Press Release – 26th August 2008 - Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council has recently purchased ELMS2 to manage its ICES
Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council has recently purchased the ELMS2 IT system to manage its Integrated Community Equipment Service (ICES). The Kingswinford based service provides essential equipment on behalf on the Dudley Directorate of Adult, Community and Housing Services and the local health trusts to enable disabled people to remain in their own home. ELMS2, the UK’s most widely used ICES management system, is supplied and maintained by Leicester based IT solutions provider, Ethitec. In selecting ELMS2, Dudley ICES had undertaken a careful evaluation of the range of IT management systems that are available, and visited several other ICES to see these systems in live use.
ELMS2 product manager for Ethitec, Mike Weatherall, said: “When Ethitec delivers ELMS2, we consider ourselves to be a long-term partner of an ICES, rather than just an IT supplier. We therefore look forward to working closely with the staff at the Dudley service, not just as the system is rolled out over the coming weeks, but for many years going forward”.
Press Release – 1st May 2008 - Kent and Medway NHS SCPT has selected ELMS2 to manage their DSC
Kent and Medway NHS SCPT has selected ELMS2 to manage their Wheelchair, Environmental Control, Prosthetic, and Orthotic Services, which are delivered from Medway Disablement Services Centre in Gillingham and various other locations across the County.
Press Release – 25th February 2008 - Edinburgh Council has chosen ELMS2 to manage its ICES
Following an exhaustive procurement process, the City of Edinburgh Council has chosen market leading equipment loans management system, ELMS2, to manage its Integrated Community Equipment Service (ICES). Supplied by established IT solutions provider, Ethitec, ELMS2 is now being used by over 50 services, including 7 others in Scotland. The ICES service in Edinburgh is delivered by the Council in partnership with NHS Lothian and the East Lothian and Midlothian Councils.
Press Release – 10th September 2007 - Chesterfield Wheelchair Service delivers patient choice with ELMS2
Aligning itself with the NHS agenda to increase patient choice, Chesterfield Wheelchair Service (WS) has adopted Ethitec’s ELMS2 Wheelchair Module, to enable greater flexibility in service management and care delivery.
From managing assessment clinics to general stock control, the ELMS2 Wheelchair Module is designed to map and support the day to day operations of a busy wheelchair service. Chesterfield WS decided to implement ELMS2 based on the bespoke wheelchair features the system provides.
One aspect which particularly stood out to Chesterfield WS was the ability of ELMS2 to log and issue wheelchair agreement forms. As part of a national scheme, wheelchair clients must be given the choice between accepting an NHS prescribed wheelchair and taking a voucher to offset against the cost of a private purchase.
The ELMS2 Wheelchair Module has reduced the administrative burden of coordinating the scheme by electronically recording client preference and then automatically printing the relevant voucher.
Judith Taylor, wheelchair service manager for North Derbyshire, explains: “Choice is central to client satisfaction, particularly where permanent wheelchair loans are concerned. Since its introduction we have always endorsed and delivered the voucher scheme, but administration was a lengthy paper-based process. Now we simply check a box on ELMS2 which instantly records the client’s choice and if relevant, prints the voucher straight away.”
The advanced reporting features of ELMS2 have also made a positive impact on monitoring the wheelchair voucher scheme. Judith continues: “Basically, whatever information goes into ELMS2 we can easily extract a report on. This makes it easy for us to monitor uptake of the scheme as well as review against available budget. It’s extremely user friendly and I wouldn’t be without it now.”
The benefit of ELMS2 reports extend far beyond the wheelchair voucher scheme. Superior management information in relation to commissioning and providing can be accessed with ease. Whether to obtain a summary of GP referrers or to evaluate service performance against neighbouring providers, ELMS2 gives Chesterfield WS an efficient and effective reporting tool.
From a stock control perspective, ELMS2 offers robust track and trace functionality, delivering real time information on individual wheelchair location and history. In the event of an MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) alert for example, a search can be conducted using a wide range of criteria including Asset ID, the manufacturer or batch number, delivery note number, or external reference number – and then any affected wheelchairs immediately identified and recalled.
Mike Weatherall, ELMS2 product manager, concludes: “On the surface, wheelchair services appear similar to community equipment operations, but in reality their day to day needs can be quite different. That’s why we have worked with wheelchair services to develop a system which accurately reflects and supports their activities.”
Press Release – 2nd August 2007 - Pluss makes a positive move to ELMS2
Pluss, the largest community equipment provider in the south west, is the latest service to reap the benefits of Ethitec’s ELMS2 – the UK’s most widely used equipment loans management system. Driven by the need to run its multi-site operation from a shared database, Pluss left its old IT system in favour of ELMS2.
In line with the model advocated by Transforming Community Equipment and Wheelchair Services, Pluss provides community equipment services on behalf of those local authorities (LAs) and primary care trusts (PCTs) who have outsourced the provision of Integrated Community Equipment Services (ICES).
With an expanding contract base that already covers the LAs and PCTs of Devon, Plymouth and Torbay, Pluss required an IT system that could support multiple stores from a single shared database – rather than each store having to operate independently. Unable to obtain this functionality from the existing version of its current system, Pluss began a review of alternative IT solutions on the market.
As the review coincided with Pluss being awarded Exeter’s wheelchair repairer service contract, any new IT system had to also provide specialist wheelchair functionality. Delivering against this complex brief, Ethitec’s ELMS2 was selected as the system of choice.
Guy Eatherington, Contract Manager at Pluss, comments: “By moving to ELMS2 and a shared database, we are able to truly operate as one organisation. It also sets us up for future growth as we can easily add sites as new contracts come on board. Even if we do experience any hiccups, we have direct access to Ethitec’s developers, enabling us to resolve most issues on the same day.
“As we were expanding into wheelchair service management, we really had outgrown our current software solution, and needed a system that was designed specifically for use in this market. Ethitec had proven experience in the area and ELMS2 provides the relevant features, so it clearly met our requirements.”
Designed to provide a flexible, real-time IT solution, ELMS2 helps to deliver a more effective community equipment loans service by making efficient use of stock, streamlining purchasing, allowing on-line ordering, improving recycling rates, and producing many management reports at the touch of a button.
Having decided to adopt ELMS2, Pluss had to prepare its stores for moving to the new system. Working closely with Ethitec, a phased migration of three main ICES stores, one wheelchair service and over 75 satellite operations was completed in just six weeks.
Mike Weatherall, ELMS2 product manager, concludes: “The day to day functionality of ELMS2 has been designed specifically for busy community equipment or wheelchair services. From a more strategic perspective, the system can support multi-site services – making it ideal for third party providers whose portfolio of contracts is constantly evolving.”
ELMS2 was originally developed in 1990, to support the British Red Cross in their management of health and social care led community equipment services in Leicestershire. Available for deployment as a client server, web-based or fully hosted system, ELMS2 is now used by 53 services across the UK, including third party providers and wheelchair services.
Press Release – 2nd July 2007 - New MIStral system for IAG services offers the ultimate in user flexibility
Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) services such as Connexions and nextstep will be asked to evaluate a newly launched client management system, MIStral, designed to provide the sector with a highly configurable and flexible web-based solution. The system has been created as a bespoke development for nextstep and Connexions Leicestershire and was commissioned from software house, Ethitec, who worked closely with the organisations to create the system.
Ethitec will be writing to other nextstep and Connexions services over the coming months to provide the option of a free four week trial as a way of obtaining further feedback on the new system.
Senior manager of nextstep Leicestershire, Tricia Wray, explained why the system was commissioned: “Having reviewed the systems already available, we reached the conclusion that there was a gap in the marketplace for a new system specifically geared towards the needs of modern IAG services - which are required to adapt regularly to changing Government requirements.
“While there are highly functional web-based systems out there, we found nothing which gave us the flexibility to easily add new funding bodies and contracts, and create or adapt our own user definable forms and rules. In Ethitec, we identified a software house that was willing to work with us to give us the system we needed. This is what MIStral now offers.”
