New pathology tech in hospital a great success

TALLAGHT University Hospital have upgraded their pathology systems with the CliniSys Integrated Clinical Environment (ICE) as part of a digital transformation project.

Tallaght University Hospital (TUH) went live with the Integrated Clinical Environment at the end of a project that forms part of a wider strategy to put modern, digital technology into the hands of clinicians. The new development will enable phlebotomists to collect blood and order tests at the patients’ bedside, improving efficiency and safety.

Speaking about the new project, Chief Information Officer David Wall said: “This has been a massive project to deliver and it’s a tribute to everybody involved that it has been delivered against the backdrop of the pandemic and the challenges of a cyber-attack on our health system this year.

“Everybody working at our hospital over the past 18 months has been incredibly busy, but with strong support from MSC and CliniSys, we have managed a seamless go-live with a system that will support positive and significant change.”

The deployment of ICE will enable clinicians to order vital tests from its laboratory and non-laboratory areas electronically, and to receive the results alongside other patient information, to support diagnosis and treatment. Its successful introduction after its first week saw clinicians’ use of ICE rocket fourfold to more than 3,700 daily requests.

ICE will also support mobile phlebotomy and blood-taking experts will be able to visit patients on the wards, collect samples, and book tests using computers on mobile carts at the bedside. They will even be able to link samples to patient wristbands using scanners, improving efficiency and safety.

Lucy Nugent, chief executive at Tallaght University Hospital, said: “We have an ambitious long-term plan to enhance the care services our hospital delivers both on-site and within the community. The highly successful implementation of the ICE project is a clear demonstration of what can be achieved for the future, drawing on innovative digital technology to drive integrated care and that supports clinicians more efficiently to care for their patients.”

TUH is the first hospital in Ireland to have ICE, which is supported by Medical Supply Company (MSC), the CliniSys partner in Ireland, in conjunction with hospital ICT experts and clinical teams in TUH.

Chief Clinical Information Officer Dr Jason Carty added: “Our staff are loving using ICE and the success of the project is testament to all the preparations, training and its intuitive nature. It is saving time, reducing duplication and improving outcomes.

“We are all excited to see ICE live, working, and delivering success. In the first week of going live with ICE we’ve gone from approximately 50 per cent electronic orders to 90 per cent, and we’re aiming for 100 per cent in the very near future.”