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iSoft signs Southern contract outside NPfIT

Tags: A Efficiency Foundation Trust iCM iCM Information integration iS iSoft PAS PAS Solution Strategic UK

23 Apr 2009

Wexham Park Hospital

Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has become the first in the Southern cluster to sign a major contract with iSoft.

The trust has signed a contract directly with iSoft for a replacement patient administration system, instead of waiting for one to be delivered through the National Programme for IT in the NHS.

The deal, which is worth £2.4m over five years, is for iSoft’s iPM, which will replace an outdated system that is in use at just two acute trusts. The contract also includes a technical refresh of an existing iSoft clinical solution, iCM.

Jonathan Pearce, Heatherwood and Wexham’s director of infrastructure, told E-Health Insider: “We started thinking about implementing a new PAS three to four months ago, as we were conscious of the fact that the support for our existing PAS would cease in March 2010. iSoft was the only real option for replacing the PAS to this timescale.”

The trust says that the iSoft team is already onsite planning hardware implementation and finalising baseline project plans, including how the data migration will be shaped.

Training for the 1,100 staff who will be using the new PAS will begin at the end of the year. There will be a two day training course for all potential users. There will also be a top-up session just before the system goes-live in the first quarter of 2010.

Pearce continued: “We are long term partners with iSoft and already have a strong working relationship with them, as we already use their clinical information system.

“However, we need to make clear that we are entirely committed to the national programme and have not come out of it. In strategic terms, we are still looking for a suitable moment to re-engage with the NPfIT.”

Adrian Stevens, managing director of iSoft UK and Ireland, said: “The seamless integration with iCM provides a complete patient and clinical management solution to better manage appointments, improve efficiency and reduce waiting times.”

He added: “It also provides a foundation for a smooth transition to iSoft’s next generation healthcare solutions. This underlines our position as the leading provider of healthcare solutions in the NHS.”

Link: iSoft

Sarah Bruce

Readers Comments

Previous PAS?

23 Apr 09 12:37

Can anybody enlighten us as to whose software they were previously using - I don't suppose it was already an Isoft site !!!

Previous PAS

lyn@e-health-media.com

23 Apr 09 12:48

No, it wasn't an iSoft PAS site. The story says the new deal is to replace a quite different PAS. For the record, we understand it's called "Ox" and is in use at just this trust and one other in the South.

Why was this not an open procurement?

23 Apr 09 12:59

If this was outside CfH then why was this not an open procurement?

There are several other UK based PAS suppliers who could have replaced OXPAS in the same timeframe with equal if not better functionality than the chosen solution, why were these suppliers not invited to bid?

Procurement

23 Apr 09 14:41

I agree with comment number 3. Shouldn't this have been advertised in the Journal of the EU? As it's outside NPfIT, it's presumably not within an existing framework contract?

Choice of system

23 Apr 09 15:23

From the little I know this is a site that already has the iCM product. The integration would give them an overriding reason to install the iPM component. Bringing in someone elses PAS in the short timescales would introduce all kinds of risk that presumably they have considered. The link between those components is the important factor here (in terms of moving towards an EPR), rather than the supplier of the system that is being replaced IMHO.

Purists in the procurement field are right and whilst it is technically no reason not to do a full procurement, the time imperative is there and is not of their making. Guess who is to blame for that!

The procurement route

lyn@e-health-media.com

23 Apr 09 16:38

We have the following additional information from iSoft: "There was a restricted procurement involving two suppliers. The trust evaluated both and chose iSoft." Lyn Whitfield, managing editor, E-Health Insider.

Major contract?

24 Apr 09 07:32

Extending iCM use with the addition of iPM in an existing client is a good sale - but hardly a major inroad into the Southern Cluster, or a portent of wider deals.

Methinks iSoft are indulging in a bit of spin as they go head-to-head with BT across the South to try to win uncommitted trusts.

If

24 Apr 09 09:26

They had bought Lorenzo that would be news.

Restricted procurement

24 Apr 09 09:27

It would be interesting to see the Trust's documented justification for the restricted procurement approach.

No surprise really.

24 Apr 09 12:40

It just seems a shame that PAS/EPR suppliers delivering value for money, rich functionality and a platform for growth, having survived these past five years are still being denied access to the market on any pretext available. We all know how Trusts who want to go outside the National Program are “persuaded” to abandon their procurements or select from the iSOFT / Cerner portfolio, so no surprise really.