Ethitec worked with nextstep and Connexions Leicestershire to create a solution that gives services the autonomy and tools to build their own screens and forms. By giving access to extensive content management functionality, MIStral is designed to minimise organisations’ dependence on their software developer to implement changes to the system – which can prove a slow and expensive process.
The system is fully web based, allowing easy access to outreach advisers, in any location with a PC and internet connection. Organisations can deploy MIStral as a hosted solution, making it a cost effective option for those who wish to avoid additional hardware or installation costs.
Funding bodies, contracts, activities and client contact are all simple to record or retrieve, and the system also offers advanced reporting functionality, with the ability to submit reports electronically to funding bodies at the click of a button.
A PDF of the first MIStral 'flyer' is now available for download here....
Newsletter – 2nd July 2007 -
A PDF of the latest ELMS2 newsletter is now available for download here....
Press Release – 5th June 2007 - Newham secures peace of mind with ELMS2
The London Borough of Newham Integrated Community Equipment Service (ICES) is now safe in the knowledge that its equipment loan operations are underpinned by an advanced and reliable IT system – after migrating to Ethitec’s ELMS2.
In search of superior functionality and more robust stock control features, Newham ICES could see the benefit of working with Ethitec, a healthcare IT provider with a proven track record and specialist expertise in the equipment service field.
Mark Ellmann, Newham ICES Manager, comments: “The decision to switch systems is never taken lightly. However, when we had cause to, experience had taught us that it was important to review the supplier and service as well as the system. Ethitec were open and honest, giving us every client name on their books to contact for a reference. This gave us confidence in them from the start and was proven in the quick and painless migration they delivered.”
In terms of functionality, Newham ICES was particularly impressed by ELMS2 reports, which extend well beyond basic D54 statistics. ELMS2 stores can choose between a wealth of prepared reports, stock, customer activity and item history for example, or create bespoke versions to suit their individual requirements.
Mark continues: “ELMS2 is incredibly easy to use. The whole team has welcomed the ability to create more detailed reports, as it gives us greater insight into store performance and areas to improve. As the system is so flexible, we can pretty much customise any report we want – at the click of a button and without incurring any cost.”
Moving to ELMS2 has helped to improve the effectiveness of store operations by delivering reliable and efficient IT support. The previous system offered ‘browser only’ functionality, while ELMS2, hosted by Ethitec on Newham’s behalf, provides both browser and full Windows clients. This gives Newham ICES the best of both worlds – increased functionality for in-store activity and online access for remote workers.
Mike Weatherall, ELMS2 product manager, concludes: “ELMS2 was developed in close collaboration with equipment loan stores. This means the system delivers specialist functionality, and having worked with loans stores for 20 years, Ethitec possesses the necessary understanding to provide effective support as an IT partner.”
With Newham ICES keen to benefit from ELMS2 as soon as possible, Ethitec completed the system migration in less than a month.
Press Release – 23rd May 2007 - Ethitec and Rackspace in partnership
Healthcare IT provider Ethitec, and Europe's most successful managed hosting company, Rackspace, have entered into a partnership through which Ethitec can now offer Rackspace’s services and infrastructure as a cost-effective option to its own customers.
Rackspace provide hosting for mission critical websites and internet applications for over 3,000 customers, and are Europe's fastest growing managed hosting company. In a managed hosting environment, Rackspace owns and is responsible for the data centre, network, devices, operating system and application infrastructure components, providing a stable operating environment for its partners applications. Solutions are hosted in state-of-the-art, secure data centres, watched over by certified staff in a protected environment.
The first externally ‘hosted’ Ethitec system recently went live (an ELMS2 deployment for a London Borough), and this is already demonstrating excellent performance and resilience characteristics.
Press Release – 11th April 2007 - Tiara9 helps deliver Scotland’s first patient focused booking centre for physiotherapy
East Lothian and Midlothian Community Health Partnerships (CHPs) have pioneered patient focused booking in Scotland, implementing Ethitec’s Tiara9 appointment module to become the first physiotherapy service to launch a centralised referral and appointment booking call centre. In doing so, the service has been able to lift the administrative burden on clinicians and manage waiting lists more effectively.
After creating a centralised operation to manage all new physiotherapy outpatient referrals, with the exception of mental health and learning disabilities, East and Midlothian Physiotherapy Services established the call centre in order to achieve fully patient focused booking. Critical to this was the introduction of the Tiara9 appointment booking module.
Tiara9 is the award winning electronic patient record (EPR) system designed specifically for therapists. At East and Midlothian CHPs, the system is used to manage 13 clinics, which span eight health centre operations, two domiciliary teams and two community hospitals. The appointment booking module was introduced to give the call centre team at Roodlands Hospital real-time access to all clinic diaries, enabling them to allocate and update appointments as required.
Brian Brockie, East and Midlothian physiotherapy manager, explains: “The Tiara9 appointment module has proved crucial in the call centre operation, allowing us to deliver complete patient choice. It is a reliable and real-time solution that has not only increased the efficiency of our operations, but as an electronic booking system, enabled us to become more paper light.”
Once a referral is made into the service, a senior clinician at the central office prioritises this as either routine, soon or urgent, applies the appropriate diagnostic codes, and allocates patients to their local, chosen or most appropriate department to receive their physiotherapy treatment. The next step is for the administration team to log the referral on to Tiara9, which automatically identifies and issues the appropriate letter according to the estimated waiting time.
Where the referral is an urgent priority, the call centre team immediately contacts the patient to book an appointment over the phone, which is recorded straight on to Tiara9.
As all appointments are updated in real-time the diary content is reliable, enabling patients to choose which time, and even which clinic, best suits their own schedule. This contrasts with the old paper based appointment booking system, which required several phone calls when attempting to change the clinic location.
The benefits of the new system reach far beyond patient choice and efficiency savings. In terms of workforce planning, clinician time is better balanced across new and repeat appointments. This in turn has a positive impact on their professional development as clinicians have sufficient time to follow individual cases through to discharge.
Brian explains: “The physiotherapist no longer has to use their best professional guess as to how long they need to allocate for new appointments each week. Tiara9 gives everyone 100% visibility. The centre is responsible for all new appointments, which gives the clinician confidence in booking repeat appointments in the available slots they can see on Tiara9 – rather than saving appointments to accommodate potential new referrals which may never actually materialise."
“Patients also have a better experience with a one-stop shop for their first contact with the service and there is both equity and transparency in the appointment process.”
Simon Taylor, Ethitec commercial director, concludes: “Real-time, reliable and accurate clinical information is critical to the smooth running of any therapy service, but East and Midlothian has taken it a step further – using Tiara9 to improve the patient experience by increasing patient choice. And with patient choice increasingly high on the NHS agenda, this sets a best practice standard for other services to follow.”
Press Release – 22nd February 2007 - Ethitec and EMIS unveil systems link at Healthcare Computing 2007
The newly developed link between EMIS’s GP system and Ethitec’s Tiara9 system for the allied health professions will be demonstrated for the first time at Healthcare Computing 2007. The development enables a more seamless referral process between primary care and therapy services.
Ethitec is one of 20 IT partners exhibiting with EMIS at Healthcare Computing 2007 (stand A40). The united presence of this growing community is designed to showcase the benefits that are being realised through interoperability.
Commercial director for Ethitec, Simon Taylor, explained: “Healthcare Computing is the annual gathering of likeminded healthcare IT professionals, making it the perfect place to demonstrate the new link between EMIS’s clinical system and Tiara9. It has been a rewarding experience to work with EMIS, as both our companies are fully committed to the concept and practice of interoperability between systems.”
The EMIS - Tiara9 link enables the introduction of an electronic referral process between primary care and the therapies. This is expected to reduce waiting times for patients, improve clinical accuracy and achieve cost reduction through removing the need to re-key patient data into different systems, as well as radically reducing the amount of paper correspondence generated.
Tiara9 will be fully interoperable with EMIS’s LV and PCS clinical systems. For a demonstration of the system link in action, delegates at Healthcare Computing 2007 should visit the EMIS Partners stand, A40.
