Nationwide deployment of Clinisys WinPath concludes in Northern Ireland
In a significant stride towards modernising Northern Ireland's health sector, the CoreLIMS project, a pathology network-designed Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS), has been successfully rolled out across all health and social care trusts in the region.
The project, developed by the Business Services Organisation (BSO), was designed to replace a mix of in-house and legacy systems with a modern LIMS, and its implementation marks a significant step in aligning the region's pathology services with contemporary standards and technology.
The first phase of the CoreLIMS project was completed in November 2023, with Belfast and South Eastern health and social care trusts going live with the system. The second phase was completed last June, with the Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service and cellular pathology services joining the network. The third phase was completed in late October, with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust coming on board.
Karin Jackson, SRO of CoreLIMS and Chief Executive of NIBTS, expressed her gratitude for the professionalism, commitment, and resilience shown by everyone involved in the implementation of CoreLIMS across Northern Ireland. She also praised the hard work done by BSO and laboratory staff for the successful implementation.
The Clinisys WinPath laboratory information management system, an earlier stage of the CoreLIMS programme, has been implemented in the cellular pathology services of the Northern Ireland trusts. This system has brought about several significant benefits and milestones.
One of the key benefits is standardization and efficiency. The WinPath system has standardized pathology services across all health and social care trusts, enhancing efficiency and quality by implementing a consistent platform for data management and coordination.
Another benefit is the upgrade from outdated systems. The system replaced outdated systems, such as the 30-year-old system developed by the BSO, which were no longer viable. This upgrade has brought modern, robust technology to the pathology services.
The unified system also supports better patient care by ensuring that all trusts are working together seamlessly, using the same modern laboratory information management system.
The completion of the CoreLIMS roll-out is a significant milestone in the transformation of pathology services in Northern Ireland, according to Jennifer Welsh, SRO of the Northern Ireland Pathology Information Management System (NIPIMS). It represents a significant step in modernizing Northern Ireland's pathology services, aligning them with contemporary standards and technology.
The implementation of CoreLIMS has fostered a truly connected service across different trusts, facilitating better collaboration and data sharing among healthcare professionals. It has also opened the door for future enhancements in managing and delivering vital blood components across Northern Ireland, as stated by Karin Jackson.
Robin Bell, senior project manager at Clinisys, highlighted that CoreLIMS has been rolled out as a single system that everybody uses in the same way, instead of five different solutions for each health and social care trust. He also noted that the smooth and successful implementation was due to the standardization of tests and harmonization of workflows early in the CoreLIMS programme.
Staff from labs that have gone live have been on hand to advise and support their colleagues, making it a collaborative effort by everyone involved. The implementation of CoreLIMS has been integrated with the encompass system, creating a single, digital health record for every citizen in Northern Ireland.
Karen Bailey, Chief Executive of the Business Services Organisation (BSO), is proud to mark the completion of CoreLIMS roll-out as a major accomplishment in laboratory digital transformation. The project was awarded to Clinisys in October 2021, and its successful implementation has resulted in real benefits for the region's pathology services.
- The successful roll-out of CoreLIMS has significantly aligned Northern Ireland's pathology services with contemporary digital health standards and technology, marking a milestone in the health-and-wellness sector.
- The implementation of CoreLIMS has not only replaced outdated medical plastics in the region's pathology services but has also brought about modern, robust technology, enhancing the science of medical-conditions management.
- The integration of CoreLIMS with the encompass system has created a unified, digital health record for every citizen in Northern Ireland, fostering better collaboration and data sharing among healthcare professionals, thus promoting technology-driven health and wellness.
