A Brighton-based web design company is helping a Cambridge hospital make the most of increased Government information technology spending by putting clinical information online.
Dataline Software has signed a contract with Addenbrooke's Hospital to develop a web-based clinical information system for use by trusts on the NHSnet extranet.
The system will enable clinical and administrative staff to use a web browser to input and view patient information, including Xray images, doctors' letters and care plans.
The database will also help facilitate applied research, which could improve outcomes for cancer patients in the future.
Dataline's managing director Adrian Bleach said: "We invited a number of people and organisations to seminars about demistifying technology and this is how we met staff at Addenbrooke's."
Although Dataline was not specifically targeting public sector organisations, it realised it was an important market.
He said: "It has became clearer the Government is pushing information technology in the public sector but a lot of people asked to implement it don't understand what questions to ask, never mind the answers they're looking for."
The Joint Clinical Information System project is being run by three partners Addenbrooke's NHS Trust, Cambridge University and the West Anglia Cancer Network.
It is planned the system will be extended for use by other services in the trust and across the network.
In the pilot phase of the project the system will be used in the Cambridge Breast Unit and gynaecological oncology at Addenbrooke's, Hinchingbrooke and Peterborough hospitals.
It is due to be available by next April.
Charles Wilson, clinical director of oncology at Addenbrooke's, said:
"This is an important opportunity for the cancer network in West Anglia to demonstrate how clinical information technology can greatly improve the delivery of care."
Dataline, which has 15 staff and was founded almost 20 years ago, does web development work for the BBC and Pfizer and a number of Sussex companies.
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