Press Release – 20th February 2007 - ELMS2 helps lead community equipment service integration in Wales
Wrexham and Flintshire residents are the first to benefit from community equipment service integration (CESI) in Wales, following the migration of local community equipment services to a single IT system - Ethitec’s ELMS2. Adoption of ELMS2 by Wrexham County Borough Council (CBC), Flintshire County Council (CC), the two Local Health Boards (LHBs) and North East (NE) Wales NHS Trust has put the services streets ahead of the Government’s CESI initiative, allowing them to increase the accuracy of stock management and efficiency of store operations.
Under the CESI programme, £12.5 million of funding has been released to support the integration of community equipment services in Wales. This is allocated capital spend to bring separate social services and local health authority stores together to create a single point of service provision.
Even before the announcement of these plans, Wrexham CBC & LHB, Flintshire CC & LHB and NE Wales NHS Trust had seen the benefits which the integration of services had delivered in England. They therefore looked to set their own services up for integration by introducing a shared equipment loans system across sites.
Key working groups from all areas carefully evaluated the systems available, assessing performance against criteria such as accuracy, reliability and user friendliness. Delivering on all these counts, ELMS2 was selected as the system of choice as it also offered superior reporting functionality.
Amanda Henry, disability equipment store manager, Wrexham CBC, explains: “The IT system is the backbone of an equipment loans service, which means it not only has to be reliable and accurate, it is also important for everyone to be comfortable with using it. ELMS2 was the only system to tick all of our boxes, which made it relatively easy for us to transfer our services to a single system.”
Having implemented ELMS2 over two years ahead of CESI, Wrexham CBC & LHB, Flintshire CC & LHB and NE Wales NHS Trust are already well on their way to fully integrating their community equipment services, and at the same time reaping the benefits of using a first class loan management system. While the bar coding functionality of ELMS2 has improved stock management by providing accurate information on item location and history, its comprehensive reporting features, including the D54 performance indicators, have made a positive contribution to service delivery.
Amanda continues: “Even though D54 performance indicators are not applicable in Wales, access to these statistics enables us to benchmark our activity. Used alongside the full range of performance and operational reports available through ELMS2, we can promptly respond to changing service demands and maintain a high standard of care and service provision for our clients.”
ELMS2 product manager for Ethitec, Mike Weatherall, concludes: “Designed to meet the needs of a busy community equipment store, ELMS2 is a reliable and highly functional system which delivers the IT infrastructure necessary for an integrated service. Having supported a number of stores in England through service integration, we are on hand to provide guidance on IT implementation to those in Wales preparing to do the same.”
Press Release – 11th January 2007 - South Yorkshire equipment stores reap the benefits of ELMS2
A streamlined and efficient equipment loans service has been secured for residents in South Yorkshire, following the successful roll out of Ethitec’s ELMS2 to integrated community equipment services (ICES) across the entire region.
Part of Rotherham Primary Care Trust, Rotherham ICES has become the final service in the area to adopt the first class equipment loans system, following implementations in Barnsley, Doncaster and Sheffield.
Having independently judged various systems against robustness, reporting functionality and stock control accuracy, Rotherham identified ELMS2 as its system of choice. To finalise the decision making process, Rotherham consulted neighbouring stores for honest feedback on their experience of ELMS2. This focused on the accessibility of D54 statistics, a social care key performance indicator which helps determine a service’s STAR rating and ultimately funding.
Mark Foster, operational manager for Rotherham ICES, explains: “We were satisfied that the system could deliver the functionality required, but before making a decision, wanted to find out how easy D54 reports were to produce. Whatever system we chose to implement, it needed to relieve the administrative burden of creating these.”
The consultation period confirmed ELMS2 as the system that would best meet the needs of a busy equipment store. To meet Rotherham’s funding requirements, migration from an existing system to ELMS2 had to be finalised in less than three months. A smooth roll out was completed within the specified timescales and staff were fully prepared for using the system prior to ‘go live.’
Mark continues: “ELMS2 has made a huge difference to our working lives as we’ve been able to run all of the necessary reports off at the click of a button – with 100% reliability and accuracy.”
ELMS2 product manager for Ethitec, Mike Weatherall, concludes: “We knew that Rotherham were eager to move on to ELMS2 so we pulled out all the stops to ensure that they didn’t have to wait another year. We’ve had great feedback from all stores in South Yorkshire, who have found the system to be really easy to use, and above all, reliable.”
Press Release – 5th December 2006 - ELMS2 delivers final link for Salford ICES and Wheelchair integration
Following the move to bring wheelchair and equipment loans under one roof, Salford integrated community equipment service (ICES) has cemented the integration with a shared IT system. The implementation of Ethitec’s ELMS2 has helped to improve patient care by driving down wheelchair waiting lists and increasing communication between services.
When Salford ICES devolved wheelchair service provision from regional down to local level, the first step was to provide the two services from one site. Once this had been achieved, it was necessary to integrate operations more fully, with the introduction of a single IT system.
With ELMS2, a patient-centred and robust software solution, already delivering tangible service benefits at Salford ICES, the natural progression was to roll the system out to Salford wheelchair service. As such, the service migrated from an existing system and introduced the relevant ELMS2 wheelchair, clinical and appointments modules.
The addition of ELMS2 to Salford wheelchair service has resulted in a number of service benefits. Simply using a shared system has improved communication between services while the extensive reporting functionality has increased the efficiency of appointment allocation.
Barbara Boland, Salford wheelchair service manager, explains: “ELMS2 provides management information far superior to anything we have had before. We can pull off regular reports on referrals and assessments, enabling us to allocate time more effectively. For example, a series of 45 minute appointments can be redistributed to relieve pressure on 30 minute clinics, if the waiting times for these are greater.”
Designed to meet the specific needs of wheelchair and equipment loan stores, ELMS2 enables the management and triage of referrals into the service, coordination of clinics and appointment waiting lists, as well as the scheduling of new appointments and follow-ups. Assessment, clinical and staff activity data can also be collated in an intuitive ‘workflow’ based manner that will closely match the working practices of its clinical users.
Mike Weatherall, ELMS2 product manager, concludes: “A growing number of ICES stores are bringing wheelchair service provision under one roof. Designed to support equipment, wheelchair, prosthetic and orthotic services, ELMS2 offers a simple and reliable IT solution to facilitate service integration.”
Press Release – 30th October 2006 - Leicester’s hospitals target new standards with Tiara9
Leicester’s hospitals (Leicester General, Leicester Royal Infirmary and Glenfield Hospital) are using Tiara9, a sophisticated electronic patient record and administration system, to efficiently and effectively monitor how quickly patients are treated after they have been referred for physiotherapy and occupational therapy treatment.
Provided by software solutions specialist, Ethitec, Tiara9 is developed specifically for the allied health professions. University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust (UHL) has worked with Ethitec to develop the system.
Karen Wilson, Information and Project Manager at UHL, explains: “Clinical processes are complex and it’s fair to say that no two patients are the same. Tiara9 enables us to capture key points of information along these patient care pathways. The NHS is increasingly target-led and therefore it is essential that we have a robust system which enables us to capture and report on Clinical Performance Indicators (CPI’s). Being able to reliably monitor CPI’s helps us to maintain a high standard of patient care.”
Recent enhancements to Tiara9 include group appointment booking and group treatment recording functions. Some physiotherapy and occupational therapy treatments are delivered to a group of patients at the same time. This function allows the treatment record and follow-up appointment booking to be done for the group as a whole, rather than separately for each individual patient.
Karen continues: “The therapists have used Tiara9 for many years now, and have been involved in system developments. One of the objectives is to minimise the amount of time clinicians spend on data entry. In the current version, the ability to book group appointments and enter treatments en masse will mean clinicians will be able to spend more time with patients and less time on data entry. The ‘group function’ will more than halve the time it takes to record treatments.”
