BIRMINGHAM, UK – Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH) is working in partnership with IT provider Carefx Corp. on a pilot project to improve and simplify the process of placing pathology orders at the point of care.

The six-month pilot will monitor the use of ordering systems and automatically present clinicians with the most recent and relevant test results during the process of placing an order. Rules applied to the current patient and test being ordered are used to decide whether to accept the order or to interact with the user presenting relevant decision support data. By delivering test results during the ordering process, the Trust looks to enhance decision support and speed of operation for clinicians with the desired outcome of improved patient care and lower costs.

“This pilot scheme is about providing more complete and accurate information to clinicians at the point of care,” said Dianne Nixon, Head of Strategic Systems at CUH and responsible for the IT design of the pilot.

“When the doctor, nurse or consultant orders a test within the pilot scheme, the most recent pathology results are made available automatically as part of the process," said Nixon. "The clinical staff member can then choose whether or not to proceed with ordering the test, based on the information presented. This pilot will demonstrate the viability of using decision support in this way to help improve patient care, as well as reducing the number of pathology test requests across the Trust. As a Trust, CUH has always looked for innovative technology solutions to improve patient care.”

Trust officials said the pilot project builds on the provider's existing Carefx implementation, which has provided a more streamlined workflow for clinical staff.

“The CUH project is a great example of how NHS Trusts are looking to improve the quality of patient care by making more efficient use of IT resources and staff," said Wayne Parslow, EVP and general manager EMEA for Carefx. "By being more proactive in information delivery at the point of care, CUH can ensure that patients are treated faster and more effectively.”