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Making Critical Care Info Digital

Plans are underway to replace paper with a digital system at Wales’ critical care units.

The NHS Wales informatics Service is running a procurement for a Critical Care Information System (CCIS) that will pull data automatically from the many bedside devices used to support the patient.  These include bedside monitors, ventilators and infusion pumps.

Typically, a critically ill patient may undergo frequent or continuous monitoring of dozens of physical and biological parameters, generating an enormous amount of data recorded on paper-based notes and charts. Introducing a digital system will streamline this process, reducing harm and variation.

Wales currently uses a digital system at two critical care units. The procurement will secure a single system for use across Wales.  The initial scope is for Wales’ 200 critical care beds, with the option to increase this over the seven-year contract period.

The new digital system will need to integrate with the NHS Wales’ architecture and link with national services, including Welsh Clinical Portal and the Welsh Patient Administration System.

The procurement will be overseen by a procurement board with representatives across the all-Wales Critical Care Network and includes health professionals and technical experts.

It is anticipated that the procurement will be complete by the end of 2019, followed by a phased roll out beginning with the new Specialist Critical Care Centre (The Grange University Hospital) being built to serve the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board.

More information about the procurement is available on the Sell2Wales website https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/search/show/Search_View.aspx?ID=MAY296095