Managed.IT - issue 51

30 MANAGED.IT 01732 759725 SCANNERS As part of a strategy to create a single, secure digital health record for every patient, instantly accessible from any location (or multiple locations), University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust (UHPNT) has set up an in-house scanning bureau equipped with Alaris production scanners and Alaris Capture Pro software. The bureau has also installed its own scanning application, which uses barcodes to track paper records through the scanning process and which Alaris Professional Services has helped to integrate with the capture workflow. Rob Harder, Head of IT Infrastructure and Support Services, said: “Alaris helped us streamline the scanning process, making sure we captured the appropriate metadata and, because we use barcodes to streamline some of our processes, they ensured the software was configured to identify those barcodes. All of that really helped with the project in terms of making processes more efficient and effective.” In setting up the facility, the Trust also drew on the expertise of Elisabeth Belisle, a long-term Alaris partner and creator of one of the UK’s first BS 10008-accredited specialist scanning bureaux. Her hands-on training and help with new procedures are crucial to achieving BS 10008 accreditation, which the Trust expects to do by autumn 2019, after which it can start to destroy scanned paper records. Phased implementation When the project went live, UHPNT scanned patient notes from Paediatrics first and then Hepatology, with the intention of digitising health records for all specialities within three years. Typically, the bureau scans 1,300 case notes and 2,000 day forward files each month, but in one month (January) it processed as many as 3,800 volumes and 2,650 files. To date, UHPNT has scanned a total of 24,000 case note volumes and 20,000 day forward files. It has also cleared a backlog of almost 400,000 loose filing sheets going back many years, described as a ‘mammoth task’ by Health Records Manager Vanessa Bennett. “If we had physically to file all the paper documents, we would never have got through it,” she said. “But we have been able to clear the loose filing backlog and most importantly make that information accessible to clinicians. They can now simply logon to e-notes and access missing information. Now, if we receive any loose filing for Paediatrics/ Hepatology or ENT, we scan it as it comes in.” Bennett adds that the feedback from medical staff has been extremely positive. “They really like the ability to access patient notes when they see the patient instead of having to think ahead and request the notes out of the Records Library. Another benefit is that once digitised, a patient record can be seen by any other speciality. So, while the project has to date been centred on Paediatrics and Hepatology, if a patient in either of those specialities is referred to another department, we will digitise those notes as well,” she said. www.alarisworld.com Alaris is helping University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust to reduce costs, increase productivity and improve patient care by providing clinicians with faster access to records Any time, any place We have been able to clear the loose filing backlog and most importantly make that information accessible to clinicians What’s New from Alaris Subscription pricing Alaris, a Kodak Alaris business, has introduced new purchasing options for its information capture solutions, including Alaris Capture Pro Software and Alaris Info Input Solution. In order to reduce the acquisition cost for customers, both of these solutions are now available on one-year subscriptions, as an alternative to existing perpetual licensing options. As well as being more affordable, subscription-based pricing gives customers the flexibility to scale up or down in line with business needs. An IDC white paper sponsored by Kodak Alaris ( Automate Your Information Capture Workflow , August 2017) identified the acquisition cost of solutions as the largest hurdle for businesses to clear when automating document-based workflows. Professional services To maximise the benefits of owning a scanner from Alaris, the company is rolling out an expanded range of professional services. Already available in EMEA, these provide technical and operational support to help customers plan, upgrade and optimise document capture. Alaris Professional Services include: Technical Resources, a range of knowledge-based services, such as scanner relocation, product installation and configuration; Technology Services that require specialist knowledge of capture systems, IT infrastructure and processes, including IT Systems Diagnosis and Adoption Services; Strategic Consultancy Services that deliver the blue prints for changes to a customer’s business environment through system integration plans and solution architecture; and Training and Optimisation Service s to boost operational efficiency and productivity. Alaris Professional Services Issue 51 2018