BridgeHead Software, a prominent healthcare data management company, has been awarded a position on the new National Framework Agreement for Legacy Information Integration and Management.
The framework agreement enables NHS Trusts to acquire BridgeHead’s acclaimed HealthStore® Clinical Data Repository solution and related data services. This helps Trusts retire their outdated applications while retaining access to the valuable data within them.
The Commercial Procurement Services of The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust recognised the challenges faced by many NHS organisations when it comes to dealing with legacy applications and data. Consequently, they created this framework agreement to facilitate the purchase of solutions and services that address these issues.
Currently, NHS Trusts manage a variety of legacy applications, including outdated or unsupported systems, duplicate platforms resulting from mergers, and applications replaced by more advanced alternatives like Electronic Patient Record (EPR) solutions or Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) as part of digital transformation initiatives. Despite their outdated nature, these applications often contain crucial patient, clinical, and operational data that staff may find difficult to access when needed. Additionally, maintaining legacy systems incurs significant costs and demands substantial resources for healthcare IT teams. Furthermore, older legacy applications are more susceptible to cyberattacks, posing risks to hospital operations and services.
BridgeHead’s HealthStore® offers an innovative solution for managing legacy information. It can be deployed on-premise or in the cloud. HealthStore gathers data from diverse legacy systems, consolidating it into a central repository and registry. The data is stored efficiently and securely, safeguarded against misuse, loss, and cyberattacks. Moreover, it becomes accessible as part of a comprehensive patient record, integrating seamlessly with primary systems like EPR, ensuring easy access to patient context information.
John Colyer, Pre-Sales and Bid Manager, commented, “BridgeHead has successfully undergone a competitive and rigorous selection process to secure a position on the new framework agreement. Our HealthStore® Clinical Data Repository is ideally suited to address the mounting challenges associated with legacy systems and their valuable data. By implementing HealthStore, NHS Trusts can efficiently decommission their legacy applications, saving money, time, and resources, all while mitigating the risk of cyberattacks. Clinical teams will benefit from instant access to the information they require for consultations, diagnoses, and treatment. Being part of this framework agreement allows NHS Trusts to leverage the benefits of HealthStore for retiring legacy applications while utilising the valuable information they contain in the long run.”
Jim Beagle, President and CEO at BridgeHead Software, expressed enthusiasm, saying, “As a leading provider of data management solutions in the healthcare sector, we are delighted that this framework agreement offers NHS Trusts an accessible pathway for procurement. At a time when legacy applications are increasingly burdensome for the NHS, this agreement represents a long-awaited step forward. We are excited to drive transformation across the entire NHS by supporting more Trusts in modernising their approach to legacy data management.”
