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Workshop - The Work & Development of the Renal Exchange CommitteeRenal leads the way towards a paperless NHSThe dream of a fully integrated computer system, where patients are linked to their renal unit and to their GP and can find out their latest test results as well as seeing letters about them, could soon be a reality. By the end of 2004 a free system called Renal PatientView should be up and running at three renal units - St James’ Leeds, Heartlands Birmingham and Western Infirmary, Glasgow. |
And it could be the starting point for a national renal database, a workshop
held on Friday evening at the beginning of the NKF conference was told
by two of the enthusiasts for the system, Professor John Feehally, of
Leicester General Hospital, chair of the Renal Information Exchange Group,
and Professor Neil Turner, of Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
Renal units are well ahead of any other specialties, according to both speakers, and are in pole position to take the lead in a national move to a paperless world in the NHS. The Renal Information Exchange Group (RIXG) was set up in 2003 with a wide membership including the NKF to improve services to patients through IT and has as a priority setting up electronic care plans. The Department of Health encouraged by the renal NSF is envisaging implementation of a national scheme in ten years’ time at a cost of £10bn, but the speakers are confident that it can be done in a much shorter time and a greatly reduced cost.
A total of 70 per cent of renal units use the Proton software system, based on blood results and linking with pathology laboratories, but other systems could be adapted to the overall system. A patient could find out his or her latest test results, check on information about their kidney condition and treatment, and read letters about them. In addition they could read about renal diets and check the transplant list. The same information would go to the GP, and the patient would have a password to use to access the information. They could give the password to anybody they wanted.
Most of the questions and comments were on the security of the system, but the two speakers, while not able to give a completely cast iron guarantee, pledged that every effort would be made to protect patient privacy.
For more information check on http://www.renalpatientview.org to see if your unit is included, and http://www.renal.org/rxg for information about the project.
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