A subtle change has also been made to the online appointments module to help reduce the number of ‘do not attends’ (DNAs). For example, if a patient cancels a physiotherapy appointment, the system will automatically remove any other associated appointments scheduled for the same day.
Simon Taylor, Ethitec’s commercial director, concludes: “The ethos behind the development of Tiara9 has always been to deliver a system that is developed with therapists for therapists. We work closely with services to ensure that we continue to meet their needs, and welcome feedback on developing Tiara9 in the future. UHL is an excellent example of how our two-way dialogue results in the delivery of a system which lives up to the demands of a changing clinical environment.”
Press Release – 13th October 2006 - EMIS and Ethitec create electronic link between GP and therapy services
Healthcare IT providers, EMIS and Ethitec, have signed heads of agreement, announcing plans to deliver interoperability between EMIS’ market leading GP system and the most advanced electronic patient record system available for therapists, Ethitec’s Tiara9.
Work has already commenced on the link, which will enable GPs or practice clerks to request a list of available therapy slots and subsequently book appointments directly into Tiara9. Patients being referred to physiotherapy (or other allied health professionals using Tiara9) will therefore leave their GP’s surgery with their referral appointment already confirmed in the diary.
The introduction of an electronic referral process will reduce waiting times for patients, improve clerical accuracy and achieve cost reduction through removing the need to re-key patient data into different systems, as well as radically reducing the amount of paper correspondence generated.
Healthcare communities using both systems will also benefit from access to accurate activity and clinical information as patients progress through the healthcare system.
The first pilot site at Hinckley in Leicestershire, is expected to be live before the end of the year.
EMIS managing director Sean Riddell, explains: “For IT to support patient care effectively, the right clinical information needs to be available to the right person at the right time. Our view has always been that the best way to achieve this is through interoperability between effective specialist systems, as long as the appropriate security and consent forms are built in. Healthcare professionals can continue to access the rich functionality of a iscipline-specific system to support their area of expertise for clinical assessments. However, they can also access all relevant data on the patient.”
Commercial director for Ethitec, Simon Taylor, added: “We are delighted to be working with EMIS on this link, which enables effective communication between two systems that are highly regarded by clinicians. At the same time, patients will benefit from significant improvements in terms of reduced waiting times and increased continuity between healthcare services.”
Tiara9 will be fully interoperable with EMIS’s LV and PCS systems.
Press Release – 1st September 2006 - EPR still out of reach for 80% of AHPs
An overwhelming majority of trusts continue to operate with a mixture of paper based or basic patient administration systems for their allied health professionals (AHPs), according to a survey commissioned by healthcare IT provider, Ethitec.
The survey of 200 clinical therapy managers found that four years after the launch of the National Health Service’s National Programme for IT (NPfIT), only 20% have succeeded in implementing an electronic patient record (EPR) system despite being in unanimous agreement on the benefits of doing so.
According to the findings, clinical managers attribute lack of EPR implementation to their inability to secure funding from their trust as it holds out for the promise of ‘free’ software from NPfIT; combined with the failure of this software to be delivered.
Of those trusts that have successfully implemented EPR, two thirds procured their solution outside the national programme.
Commenting on the results of the survey, Ethitec commercial director, Simon Taylor, said: “The findings are entirely consistent with our experience over recent years. The reality on the ground is that rather than encouraging take-up of best of breed IT solutions, the national programme has resulted in a procurement freeze. This is largely based on misconceptions about what local service providers will actually be able to deliver for non-core health services, and about the true costs of so-called ‘free’ software – once compulsory LSP project management charges are taken into account."
“The situation is all the more frustrating when you consider that, as ‘non-core’ services, therapies will be last in line when it comes to LSPs delivering EPR solutions. Moreover, with advanced therapy-specific EPR solutions already available, the main losers from this delay are the patients.”
Ethitec cites the Tiara9 implementation in the six Leicestershire primary care trusts as an example of the benefits that effective EPR has delivered for therapy patients. Reduced waiting lists – sustained at zero over the past three years by the now paperless podiatry service – and increased patient choice over time and location of appointments are just some of the outward changes experienced by the county’s residents.
Meanwhile, clinicians and service managers are enjoying increased sharing of clinical information between therapy disciplines and access to up-to-date management information, enabling more effective management of resources and scheduling of clinics. Reduced DNA (Did Not Attend) rates and increased clinician contacts have resulted in efficiency gains valued at over £2.5 million each year across the six PCTs.
A further finding of the study revealed that engagement with NPfIT is generally much higher than reported. Nearly 40% of respondents claimed that their opinions have been actively sought by the national programme, while 65% have contacted NPfIT unilaterally.
Mr Taylor concludes: “The survey suggests that the problem is neither lack of support for NPfIT objectives, nor clinicians’ unwillingness to co-operate with the programme, but quite simply, the programme’s lack of focus on AHPs and other ‘non-core’ services and the continued failure of LSPs to deliver what was promised.”
Press Release – 10th August 2006 - £2 million efficiency gains reported by Leicestershire NHS IT project
The six primary care trusts (PCTs) in Leicestershire are making efficiency savings worth over two million pounds a year through their use of the Tiara9 clinical information system for Allied Health Professions.
The system was developed by software solutions
provider, Ethitec, working closely with clinical staff to produce an Electronic Patient Record (EPR)
and appointments management solution for Adult Community Therapy Services (ACTS) in Leicestershire.
Since going live in October 2002 the system has been rolled out to around 400 clinicians and has
recently been extended into Child Therapy. As usage of the system has increased, statistics are
now available to show that:
The reduction in DNA rates has been sustained across the five services of Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Dietetics, Podiatry and Speech and Language Therapy since Tiara was implemented and represents over 22,000 fewer wasted appointments annually.
At the same time, the improved management of clinical resources, facilitated by the system’s real-time monitoring of clinics and waiting lists, has helped clinicians to see more patients. Face to face contacts per clinician are up by an average of over two per week enabling clinicians to make over 42,000 additional contacts each year.
Finally, by achieving re-booking rates of 58% for appointments that patients call in and cancel, the service has been able to re-allocate another 9,500 appointments in the last year.
In total the efficiency savings enabled clinical staff to make over 73,000 extra patient contacts last year alone.
Estimates of the cost to the NHS of an appointment vary from £18 for a 10 minute GP appointment to over £100 for an appointment at a hospital. Nationally agreed values supporting Payment by Results for Therapy contacts vary from £26 (Podiatry) to £233 (Adult Speech and Language Therapy). But using a conservative estimate of just £35 per appointment these extra appointments are worth over £2.5 million per year to the six Leicestershire PCTs. Another way of looking at this is that these efficiency gains represent the equivalent of each PCT having another 15 therapists in post.
Senior Project Manager for Leicestershire Health Informatics Service, Derek Coker, said: “Tiara was a particularly rewarding project to lead. Not only were healthcare professionals involved at every stage of development, but the benefits to patients are measurable. This is what I joined NHS IT for - Tiara has improved service levels for patients and at a clinical level the system is synchronised with established clinical practice.”
Ethitec commercial director, Simon Taylor, commented: “At a recent meeting with the Secretary of State for Health, Ms Hewitt (who is also our local MP), recommended that with the budgetary pressures facing today’s NHS, we needed to demonstrate he financial benefits to the trusts of Tiara9 as well as the improvements in patient care. These efficiency gains combined with the resulting fall in waiting times show just what can be achieved by the successful deployment of high quality IT solutions within the NHS.”
Press Release – 7th July 2006 - Leicestershire residents to benefit from ‘cradle to the grave’ electronic patient records
Child physiotherapy and occupational therapy services across six Leicestershire primary care trusts (PCTs) have commenced implementation of the Ethitec Tiara9 electronic patient record (EPR) system. The therapists have been issued with individual laptops as part of the implementation and will be using the system to record all patient appointments and non-contact information – including during home and school visits – by July 2006.
The deployment is part of a procurement that will see all child physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dietetics and podiatry services brought onto the same multi-professional clinical record system that is already supporting the county’s adult therapies. It takes the number of clinicians now using Tiara9 in Leicestershire from 600 to 650 users.
