London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust celebrates 170,000+ digitsed records

The challenge

The project to digitise medical records at LNWH was driven by three key factors. Initially, the urgent need for electronic medical records during the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the necessity for a modern and efficient electronic document management system (EDMS). Digitising paper records would free up significant space and ensure essential information was available at the point of care, which was critical during the pandemic. Without an EDMS, the Trust faced challenges such as cancelled appointments and high costs associated with operating a multi-location records service.

The solution

The Trust collaborated with Restore Digital and Apira to meet tight deadlines, integrating MediViewer to scan, index, and archive records, thus providing rapid access to patient data. Leveraging our extensive experience, we demonstrated how our EDMS would enhance operational efficiency and improve clinician-patient relationships.

The project, initiated during the height of the pandemic, saw the MediViewer application set up in just 11 hours, resulting in the scanning and digitisation of more than 200,000 paper records. By Autumn 2023, MediViewer was accessible across three acute Trusts in the North West London ICS, seamlessly integrated with the Cerner electronic patient record (EPR) system via MPage. This created the UK's largest integrated EDMS and EPR project, providing access to two million patient records across the region. MediViewer has been integral to the Trust’s digital transformation, enabling staff to be trained and redeployed to higher-paid roles, and facilitating the closure of medical records libraries, which have been repurposed into aseptic clinical areas.

Trust benefits

●       Reduced health records staff from 114 WTEs to 62 WTEs under a new structure, with an anticipated redeployment of 80 WTEs by summer 2024.

●       Implemented an in-house day forward scanning bureau, contributing to projected annual savings of £1.7 million by summer 2024.

●       Embarked on a self-service accreditation process for BS 10008 compliance, enhancing the Trust's document management standards.

 “There is so much talk about the digitisation of the NHS, which almost suggests that a project such as this is all about technology. However, people have paid a critical part in the successful delivery of this EDMS implementation, and the Mizaic team has been superb throughout.”

- Robbie Cline, chief information officer, London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust