E-GOVERNMENT
Health board implements unified database
29-05-2003
by Andrew McLindon
The South Eastern Health Board has rolled-out a new integrated medical laboratories database across the region.
Previously, five hospitals in the south east each had separate medical lab database applications. These databases have now been integrated under the new system providing health care workers in the region with enhanced patient information.
According to those behind the scheme, one of the major benefits of the system is that hospitals throughout the south east will now be able to access and update the same database.
"For instance, test results from the lab in St Luke's General Hospital in Kilkenny can be instantly sent and shared with the lab in Waterford Regional Hospital, which will make it easier and quicker for patient records to be accessed across the health board area," explained Loman McCaffery, sales account manager of technology consultancy Unitech Systems, which carried out the implementation of the project.
The system also has cost benefits, added McCaffery. "The records now need to be stored in only once place and administration work will be reduced because there is no longer a need for new data to be duplicated by staff in each hospital," he remarked.
Seamus Butler, information technology manager of the South Eastern Health Board, said that in the current climate having a cost-effective solution over the long-term was his main priority.
The project was carried out by Unitech in association with iSoft, a supplier of application systems to the healthcare sector, and, according to the two parties, is one of the first implementations of IBM Unix technology in the Irish health board system.
IBM pSeries server systems and storage technology were used to run the lab database application with the application itself implemented by iSoft, which installed its APEX laboratory management application.
iSoft is currently working with three other health boards and it is thought that the system will be gradually rolled-out to other health boards throughout the country with the eventual aim of having an integrated national database.
The South Eastern Health Board has also been involved with the Southern Health Board in developing a system that will enable GPs to examine their patients' blood tests results via the Internet.
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