Having previously operated using a mixture of paper records and separate databases, child physiotherapy and occupational therapy services have effectively gone without an electronic clinical record in the past.
The intention is to take the use of EPR a step further for child therapy services by supporting appointments in the community through the offline use of the Tiara9 system - whether in patients’ homes, schools or special educational needs sites.
A successful offline pilot project was completed at the end of 2005, with clinicians enabled to synchronise caseload records from the PCT server onto a laptop, record patient notes ‘live’ in the home during the course of an appointment, and then upload the new records when they return to their base.
The phased implementation is designed to ensure good levels of clinical acceptance and is based on ‘best practice’ lessons learned from the adult therapy project.
Michael Kaiser, Leicestershire Health Informatics Service project manager for the child therapy implementation, explains the context of the decision: “Having seen the enefits the Tiara9 system has delivered for adult services in the region, children’s physiotherapists and occupational therapists are looking forward to reaping the same benefits as their colleagues treating adults, who have been able to share patient history summaries across disciplines and reduce waiting times by up to 12 weeks."
“Once the decision was taken to extend EPR to child physiotherapy and OT, it made sense to bring all records onto the same system so that we effectively operate ‘from the cradle to the grave’ electronic patient therapy records.”
According to Kaiser, both Tiara9 and Ethitec have a proven track record in Leicestershire and this is contributing to the smooth roll-out to child therapies. “Ethitec has consistently delivered a cost effective and responsive service,” he explains. “The project was priced within our budget and once funding was secured at the end of February, deployment was rapidly turned around within a few months.”
Designed in consultation with clinicians on the ground, the Tiara9 system closely matches workflow patterns and has seen high levels of user acceptance in Leicestershire. This meant that only minor modifications were required to facilitate the extension to child therapies - the most significant being the addition of an age restriction on patient search.
Kaiser explains: “Data protection is paramount when it comes to children and the implementation has been designed to respect this by preventing unauthorised users accessing the records of children."
“The decision to opt for the offline licence model,
rather than use 3G remote access to the server was also taken as a security precaution as it was felt
that 3G technology is not yet mature enough to deliver the highest levels of security.”
Hosted by Charnwood and North West Leicester PCT,
the multi-professional Tiara9 system also serves the five neighbouring PCTs of Leicester City West,
Eastern Leicester, Hinckley and Bosworth, South Leicestershire and Melton, Rutland & Harborough.
Press Release – 25th May 2006 - Dumfries reaps benefit of first class equipment loans management system
The installation of Ethitec’s equipment loans management system, ELMS2, has helped Dumfries and Galloway to overcome the barriers of geography, supporting health workers across its 2,500 square mile coverage with the delivery of a rapid and effective community equipment service to the region’s residents.
The Integrated Community Equipment Service (ICES) supports local health services for Dumfries and Galloway. Manager Robert McCallay reports the benefits ELMS2 has made to the service: “It is no exaggeration to say that the system has transformed our operation. It allows the entire department to operate seamlessly across an enormous geographical area.”
ELMS2 has also improved the quality of information available to managers. “The system means we always know where our equipment is, and can see what’s in stock, what’s being cleaned and access the maintenance and refurbishment status of individual items.”
ELMS2 contains a wealth of management and operational reports which can be tailored, alternatively all system data can easily be exported into applications such as Excel if desired.
McCallay concludes: “The system has more than lived up to expectations, while the support we have received from Ethitec has been first class. We have experienced a rare thing - the smooth roll out of an IT system that delivers the functionality we were promised.”
ELMS2 product manager for Ethitec, Mike Weatherall, explains: “ELMS2 is without doubt a market leader when it comes to delivering the IT infrastructure for integrated community equipment services. It’s easy to use and does what it says on the tin. We are delighted Dumfries & Galloway are reaping the benefits of their decision to install the system and look forward to working with them on the online roll-out for field based workers in 2006.”
Press Release – 27th March 2006 - South Warwickshire NHS Trust Reduces Physiotherapy Waiting Times with Tiara9
South Warwickshire NHS Trust has reduced physiotherapy waiting times from eight weeks down to two weeks, following its decision to implement Ethitec’s Tiara9 electronic patient record system for the allied health professions (AHPs).
The Trust sourced an IT system in keeping with the National Programme for IT’s (NPfIT) objectives to improve patient care and service efficiency through better IT. Tiara9, the award winning system for therapists, was chosen because of its real-time appointment booking module and simple to use reporting features.
As a result of its implementation, physiotherapy waiting times at South Warwickshire Acute Trust have been reduced by seventy five per cent. Developed in collaboration with frontline clinicians, Tiara9 accurately reflects clinical workflow patterns. The appointment booking module provides greater flexibility in patient choice by enabling clinicians to access and update information in real-time. For South Warwickshire, this resulted in improved information sharing across its three sites.
Jan Fereday-Smith, operational performance manager for therapies at South Warwickshire Hospital, explains: “By implementing Tiara9 at the same time as reviewing our own administrative processes, we have been able to reduce physiotherapy out-patient waiting times down to two weeks. We are able to more efficiently allocate appointment slots because patients can choose which clinic is most convenient to attend.”
“Waiting for a system from the NPfIT would have put us significantly behind core services, and it would have been at least ten years before we saw it. The national strategy currently includes little for allied health professionals so it is our responsibility to make sure we keep pace with IT developments.”
Simon Taylor, Ethitec commercial director, concludes: “Many Trusts are holding off from the procurement of systems to support their therapists in the belief that they will be provided free by their LSP. In reality, these systems will not be available for a very long time, which is why it is down to individual services to assess where their needs are, and identify the most appropriate solution. With South Warwickshire, efficiency gains were a real driver, which they have succeeded in achieving with Tiara9.”
Since ‘go-live’, Tiara9 has been used to process over 36,000 appointments for physiotherapy out-patient services in Leamington, Stratford and Warwick. The system will be rolled out to occupational therapy and dietetics, with a pilot to implement electronic patient record (EPR) underway.
Press Release – 11th January 2006 -
Stoke-on-Trent Marks 40th ELMS2
Site
The City of Stoke-on-Trent has chosen market leading equipment loans management system, ELMS2, to manage its Integrated Community Equipment Service (ICES). Supplied by healthcare IT provider, Ethitec, ELMS2 is now being used by 40 UK services, which represents around a third of all ICES providers.
From Southend to South Ayr, over 600 staff at ICES and independent wheelchair stores are using ELMS2 to provide a more streamlined and effective service. With thousands of healthcare professionals able to order equipment online and in real-time from these stores, this enhanced service provision translates into tangible benefits for over 12 million people.
Mike Weatherall, ELMS2 product manager, comments: “Community equipment services need IT systems that support service delivery, reduce delays, and monitor key performance indicators. Enabling referrers to order equipment on-line over the web or NHSNet is key to improving performance. This has contributed to the increased uptake of the system, and reinforces ELMS2’s position as the leading IT Solution for ICES and wheelchair services.”
Designed to provide a flexible, real-time IT solution, ELMS2 helps to deliver a more effective community equipment loans service by making efficient use of stock, streamlining purchasing, allowing on-line ordering, improving recycling rates, and producing all management reports at the touch of a button.
ELMS was originally developed in 1990, to support the British Red Cross in their management of health and social care led community equipment services in Leicestershire. It has since gone on to become the leading ICES software solution, available for deployment as a client server, web-based or fully hosted system.
Press Release – 11th January 2006 - ELMS2 Extends Community Equipment Service For Red Cross
With the support of healthcare IT provider, Ethitec, and its equipment loan management system, ELMS2, the British Red Cross has recently secured two new contracts for its community equipment operations. The extension of services means a total of five Integrated Community Equipment Services managed by the British Red Cross will now benefit from ELMS2.
Matt Davis, national customer care manager for the British Red Cross, explains: “We’ve been using ELMS here in Leicester since 1990. The consistent performance of the system and Ethitec’s commitment to supporting us means we are set up to expand our reach further and can continue passing efficiency benefits on to service users.”
