Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport, Shona Robison MSP - who has recently promised a new health strategy for Scotland to deliver the person-centred care ambitions of the 2020 Health Vision - has opened the office on Pacific Quay on 25th February.

In opening its new Scottish base, Orion Health is looking to build on its work with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHS GGC), where it is helping the health board deliver efficiency and safety improvements through its multiple award-winning health technology. The firm is also working with the West of Scotland boards including NHS Lanarkshire, NHS Ayrshire & Arran, Golden Jubilee National Hospital, and two other Scottish health boards.

Cabinet Secretary for Health, Shona Robison said: "Orion Health provides important technological solutions to NHS Scotland. Our clinicians use them to access the information they need when and where they need it. This leads to more effective and safer decision making, reduces unnecessary tests and saves time.

"I welcome Scottish Development International's support in helping to establish this company in Scotland and I'm pleased to be able to open their new offices in Glasgow.

"This Government has consistently demonstrated our commitment to exploring how technology can better support the delivery of healthcare services in our NHS. Technology has the potential to transform the way we deliver services, providing more patient-centred care and making more effective use of precious staff time. Exploring this potential is vital if our NHS is to meet the challenges of today and of the future."

"Scotland has put a high value on using technology to meet its health and care ambitions, and has considerable expertise to help realise this vision," said Colin Henderson, managing director, UK & Ireland, Orion Health. "Many health economies across the globe are interested in the progressive eHealth activity taking place in the country. Scotland has led the way for other health organisations, many of whom have now adopted a similar approach. A Scottish base will help us deliver solutions that closely meet the needs of its pioneering health boards, as well as recruit from the country’s considerable body of expertise."

The firm, which has doubled its service staff in the UK in the last year with no sign of slowing, is keen to work with the highly talented healthcare technology professionals and advocates in Scotland. Orion Health has found that the country is a strong recruitment base for the skills it needs, which tend to be IT specialists with a healthcare passion.

"We see this new office as one more step in allowing us to contribute to the vision of efficient, person-centred care across the country, as well as help improve the health of the entire population. Further, the experience we have in Scotland can solve healthcare issues that are challenges across the globe. These services can be applied to problems not just in Scotland, but further afield, and internationally," said Henderson.

Orion Health's work in Scotland began with NHS GGC, who have led the way in Scotland with a clinical portal project, referred to in the board as the "EPR", or electronic patient record. The solution gives doctors and nurses easy access to vital information for a patient's care and treatment from a range of existing systems that were previously unconnected. The principle of the technology is that information should be available wherever an episode of care occurs - information should follow the individual who is receiving care, reducing the need to repeat information.

The portal is helping to reduce the need for duplicate tests, helps avoid repeat appointments, supports more informed decision making during an episode of care and can help avoid unnecessary admissions to hospital. The system is also supporting safe, integrated care, as information is available across care settings, but only to those who have the appropriate level of access.

Orion Health will look to spread use of the portal across Scotland, as well as explore the use of further innovations such as its care record that patients can access, and population health management solutions that can help identify individuals who are higher risk, and can provide supporting tools to help manage and co-ordinate care for those with chronic disease.

The new office in Glasgow is part of a commitment to Scotland that has been recognised by Scottish Enterprise, which is supporting Orion Health through the recruitment process, as well as enabling links to academia and other relevant networks and interest groups.

Anne MacColl, chief executive, Scottish Development International, said: "Orion Health's decision to invest in Scotland is further evidence of our growing reputation as the ideal partner of choice in the digital health and care industry.

"We have worked closely with the company to support this move by facilitating key introductions and we look forward to continuing to assist Orion Health in driving forward its ambitious growth plans."

Related news articles:

• Orion Health's Profile

About Orion Health Ltd
Orion Health is a leading population health management company and is one of the world’s leading providers of electronic health records (EHRs) and healthcare integration solutions to healthcare organisations. Worldwide, Orion Health solutions are used in 30 countries by more than 300,000 clinicians and used by organisations throughout the National Health Service in England and Health and Social Care Northern Ireland, as well as Scotland’s NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.