MFT
It will also benefit research initiatives,
and encourage use of other technologies.
"Capturing information digitally instead of
on paper opens up opportunities to use
things like artificial intelligence to make
predictions, on emergency department
demand for example.
"We'll also be moving much more into
technology to manage people's healthcare
at home. We already do some of that
with our cardiology team for example,
remote monitoring patients with rhythm
disturbances. But I think more and more of
that will be happening in conjunction with
our community partners" Dr Devlin adds.
The EPR will also incorporate a
patient portal, where people can book
appointments and communicate with
their clinical team. "That in itself all of a
sudden changes the relationship between
the caregiver and the patient, making
them much more of a team rather than
the patient being the recipient of care.
Patients can become much more engaged
and involved in their healthcare, which is
what they want."
Another key development will be in
medical imaging, as the Trust has recently
signed a deal with Siemens Healthineers to
upgrade their equipment. “Demand for our
imaging services is increasing by 5%-10%
every year, yet we’ve had to reduce our
throughput to deal safely with COVID-19,”
Catherine Walsh, Divisional Director
of Imaging for MFT explains.
“This new relationship gives us the
confidence that we’ll be able to continue
to invest in the latest technology with the
flexibility to adapt it to our needs, now and
into the future. All associated factors such
as maintenance and budgeting are taken
care of. Ultimately, the partnership will
enable us to focus on delivering the best“ Capturing
information
digitally instead
of on paper opens
up opportunities
to use things
like artificial
intelligence to
make predictions”DR VERONICA DEVLIN
CTO, MANCHESTER UNIVERSITY
NHS FOUNDATION TRUST198 March 2021