ELMS2 has been developed to provide a flexible, real-time IT solution for community equipment stores. It helps to deliver a more streamlined and effective equipment loans service by reducing waiting times and improving the patient experience.
Mike Weatherall, ELMS2 product manager comments: “As the first site to implement ELMS2, the Red Cross has played an ongoing and significant role in system development. And with the addition of two new sites, we’ll continue to work closely with them to ensure that ELMS2 evolves in line with their changing needs.”
Offering an electronic and interactive online equipment catalogue, ELMS2 delivers operational and advanced management functionality through features such as tracking of equipment, monitoring of recycling rates and recording of item usage and servicing. The ability to produce reports as a by product of normal store activity allows the accurate and efficient analysis of performance and the adjustment of service provision accordingly.
Originally developed to support the British Red Cross in its management of health and social care led community equipment services in Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland, ELMS2 is currently operated by 40 services throughout the UK.
Press Release – 14th October 2005 - Award winning online catalogue enhances Community Equipment Service for Southend
Southend-on-Sea has enhanced its Occupational Therapy and Community Equipment Services (OTCES) with the launch of an award-winning online service. By introducing web functionality to its existing electronic catalogue, Southend has enabled departments outside of its Equipment and Adaptation Service to access in-depth product information.
The original electronic catalogue was provided by Ethitec, the Service’s software provider, through its ELMS2 (equipment loans management system), which Southend has been using since 2003. By adding HTML links and online capability, the Service has been able to provide more comprehensive information and remote access to the catalogue. This means all commissioning professionals now benefit from detailed equipment features, manufacturers’ instructions and advice forms.
Equipment and Adaptation Service Manager, Neil Keeler, explains: “Getting the right equipment first time to a service user is really important, especially for older people, who sometimes are only willing to allow one attempt to trial an item. The enhanced catalogue means more people within the healthcare community can access even more information about the products, which helps ensure the correct item is provided.”
The web enabled version of the catalogue is hosted by Ethitec. Mike Weatherall, ELMS2 product manager, comments: “ELMS2 was developed to meet the tracking needs of busy equipment loans services and we always work closely with our users to ensure the system continues to perform as they need it to. Helping Southend put the catalogue online for its wider healthcare community was simply a case of providing appropriate advice on how to configure their electronic catalogue and also providing a hosting service for the completed online version.” ELMS2 also includes an online ordering module, developed to help to achieve a faster and more efficient service for patients.
Southend OTCES was recognised for its achievements with the enhanced electronic catalogue, as Winner of the Chairman's Innovation Award 2005 with Southend PCT.
Press Release – 21st July 2005 - Sheffield Urges Equipment Services To Adopt Best Of Breed Systems
Struggling with the burden of paper based reporting methods has become a thing of the past for Sheffield Community Equipment Loans Service (SCELS), which has revolutionised its reporting and service management capability through the installation of a new, best of breed store management system.
SCELS, which is an integrated Health and Local Authority service hosted by Sheffield Care Trust, provides equipment to the population of Sheffield. It currently has approximately 82,000 pieces of equipment located in around 30,000 homes to support people with their Health and Social care needs.
The ELMS2 (Equipment Loans Management System) software from healthcare technology provider, Ethitec, is enabling managers to produce key performance indicators for RAP (Referrals, Assessments & Packages of Care) and other reports at the click of a button, and supporting the provision of seamless service delivery to clients.
Taking advantage of the current policy emphasis on joined up community equipment services, store manager Bev Clarke was able to secure financial support from the pooled health and social care funding for the service’s upgrade.
“The rise of community equipment provision on the Government agenda has provided a great opportunity for services to make the case for funding to modernise the infrastructure of how services are managed,” explains Bev. “Introducing purpose-designed software rather than making do with systems that were originally built for something else has made a real difference to our ability to access accurate and reliable management information, which ultimately is the key to improving service delivery.”
ELMS2 is provided with a number of standard reports, as well as allowing users to manipulate information and create reports to meet their own requirements. Bev continues: “Ethitec has been extremely supportive in providing report writing training for our staff, and has also proved responsive when it comes to bespoke development to meet additional functionality requirements. We’ve found the company’s user group meetings highly valuable as a forum to resolve questions and issues.”
ELMS2 also includes serial number tracking functionality that provides SCELS with up-to-date information on the whereabouts of high value equipment, and items that need regular servicing.
SCELS is currently in the process of introducing barcoding to further support equipment tracking, and has plans to integrate ELMS with Sheffield’s Social Services system, Care First, to support closer working between local agencies.
“In short, ELMS2 has provided us with an advanced system that not only meets our current requirements, but has the potential to support further service improvements - while all the time offering great value for money,” concludes Bev.
Press Release – 19th July 2005 - Tiara9 Delivers Effective Public Service
The Tiara9 therapy system developed by independent Leicester based IT firm, Ethitec, has been highly commended in the Information Age Effective IT Awards 2005.
Recognised in the ‘most effective use of IT in public service category’, Ethitec was praised for its role as technology partner to the Charnwood and North West Leicestershire Primary Care Trust (PCT). The collaboration saw Tiara9 implemented across five therapy professions in the PCT, which reduced waiting times by up to 12 weeks and helped improve information sharing between disciplines.
Tiara9 combines an appointment booking system, treatment record and electronic patient record. It is the electronic management of appointments that has enabled the Leicestershire service to offer greater patient choice when it comes to the time and place of appointments. This has significantly reduced the number of ‘Did Not Attends’, hence the fall in waiting lists.
Information Age is the latest to recognise the positive impact Tiara9 has made on service delivery in Leicester, following its success in the e-Health Innovation Awards, and recognition in the Government-backed Healthcare IT Effectiveness Awards, where the project received prizes in two separate categories.
Commenting on the project’s award, Ethitec
Commercial Director, Simon Taylor, concludes: “Leicestershire has achieved some amazing results with
Tiara9, not least by significantly reducing the waiting lists across its Adult Therapy Services. The
Information Age award is especially important to us as it recognises the project outside of the context
of healthcare and shows its achievements stand up in the public service as a whole.”
Press Release – 5th July 2005 -
Warrington Reports Improved Equipment Service Delivery
Performance reports produced by an innovative IT system
are playing a valuable role in the improvement of service delivery for Warrington Community Equipment Service.
By providing feedback on performance in real-time, the system enables an accurate and prompt adjustment of
resource levels to be made, ensuring changing demands of the service are met. As part of a major redevelopment and relocation exercise,
Warrington installed Ethitec’s ELMS2 (Equipment Loans Management System), to upgrade the equipment service from
a stock control approach to management information system. In terms of key performance indicator (KPI) D54 statistics,
which help determine the service’s STAR rating and ultimately funding, ELMS2 allows the clock to be stopped on
the seven day delivery period if the end user is on holiday, or discharge from hospital has been delayed.
The reason for a failed or late delivery can also be logged, which means a more accurate and reliable
interpretation of D54 reports can be obtained in relation to service performance. Richard Connolly, team manager, comments on how the
reports are helping to shape service delivery: “ELMS2 is the nerve centre of our service, tracking each
piece of equipment, delivery, prescriber and user. And at any time we can produce a detailed report on
every aspect of our activity with just the touch of a button." “Instant access to D54 reports in real-time means we can
constantly and accurately monitor our performance. Deliveries are consistently above 90% but a recent report on
collections showed these to be 100%. This insight meant we could redress the balance by allocating more
resources to delivery – thus providing a better, more responsive service.” The ELMS2 system, created by healthcare IT solutions
provider Ethitec, has been developed to cater for the specific needs and requirements of a busy equipment
loans service. Originally developed for the British Red Cross, the system provides a flexible, real-time
IT solution to ensure that a store can operate as a one stop shop for the management and provision of
equipment. ELMS2 product manager, Mike Weatherall,
concludes: “Warrington has successfully used ELMS2 as a stock management tool for some time but it’s a
great step forward to see them making the most of the reporting functionality. By incorporating this
function into developing service provision, they will continue to experience improvement and individuals
who require equipment will benefit from a more effective and efficient service.” The number of community equipment services realising
that there is a solution that can help them meet KPIs such as D54 is reflected in the accelerating uptake of
ELMS2 across the country. Eight sites have installed the system this year, benefiting from the reporting
features utilised by Warrington and additional functionality such as online access and integrated wheelchair
service management.
