Monday, 18 July 2011

Real-time monitoring of children missing their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jabs has helped healthcare staff in Tower Hamlets to increase immunisation rates from 80 per cent to almost 95 per cent in less than a year.

Using the EMIS Web clinical information system, they can identify – at the touch of a button – all children who are missing vaccinations and ensure they are invited for an appointment.

Before introducing EMIS Web, information had to be manually collated from each of the 35 participating GP practices in the Tower Hamlets area. Not only was this time-consuming, but it also meant that information was out-of-date and could not support prompt monitoring and action.

With the prior permission of all the GP practices, real-time MMR information can now be collated in a single, centralised search through EMIS Web.

The information is used to deliver a call and recall system to capture children who are missing one of their two immunisations. The process – combined with other local initiatives around immunisation – has enabled Tower Hamlets to reach an MMR uptake rate of just short of 95 per cent, making it the highest performing borough in London.

Luise Dawson, Public Health Nurse for Tower Hamlets said: “We have been working on improvements to the delivery of childhood immunisations for some time, and EMIS Web is the icing on the cake in providing us with good quality data much faster than before.

“Being able to extract data automatically without any delays means we can quickly see who is being missed and make sure they are being invited for vaccination. Since introducing the search in EMIS Web, we saw an improvement in uptake rates within the year.

Sean Riddell, Chief Executive of EMIS Group plc, said: “This is a powerful example of how better information can enable the delivery of better healthcare.

“It also demonstrates the value of EMIS Web as a system that can help clinicians to improve healthcare across a whole community – not just a single GP practice – through the sophisticated yet easy-to-use reporting it provides.

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