Electronic patient records for London trust

University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) has switched on its new electronic patient record system, meaning that clinical information about a patient’s care will be held in a single electronic record.

Replacing paper records and information held on other systems around UCLH, the new system, called Epic, is used at leading hospitals worldwide and in the UK. Hosspital teams have been working closely with developers to ensure that the system meets the needs of the patients at UCLH and the staff looking after them.

Data will be safe - staff need a secure login or a smartcard to access the system and can only see the parts of the records they need in order to do their jobs. It is hoped that implementing a single electronic record for each patient will enable the trust to make the care provided at UCLH even better and even safer. 

Dr Gill Gaskin, medical director, specialist hospitals, and executive lead for implementing the new system, said: “We have updated hundreds of computers and software, trained thousands of staff and transferred millions of records from over 100 systems to the new one. Our staff have risen to the challenge and have shown such incredible commitment to ensure we are ready.

“All members of a team looking after a patient will have all the most up-to-date information about a patient’s care at the tap of a screen. This will ensure that there is a complete picture of how the patient is doing for whoever is caring for them at that time. Imagine a doctor prescribing medication – they can check quickly and easily for any allergies and make an informed, instant decision, as opposed to looking through notes or on local systems to check.”

Marcel Levi, UCLH chief executive, added: “This is one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken by UCLH but the outcome will be worth it – improved safety, more efficient processes and more time to focus on what we do best – looking after patients in our care. We have worked hard to prepare for Epic, including upgrading computers and training thousands of staff. Patients may experience some delays in the initial implementation period as our staff get used to the new ways of working. Please be assured that your safety and care are always our top priority. We are working hard to keep any possible disruption to a minimum.”