| As the NHS is investing so heavily in improving | | | | immediately. If a patient had an ultrasound or an |
| patient care by using advanced healthcare | | | | X-ray taken at a different hospital, it can now be |
| systems, how are different departments making | | | | sent, and arrive, immediately thanks to PACS. |
| use of it all, to provide better care for all | | | | Previously the image would have had to be |
| patients? | | | | posted or couriered. This saves a great deal of |
| 1. Patient Administration Systems (PAS) are | | | | money, and also ensures that all images |
| designed to be used all over the hospital, so that | | | | requested are received. |
| medical staff, such as those in a busy hospital | | | | 4. Maternity departments see many different |
| department like Accident and Emergency, | | | | patients over the term of their pregnancies, and |
| Operating Theatres and Outpatients can keep | | | | each will have different test results and |
| track of all the patients, their conditions, and the | | | | requirements and concerns. In addition, patients |
| healthcare they have received. In addition, | | | | will be seen by different medical staff during the |
| patients may move from one department to | | | | pregnancy, and comprehensive notes will need to |
| another, and their location and treatment will need | | | | be kept so that whoever is seeing the patient will |
| to be recorded. Medication records and future | | | | know the case history. Also, there is a chance |
| treatments and tests can be scheduled and noted | | | | that the mother may give birth away from the |
| so that whoever is on duty will know the status | | | | hospital where she has been seen, and so her |
| of the patient, and the care and medication that is | | | | notes will need to be available to medical staff |
| likely to be required. These systems need to be | | | | wherever her baby is born. |
| easy to use for all staff, accurate and kept up to | | | | 5. The revolutionary Choose and Book system |
| date so that the staff can give the best | | | | allows patients to make their own appointments |
| treatment, and secure so that patient safety is | | | | at a time and location convenient to them. This |
| maintained. | | | | has rapidly reduced the number of patients who |
| 2. Electronic Patient Records (EPR) are taking over | | | | fail to attend appointments. If the patient needs |
| from paper based records, and will enable medical | | | | to reschedule an appointment, then this can be |
| staff to see a patient's details, no matter where | | | | done simply and effectively. |
| the patient is. If the patient moves house, then | | | | Hopefully you won't need a trip to casualty or an |
| the records will be available within a matter or | | | | emergency dental appointment, but if you do, |
| minutes. Also, EPR allows records to be seen by | | | | you'll know that your records will be available |
| different sorts of health care professionals, so | | | | instantly to those medical staff who need them, |
| that a dentists will know what medication their | | | | and that the next time you need medical |
| patients are on, and pharmacists can see if the | | | | treatment you are likely to be amazed at how big |
| patient has any allergies. | | | | a part technology is playing in healthcare roles, |
| 3. Picture Archiving Communication Systems | | | | ranging from dentist surgeries to intensive care |
| (PACS) allows images to be stored electronically, | | | | units in hospitals. |
| and makes them available to all who need them, | | | | |