Press Release – 25th April 2005 -
e-Health Innovation Awards - Leicester’s Tiara9 Delivers First for Integrated Patient Care
A therapy system developed by an independent Leicester IT
firm has delivered healthcare outcomes yet to be achieved by the Government’s multi billion pound ‘Connecting for
Health IT Programme’, and won national recognition in the e-Health Innovation Awards in the process. The implementation of the Tiara9 system for five therapy
professions in Leicestershire has reduced waiting times by up to 12 weeks and enabled improved information sharing
between disciplines. These quantifiable healthcare benefits secured the project first place in the ‘Best use of
e-health to deliver integrated care’ category at this year’s e-Health Innovation Awards. Commenting on the project’s achievements, the judges
said: “Their (Charnwood and NW Leicestershire PCT’s) implementation of Ethitec’s Tiara system has improved
communication between professionals when they are treating the same patient and transformed the appointments
system to the point where, for example, the podiatry waiting list is now virtually zero.” Tiara9 combines an appointment booking system, treatment
record and electronic patient record. It is the electronic management of appointments that has enabled the
service to offer greater patient choice when it comes to the time and place of appointments. This has significantly
reduced the number of ‘Did Not Attends’, hence the fall in waiting lists. The e-Health Innovation Awards are the latest to recognise
the project’s ability to deliver first class healthcare using an innovative IT solution. Last month the
prestigious Government-backed Healthcare IT Effectiveness Awards awarded the project prizes in two separate
categories. Celebrating Tiara9’s recent successes, Ethitec commercial
director, Simon Taylor, concludes: “We spent a lot of time developing the Tiara9 system with the Leicestershire
therapists to ensure it would accurately serve their workflow patterns. The proof that this has been an effective
approach is evident in the high levels of user acceptance and corresponding impact on waiting times. We are now
hoping that our success in these recent awards will start to make Connecting for Health stand up and take notice
of the valuable contribution the system can make to handling patient care.”
Press Release – 25th April 2005 -
More Success for Tiara9
Following on from their successes in the HITEA awards last
month (see below), Ethitec, Charnwood and NW Leicestershire PCT, and Leicestershire Health Informatics Service
have also been successful in the e-Health Innovation Awards announced last week. At a prestigious ceremony in
London, in the category "Best use of e-health to deliver integrated care”, the trio were victorious
for “Implementing an electronic patient record system for allied health professionals working in the community.” The judges commented - "Everyone bemoans the fact that
the allied health professions are poorly served by information technology in the NHS, but our winners actually
worked together to do something about this. Their implementation of Ethitec’s Tiara9 system has improved
communication between professionals when they are treating the same patient and transformed the appointments
system to the point where, for example, the podiatry waiting list is now virtually zero." A full announcement will follow in due course....
Press Release - 14th April 2005 -
Telephone Hotline Delivers Access to Amber Valley Physiotherapy Service
A new telephone hotline which enables patients to speak directly
to a physiotherapist rather than wait for a GP referral is being piloted in Derbyshire. The project, which has been running for 10 months, has found
that 40 percent of patients are able to receive the help they need through telephone advice alone and
do not need a physiotherapy appointment. The Physio Direct hotline is based on the NHS Direct model and is
already delivering real benefits for therapists, patients and GPs involved in the pilot. Facilitated by Ethitec’s Tiara9 therapy system, the hotline
enables physiotherapists to talk patients through screening proformas over the phone and give immediate advice. Physio Direct has been introduced by Amber Valley Primary Care
Trust - initially for two GP practices - following successful pilot studies in other areas. The aim was to improve
patient access to the physiotherapy service, allowing patients to speak directly and immediately to an experienced
physiotherapist about their symptoms. The service is also designed to provide more timely intervention for
patients and help prevent chronicity of musculoskeletal problems. Specifically written for the Allied Health Professions,
Tiara9 was implemented by therapy managers at Amber Valley PCT as an efficient electronic patient record
system that would support Physio Direct and cater for the clinical and administrative function of the service. By
automatically generating the relevant paperwork and letters following each call to the hotline, the system
significantly reduces the administrative workload of therapists delivering the service. Enabling physiotherapists
to record and refer patients’ needs at the click of a mouse, Tiara9 is helping to speed up the process and
increase the capacity of the service. Commenting on the success of the pilot, Trish Bailey, Senior
Physiotherapist leading Physio Direct, says: “Patient feedback from a satisfaction survey has been very
positive, and the GPs involved in the pilot are pleased with the results achieved so far. We look forward
to continuing to deliver the service to local patients and hopefully rolling it out further to benefit more
patients in the future.” Commercial Director at Ethitec, Simon Taylor, added: “Tiara9 is
being used successfully by Allied Health Professionals throughout the UK and we are delighted to be working
with Amber Valley to develop a system which enables time-saving and patient choice benefits for the innovative
Physio Direct service.”
Press Release – 5th April 2005 -
National Distinction For Specialist Therapy System
Award winning implementation for Leicestershire highlights benefits of grass roots approach to IT development. A specialist therapy system developed by SME healthcare
provider, Ethitec, has highlighted the difference effective IT systems can make to service delivery, winning
national plaudits for a flagship implementation that has succeeded in slashing waiting times and increasing
patient choice across the county of Leicestershire. Over 400 clinical users in Leicestershire are using the
Ethitec system - called Tiara9 - and it is processing an average of 650 appointments a day. The total number of
appointments booked by Tiara9 in Leicestershire since go-live in July 2002 is in excess of 200,000. The project was recognised as a model of IT implementation
at this month’s prestigious Government-backed Healthcare IT Effectiveness Awards, coming in the top three in two
separate categories. Crucially, Tiara9 has been developed in consultation with
clinicians on the ground, who were included on the profession-specific development teams charged with designing
on-screen interfaces. “The end result of involving therapists has been the
creation of a system that closely matches clinical practice, and therefore gathers accurate management
information as a by-product of clinical activity rather than an extra administrative burden”, says Ethitec
Commercial Director, Simon Taylor. “This has been critical to the success of the project. It means that service
managers finally have the information they need to manage resources effectively, and keep waiting lists
down.” The introduction of patient choice has seen a dramatic
decline in ‘Did Not Attends’ and, correspondingly, waiting lists have fallen by up to 12 weeks. In South
Leicestershire, zero waiting lists have been sustained for podiatry appointments since March 2003. "We are now able to offer adult therapy services that are
second to none" says the head of Leicestershire and Rutland’s Adult Community Therapy Service, Carol Marsden.
"Tiara9 is basically a multi-functional patient admin system which is now being used across six Primary Care
Trusts throughout the county. It means that patients needing care in any one of five specialities – physiotherapy,
occupational therapy, speech and language, dietetics or podiatry – can now choose where and when they want to be
treated. We can contact them from four call centres, and have access to all their records – even if they cross
different areas of treatment." "The goal," she added "is to eventually role out what we
call a ‘wireless system’, where therapists using small, hand-held PCs, can assess patients at their bedside –
something that is already being trialled at Rutland Memorial Hospital."
