The debate around Electronic Patient Record (EPR) systems in the NHS has intensified in recent months, particularly around value for money. Recent central funding has focused on driving digital maturity with little focus on outcomes. This has meant significant variation in the funding that different organisations have received with no assessment of value for money. Given the importance of clinical transformation (people, process and cultural change) to the success of EPR implementations this variation in funding has also impacted NHS Trusts ability to deliver. Consultant Paul Brown published a value for money league table on LinkedIn, which detailed the average cost per patient per year of specific solutions, which has in turn sparked further discussion. Most NHS Trusts only spend 2% of their turnover on digital with other industries that are digitising spending 10%.

The Current Challenges

Implementing an EPR system is one of the most significant transformation projects and financial investments an NHS trust can undertake. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure these investments deliver good value, especially since they involve public funds. However, the challenge lies in the lack of standardised measures for assessing value for money. Without these measures, it’s difficult to determine if the investment is yielding a good return.

To address this, trusts must develop robust frameworks for evaluating the cost-effectiveness of EPR systems. This includes setting clear objectives, monitoring performance, and comparing outcomes against benchmarks. By doing so, trusts can ensure that EPR deployments not only enhance operational efficiency and patient care but also provide a tangible return on investment, ultimately benefiting the entire healthcare system.

Desired Outcomes of EPR Deployment

We all agree digitisation can help the NHS, but there are lots of instances where implementation of EPRs has increased workload on clinicians and taken them away from the high-value work of seeing and treating patients. An EPR should be making things as frictionless as possible for clinicians.
Therefore, it is important to keep in mind when deploying an EPR, the key outcomes to aim for include safety, productivity, improved patient outcomes, and high-quality data. This data can be leveraged for valuable insights in prevention and population health.

Measuring Outcomes

Now more than ever it is crucial to ensure these investments deliver good value, but we currently lack standardised measures for assessing this. Without these measures, it is likely that tax payer’s money will be wasted. Currently, outcomes are measured using HIMSS or digital maturity assessments (DMAs), focusing on the adoption of EPR capability rather than return on investment (ROI). To address this, we must develop robust frameworks for evaluating the cost-effectiveness of EPR systems. This includes setting clear objectives, monitoring performance, and comparing outcomes against benchmarks. By doing so, trusts would be able to ensure that EPR deployments not only enhance operational efficiency and patient care but also provide a tangible return on investment, ultimately benefiting the entire healthcare system.

Achieving Value for Money

Focusing on value for money should be an ongoing process, aligning with the government’s three key shifts:

• From acute to community
• From analogue to digital
• From treatment to prevention

First and foremost, an EPR needs to be fit for purpose. These are significant investments that have to deliver. For example, there has been several reporting issues associated with the implementation of a £450 million electronic health record system recently. These issues have resulted in temporary gaps in quality assurance across the organisation, particularly in areas such as surgical site infection reporting. Also, significant delays in go-lives continue to hamper progress in some regions, again carrying significant cost burdens. An EPR needs to be fit for purpose and deployed in a timely manner to deliver value.

Additionally, there has been a recent trend of ripping and replacing existing investments. Procurement and implementation processes are time-consuming and costly and can reduce progress, therefore this decision must require strong justification.

AI can play a crucial role by saving clinicians’ time through ambient documentation and voice recognition, providing high-quality data and time savings. Using AI can deliver quick wins and transform processes whilst delivering value for money. This should now form an integral part of any Trusts digitisation strategy.
Given the significant variation in EPR project costs ranging from tens to hundreds of millions of pounds, and the grave implications of inadequate reporting, we must prioritise securing the best value for money. This is especially important when it comes to large-scale EPR projects that involve a complex interplay of technology, people and processes.

A UK-Based Solution for UK Healthcare

At System C, we understand the unique challenges and regulatory demands of U.K healthcare providers. As a U.K-based company, we ensure that our solutions align with national standards like NHS frameworks and data compliance. With a focus on interoperability, CareFlow EPR connects effortlessly with existing NHS systems, reducing the need for costly custom integrations.

CareFlow EPR is designed with efficiency, scalability, and patient outcomes at its core. Our cloud-enabled and mobile-accessible platform enables healthcare professionals to access real-time, comprehensive patient data securely and intuitively. By optimising workflows and reducing administrative burdens, CareFlow allows organisations to focus resources on delivering the best possible care.

Unlike some competitors who have yet to fully implement their Patient Administration Systems (PAS), CareFlow is a fully operational and integrated solution. This distinction means our clients benefit immediately from a seamless experience, ensuring better patient and clinical outcomes from day one.
While other U.K EPR providers are still in the process of going live with their PAS, CareFlow has already achieved the functionality and reliability healthcare organisations need today. As the market adjusts to the increasing demand for comprehensive, fully live EPR systems, price inflation is an inevitable reality. By investing in CareFlow now, healthcare providers can secure a cost-effective, future-proof solution before market forces drive prices higher.

Next Steps

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