Paperless processing has many advantages in the workplace, from cleaning up clutter to reducing operational expenses. However, one of the lingering issues inhibiting a stronger embrace of digitization has been the fear that security risks may multiply as a result. The U.K.'s National Health Service is doing its share to put these concerns to bed in recent weeks, as hospitals in several major cities move forward with the technology.
Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust unveiled the results of its latest digitization projects earlier this month with the debut of new patient data portals that facilitate easier access for clinicians. Doctors can now call up test results, X-rays and medical histories on-demand from just about anywhere in the workplace.
"A key lesson that we have learned is that giving clinicians a say in the portal design has played a great part in gaining their commitment to change," digitization coordinator Alison Clare wrote in a recent guest column for PublicService.co.uk. "There was little evidence of resistance and as a result of their input they are finding the portal simple to use."
With end users onboard with the idea and knowledgeable in its design, hospital administrators can now focus on reaching their end goal from the start of the project: faster, more effective patient care.
