2009

iSOFT solution to help meet April deadline for discharge letters

The iSOFT Electronic Correspondence application is used by seven NHS trusts in England and one in Scotland.

Adrian Stevens, managing director of iSOFT’s UK business, says the company is seeing renewed interest in the solution and expects a steady run of orders over the coming months as NHS trusts rush to meet the 1 April deadline.

“Our solution is proven and being web-based can be installed quickly and easily,” Stevens said. “It is also designed for multi-site environments so a single solution can support an entire NHS trust.”

iSOFT’s Electronic Correspondence solution will connect with any iSOFT or third-party patient administration, clinical or departmental system to extract information and populate discharge letters automatically, saving time and effort.

It is shown to improve communications between ward staff, clinicians, pharmacists and others involved in inpatient episodes in secondary care.

It provides a clear workflow to help produce discharge summaries, while ensuring that all essential steps are completed, and authorised where necessary, before the discharge summary is released. And it is easily customised to suit local practice.

Discharge letters can be emailed via a trust’s email system, emailed or faxed via NHSnet, or transferred via DTS so that discharge summaries are delivered directly into the patient record ready for GPs to view.

Under the NHS Contract for Acute Hospital Services target, acute trusts must deliver discharge information to GP practices within 24 hours by 1 April 2010.