Trust’s performance earns it six of the best!

World famous Cambridge University Hospitals is continuing on its winning streak.

The Trust, which runs Addenbrooke’s and The Rosie hospitals, has just been short-listed for no less than six national awards, all of which recognise its IT excellence in healthcare.

The 11th edition of the prestigious ehi Awards in Birmingham on October 31 celebrate contributions from individuals and organisations across the healthcare IT industry.

CUH, known for its pioneering eHospital digital programme, has been shortlisted for ‘Trust/Board of the Year’ (for the second year running) and ‘Best Global Digital Exemplar’. In addition, Dr Afzal Chaudhry has been nominated for ‘Chief Clinical Information Officer of the Year’.

Head of Information Management Systems and Analytics, Nickie Harding, Head of Clinical Information Systems, Sue Greenhill, and former joint Head of Clinical Information Systems, Hannah Armand, are also finalists in Computing’s ‘Women in IT Excellence Awards’ in London next month, for their fundamental leadership contributions to the Trust’s eHospital digital transformation.

CUH was the first NHS trust to implement the Epic electronic patient record system across both its hospitals in October 2014, and the first to launch a patient portal (MyChart) that integrates directly with an EPR system, giving patients access to their medical information. Earlier this year NHS England selected CUH as one of 16 Global Digital Exemplar (GDE) trusts – those who are leading the way in digital healthcare and supporting other trusts to develop digitally.

The Trust’s digital transformation to date has brought many benefits, including, halving the time it takes to prepare discharge medications, freeing up much needed beds earlier; saving 4,500 appointments a year in orthopaedics with clinicians now able view notes and x-rays digitally – only patients that need to come to hospital for treatment are sent an appointment; at least 850 significant adverse medication reactions prevented with allergy-related electronic prescribing alerts in the system (saving £1 million a year);  and patients receiving treatment for sepsis within 90 minutes of arriving at ED increasing by 80%.

This summer CUH became the first non-American Trust to rank in the USA’s prestigious ‘Most Wired’ survey, was awarded ‘best place to work in digital – large organisations’ at the Digital Technology Leaders’ Awards, and was highly commended for ‘best use of IT to improve patient safety’ at the national Patient Safety Awards. It has also just been shortlisted for two Health Service Journal Awards, for best use of technology in enhancing patient care and business efficiency, with the winner due to be announced on 22 November.

CUH Medical Director and executive lead for eHospital, Dr Jag Ahluwalia, said: “These awards and accolades demonstrate how far our digital development has come over the years and the improvements it is making to patient care and safety.

“Without the help of all those nominated we wouldn’t be where we are today, so it is fantastic to see the eHospital team and the Trust’s adoption of advanced digital technology being recognised at both national and international level. We are paving the way with the Government’s ambition of a digital NHS.”

ehi Live Award winners will be announced on 31 October and winners of the Women in IT Excellence Awards will be announced on 1 November.