Electronic Patient Record - FOI Response Register

1. Do you monitor and log potential patient harms as a result of problems with your Electronic Patient Record (EPR) system?

Yes, NHS Shetland uses Datix to record all incidents, including those related to Information Systems

2. Overall, how many letters to GPs, or documents, have not been sent out as a result of EPR problems?

717

3. Please give the date/s when you discovered these letters were not sent?

4. Overall, how many incidents of potential patient harm have been connected to your EPR system?

5

5. Overall, how many incidents involving EPR at your trust have been declared as “serious harm” or a “serious incident”?

None

6. Overall, how many patient deaths have been connected to EPR? 

None

7. How much have you spent on your EPR system overall?

EPR is not a single system, but a holistic digital record made up of a number of systems. In the context of the questions asked here, the relevant part of EHR is the ‘Electronic Document Transfer’ (EDT) system that routes letters from Acute (secondary care) to GP’s (primary care).

NHS Shetland has used EDT for approximately 8 years at a cost £12,000 per year.

8. How much do you anticipate spending on EPR in the next five years?

The overall expansion of our EPR across multiple systems will utilise investment of approximately £80,000 per year in implementation costs.

9. What is the anticipated cost of running the EPR system at your trust annually?

NHS Shetland EDT costs £12,000 per year.

However overall spend on EPR-related systems is approx. £200,000 per year