to support integrated and improved patient health and social care across the Bailiwick.’

MSG chief executive Jon Buckland said the group fully support the partners to develop the programme.

‘The systems being implemented are critical to support the effective delivery of our work for patients and the change needed to deliver the Partnership of Purpose’.

Servelec managing director for healthcare Steve Wightman said: ‘The opportunity to work alongside their acute provider to implement a fully interoperable solution will help us make a transformational impact on how clinicians work and the delivery of services to patients.’