On 7 Oct 96 at 22:08, Jon Wilcox wrote:
> Do any UK groups have experience with Intranet applications to local
> medical areas. For example to integrate clinical information for
> OOH/After Hours services. We looked at getting some form of common
> protocol three years ago for our after hours service (100 doctors) to
> link with surgeries but it was impractical. Can anyone tell us how
> practical this option is now with Intranet software and technology?
> Such a hypothetical group service would cater for around 150,000
> potential patients and offer perhaps Problem Lists,
> Cautions/Precautions/ Medications/ Clinical Notes for cross-platform
> access (some of our users are Mac, DOS and Windows.)
The use of TCP/IP protocols and client/server applications on internal
GP networks, linked together via encryption over leased lines, public
networks, or the Internet via "tunnelling" is both viable and has been
proven to work in the commercial arena (we know of US- and UK-based
organisations who have achieved this).
The issue as always will be the security and confidentiality of the
information (perhaps Ross could comment?) - and it is this issue that
means (AFAIK) that it has not yet been implemented in the NHS. That is
not to say that such information is not transmitted between OOH co-ops
and the participating practices, but I understand that for exisitng OOH
co-ops fax, couriers and the post are used, and it might even be that
email has been applied as well (perhaps other readers can comment?)
Cheers
Henry
-----------------------------------------------------
Henry Cohen
Windeler Cohen Associates/Health Web Services Limited
Management Consultancy in IT and Telecommunications
Phone: +44 (171) 731 5354 Fax: +44 (171) 731 5764
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