New system for patients' records

A new computer programme is to be built to record details of patients' treatment at Jersey's hospitals.

The system will help record information on patient diagnosis, drug regime, scans, x-rays and test results.

The States has awarded a contract to both InterSystems Corporation and General Electric Medical Systems to help design the computer programme.

It will be delivered in stages - the first stage will take about 18 months to complete and will cost £12.4m.

Every year Jersey General Hospital treats 40,000 accident and emergency cases, more than 13,000 in-patients, and 120,000 out-patients.

The States decided to implement a new way to amalgamate details about patients' treatment, claiming that modern computer systems were the "best way to manage such important information in huge quantities".

Deputy Anne Pryke, Health and Social Services Minister, said: "Integrated Care Record (ICR) will bring numerous benefits, for example the improved administration system will reduce the number of times the same information is collected from patients.

"Most importantly though, it will be focused on individual patient needs."