World-class information systems are essential to CCO, which is an internationally-renowned centre for oncology with 7,500 new patients a year. The hospital offers a wide range of complex and sophisticated care, and it also provides visiting medical and nursing teams to deliver further cancer services at general hospitals across Merseyside, Cheshire and the Isle of Man. As such the Foundation Trust needs patient record systems which are secure, flexible, robust and tailored precisely to its needs.
The options appraisal took place seven years into an existing 10-year contract with IMS MAXIMS. The three-year extension means the partnership will continue to 2015. It will bring an immediate upgrade of all IMS MAXIMS applications currently deployed at CCO, allowing staff and patients to benefit from the latest web based applications. The agreement will also allow the trust to make rapid progress with other projects.
Tom Poulter, CCO's Head of Information Management and Technology, said: "IMS MAXIMS was helpful and constructive throughout the appraisal, which was designed to determine our precise needs and direction of travel in the years ahead. They were keen to meet our specific requirements and we are now on a very solid footing for delivering a whole range of benefits."
IMS MAXIMS, an approved ASCC supplier, has a proven track record of delivering on time and meeting the objectives of the National Programme for IT (NPfIT) and the Clinical 5. The new agreement will see the improvements in place and running by the end of the 2010/11 financial year. Among the changes will be an upgrade of the existing patient administration system (PAS) with the introduction of WebPAS, which offers improved usability, an updated look and feel, and which also, integrates with MAXIMS clinical modules.
A second aspect of the deal involves a MAXIMS web upgrade which will see a move from a thick client to an entirely web-based system. Poulter said: "This means we won't have to install additional client software every time we upgrade. As there are 600 computers, that makes a big difference to our system administration and technical overheads - saving time and money because it frees IT staff to do other things. It will also bring greater flexibility, allowing healthcare professionals to access MAXIMS wherever they are, using a secure web portal."
The IMS MAXIMS agreement will help cut waiting times by improving radiotherapy workflow. This is thanks to the introduction of an electronic action sheet for consultant oncologists. "The paper forms used at present can take 1.8 days to go through the system. If a consultant running a clinic at the Royal Liverpool Hospital fills in a treatment form on a Friday it can be Monday before it is dealt with at our main hospital. The new system will be instantaneous, having a direct impact on patient waiting times," said Poulter.
The trust has ambitious plans, aiming to go beyond the Clinical 5 to achieve what it calls the Clinical 5+. This will eliminate the need to have paper-based records moving through the system. All records, in all formats, will be available to those who need them, wherever they are. IMS is playing a key role in making this vision a reality, by helping with the electronic document and records management system (EDRMS) integration.
"An early decision to extend the contract with IMS has enabled us to benefit from a range of system enhancements on a cost-neutral basis and we look forward to working closely with IMS to implement the Clinical 5+," added Poulter.
IMS MAXIMS is a highly customer-focused company which is proud of the close and creative partnerships it develops with clients such as CCO, and the role it plays helping the NHS improve patient care.
Shane Tickell, IMS MAXIMS CEO, said: "We have a long and very strong relationship with CCO and have proven our ability to provide tailor-made solutions for its unique needs. The Trust's confidence in the IMS MAXIMS solutions has been demonstrated by the fact that it has made such an early decision to extend our contract. It shows great faith in our ability to stay ahead of the competition and to deliver the world-class clinical and administrative systems needed by a leading oncology centre."
About IMS MAXIMS
The IMS MAXIMS products currently deployed at CCO include Oncology, PAS, Nursing, Therapies, Radiotherapy Scheduling, ADT, Order Communications and Patient Journey Management.
IMS MAXIMS specialise in developing clinical and administrative software solutions and currently supports more than 100 organisations and 10,000 users of IMS MAXIMS products.
Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology, Wirral Health Informatics Service and IMS MAXIMS, won the 2004 prize for best use of IT in the health service at the Health IT Effectiveness Awards at Healthcare Computing for their therapeutic radiography scheduling project.
Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology NHS Foundation Trust delivers treatment for patients through radiotherapy and chemotherapy services. To find out more visit the website at www.ccotrust.nhs.uk.
To find out more about IMS MAXIMS and its products visit the website at www.imsmaxims.com.