Press Release – 25th February 2005 -
New Software Enables Wheelchair Service Integration With Equipment Stores
Sophisticated software enabling the electronic management
of wheelchair services has been developed by healthcare IT provider, Ethitec, the company behind the market
leading Equipment Loans Management System (ELMS) originally developed for the British Red Cross Community
Equipment Services. The new wheelchair module is a feature of the company’s
ELMS2 system and enables wheelchair appointments, assessments, deliveries and repairs, to be recorded
electronically, either as an independent service, or as part of the integrated management of wheelchair
and equipment services. Functionality built into the wheelchair module is
designed to enable service managers to oversee the entire process of wheelchair ordering from the point
of making the initial appointment and assessment, through wheelchair build to the appropriate specification,
then final delivery. The module can also be integrated with approved wheelchair repairers and used to
monitor repair times and other performance criteria. “This latest addition to ELMS2 functionality is in
line with Government policy on joined up service delivery to clients at the point of need,” says
Ethitec commercial director Simon Taylor. “We have provided an IT platform that can be used by agencies
to fully manage, monitor – and therefore improve – the delivery of wheelchair services. Not only this,
but its ability to interface seamlessly with our equipment loans system allows managers to oversee fully
integrated wheelchair and equipment services.” All Ethitec systems are developed through
extensive clinician consultation and are rated for their user friendly and intuitive graphic interfaces.
Press Release – 26th November 2004 -
Tiara9 Delivers Real Service Benefits
Adult therapy services in Leicestershire have reported
reductions in patient waiting lists of up to 12 weeks since the roll out of a multi professional patient
administration system and treatment record across the county. The implementation of healthcare software provider, Ethitec’s
Tiara9 system for physiotherapy, podiatry, speech and language therapy and dietetics has given Allied Health
Professionals in Leicestershire the tools to significantly improve the delivery of services to patients,
ensuring accurate data as a by-product of clinical activity. Most notably waiting list times have been dramatically
reduced with examples including 17 weeks to five, 15 weeks to four and 12 weeks to five. These results are
down to a number of factors, including the introduction of patient choice when it comes to both time and
location of the appointment, which has led to a significant drop in Did Not Attends (DNA’s). Equally importantly, the automation of appointment
bookings has led to better slot utilisation for cancelled appointments and enabled the launch of multi
disciplinary call centre facilities, which deliver a fast and efficient method for patients to make
appointments. Operators can easily exclude unsuitable days or times from appointment searches to quickly
yield the best options. Other changes include enabling patients to opt for
consultations at alternative clinical sites to bring forward their appointment date, while the introduction of
new IT systems has led therapy services to re-evaluate their procedures generally and make changes such as
the utilisation of staff with specialist skills only for appointments where these are required. Other service benefits resulting from the installation
include information sharing across disciplines and the ability for Allied Health Professionals to view summary
patient histories and ensure that the patient’s therapy needs requiring attention are being followed up. The implementation is one of the most extensive IT
installations for therapy services in the country. To date, Ethitec’s Tiara9 system is in use by 300 users
at 92 clinical locations across six PCTs, and has enabled the launch of three operational multi-disciplinary
appointment call centres with the ability to make appointments anywhere in the county. Once complete, the project will deliver true electronic
patient record as well as the patient administration system and treatment record for the country’s dietetics
and four adult therapy services –occupational therapy, physiotherapy, podiatry, and speech and
language therapy. Tiara9 project manager for Leicestershire Health
Informatics Service, Derek Coker, said: “Tiara9 has given therapists a tool set they can work with to make
the service improvements they have identified as necessary to the delivery of better patient care. While there
is still work to be done in finding a domiciliary solution for all therapies, and in continuing to develop
and roll out the EPR functionality, Ethitec’s track record of excellent after sales service and its commitment
to meeting the customer’s needs means we are confident that these outcomes will be achieved.”
Press Release – 9th November 2004 -
Leicestershire Therapists Trial Wireless EPR
The reality of recording digital information during ‘real time’
patient assessments is being pioneered at Rutland Memorial Hospital, where a secure wireless environment has
been created to enable therapy assessments using tablet PCs at patients’ bedsides. The pilot is part of the
roll-out of Ethitec’s Tiara9 therapy software system by Leicestershire Health Informatics Service (LHIS)
for five adult therapy disciplines throughout the county’s six Primary Care Trusts. Tablet PCs have been located in docking stations within
Rutland Memorial Hospital for use by the occupational therapists, physiotherapists and podiatrists involved in
the trial. Authorised clinicians use an interactive pen and tablet PC to access their caseload using the
Tiara9 software on a secure local area network. The therapist can then examine their patients at any location
within the hospital and record data in the electronic assessment forms that make up the electronic patient
record (EPR) element of Ethitec’s software. Derek Coker, Tiara9 project manager at LHIS, explained the background to the trial: “Leicestershire has
already benefited greatly in terms of patient choice and reduced waiting times following the introduction
of Ethitec’s system. It is now fully operational for patient registration and appointment bookings in all
but one therapy discipline in the county. With this aspect of the roll-out almost complete, we started to
look at the next phase - making full use of electronic patient record while patients are being
assessed and not purely to record outcomes and interventions.” The trial began in April 2004 and users have already provided the first round of feedback, resulting in
modification of the assessment templates. Derek Coker continues: “The original templates for Tiara9 software were
developed within Leicestershire by discipline-specific professional therapist teams working with Ethitec.
However, for the pilot it was important we selected users who had not been involved in the original designs.
This led to improvements being identified such as changes to the order of data fields to better reflect
clinical procedures, and the introduction of new fields to collect additional required data such as
needle batch numbers. Although individually they’re small changes, the process is enabling us to arrive at a
software platform that truly matches therapists’ clinical needs.” Given the innovative nature of this phase,
paper records are still being produced. However, the ultimate intention will be to enable paperless operation
throughout the county. Ethitec commercial director, Simon Taylor, said: “This has been an extremely exciting project for Ethitec
and by working with professionals on the ground across multiple disciplines, we have been able to deliver a
solution that conforms with the objectives of the National Programme for IT to provide effective EPR and
integrated care records. The collaboration between Ethitec and Leicestershire’s Adult Community Therapy
Services marks a major breakthrough in terms of the EPR functionality available not only to therapists in
the county but across the UK.”
Press Release – 29th July 2004 -
Ethitec Provide First I.T Solution For Therapists
The strategic significance of Tiara9 has now been formally
recognised when it became the only adult therapy system to be sponsored for inclusion in the NPfIT National Care Records Service (“Spine”) Compliance
Programme. Tiara9, described by users as ‘a niche product’, allows NHS
therapists instant access to patient records and treatment courses from any location or trust system. In doing
so, its creators believe it shows the way in which many other NHS systems could be successfully developed. The software, produced by Leicester-based Ethitec,
is already being used by a number of NHS trusts around the UK. As part of the NHS IT infrastructure,
Tiara9 qualified as an important third party system because of its consistency with the NHS programme for IT. Developed with therapists for therapists, Tiara9 is
a specialist solution that is designed to run on desktop and portable PC devices. The system encourages best
practice by providing therapists with networked access to patient and clinical data anywhere and at anytime. Recognising Tiara9’s capabilities, Director of
Leicestershire & Rutland’s Health Informatics, Ian Wakeford was keen to implement the innovative software into the
Charnwood and Northwest Leicester Primary Care Trust (PCT), who provide an Adult Therapy service to all
six PCTs in Leicestershire and Rutland. He said: “We were looking for a specialist system that would
meet not only the administrative needs of the service but the needs of local clinicians. We are a firm
believer in the product locally and have seen some real benefits for the service. That is why we wanted
to encourage the National Program for IT (NPfIT) to work with Ethitec to connect this system to the next
generation of NHS systems. As the only non-generic system in the market, it is important that niche
services are supported by appropriate systems and Tiara9 certainly is an original and cost-effective
solution.” Tiara9’s range of functionality has been designed
to take into account the constraints that clinicians face as well as their aspirations. Key features
include the Microsoft Windows interface enabling ease of use and a powerful and quick database for the m
anagement of patient and clinical information.
"Derek Coker,
Leicestershire Health Informatics Service; Paul Ryder, Centrom (sponsor); Carol Marsden, Charnwood &
NW Leicestershire PCT; Simon Taylor, Ethitec"
"Pictured left to
right: Leicestershire Health Informatics Service Tiara9 Project Manager, Derek Coker; South
Leicester Podiatrist, Catherine Holland; Ethitec Commercial Director, Simon
Taylor"
