Investing in Information Technology (IT) will help patients
Azeem Majeed 1 summarises my thoughts in his article ‘Information in
Practice’ beautifully. I share his frustration in the lack of progress of
IT development in the NHS.
As a General Practitioner (GP), I still use a clinical computer
system that we originally purchased in the late 1980’s. It has had updates
since then, but is still able to function at a level that enables the
doctors and nurses to record clinical information and code that
information. I can extract reasonable data from it, which helps with audit
and recall systems. However, we desperately need a more user friendly
system that means you do not need to be a computer geek to interrogate it.
Like many GPs at the time, we invested in this system ourselves,
costing us many thousands of pounds at the time. I have not witnessed any
signs of IT planning from our local Care Trust, nor are there any signs of
further investment from them because of their current overspend. What I am
not prepared to do any more is pay for any further developments myself –
those days are over. So, I feel that we are currently stuck –the
technology is out there that we could use to improve patient care, but
many years of inadequate planning and under investment by the NHS means we
are a long way behind now.
I am certain that a coherent IT strategy with adequate investment
could make the lumbering monster of the NHS more efficient by reducing
wastage. Most importantly, the patient could even benefit.
Rapid Response:
Investing in Information Technology (IT) will help patients
Azeem Majeed 1 summarises my thoughts in his article ‘Information in
Practice’ beautifully. I share his frustration in the lack of progress of
IT development in the NHS.
As a General Practitioner (GP), I still use a clinical computer
system that we originally purchased in the late 1980’s. It has had updates
since then, but is still able to function at a level that enables the
doctors and nurses to record clinical information and code that
information. I can extract reasonable data from it, which helps with audit
and recall systems. However, we desperately need a more user friendly
system that means you do not need to be a computer geek to interrogate it.
Like many GPs at the time, we invested in this system ourselves,
costing us many thousands of pounds at the time. I have not witnessed any
signs of IT planning from our local Care Trust, nor are there any signs of
further investment from them because of their current overspend. What I am
not prepared to do any more is pay for any further developments myself –
those days are over. So, I feel that we are currently stuck –the
technology is out there that we could use to improve patient care, but
many years of inadequate planning and under investment by the NHS means we
are a long way behind now.
I am certain that a coherent IT strategy with adequate investment
could make the lumbering monster of the NHS more efficient by reducing
wastage. Most importantly, the patient could even benefit.
Steven Quilliam
general practitioner
Castle Surgery,
Prudhoe,
Northumberland NE42 5PY
StevenQuilliam@GP-a84016.nhs.uk
1 Ten Ways to improve information technology in the NHS BMJ
2003;326:202-6
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests