Patients in London are getting better care thanks to a digital system that lets them share their information between their local health and care professionals.
The Care Integrated Digital Record (CIDR), developed by a team at NHS Camden Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), enables patients to let doctors, nurses and other professionals see information held by health and care organisations across the borough together in one record.
The portal uses the Rhapsody Integration Engine and Clinical Portal, provided by Orion Health, together with NextGate’s #1 KLAS-rated Enterprise Master Patient Index (EMPI).
CIDR programme manager Julian Young said: “We have been very fortunate in our choice of technology partners. Orion Health and NextGate have helped us overcome a core integration challenge to match data held in different systems, in different formats and to different levels of granularity and accuracy across our borough network.”
Over the last 12 months more than 1,400 health and care professionals have viewed CIDR records more than 5,000 times every month. CIDR means that health and care professionals are able to offer more “joined-up” care and make better informed decisions because they can more easily access information held by other organisations. This includes details of previous diagnoses, test results, medication the patient is taking and allergies.
As well as improved care, patients benefit by not having to repeat their health information when speaking with professionals in different services. They are also less likely to have to repeat tests or investigations which have already been carried out.
Camden GP Dr Ehsan Alkizwini, clinical lead for the project at Camden Clinical Commissioning Group, has seen its benefits first-hand in his surgery. He said: “CIDR means we can now get patient information such as blood test results in real time rather than have to wait for them to arrive from the hospital. This includes investigations done by other clinicians or other teams including those done as inpatient or outpatient, by the emergency department and by community teams.
“This avoids unnecessary delays and duplicate testing as well as wasted appointments and admin time in chasing in results. It also allows us to reassure patients sooner. CIDR helps clinicians to make better informed decisions about patients’ care which may enable them to receive more appropriate treatment, sooner and safer.”
