Medivate is a new Health Information Technology company which offers a range of products for the acute health services environment, in particular pre-hospital EMS, in-hospital Emergency Centres, and Remote Clinics or Primary Health Clinics.

Medivate is specialising in creating cost effective, simple to use solutions for the rapidly developing Health IT Sector in Africa and other developing countries. Medivate is based in South Africa, and has specialist knowledge of the information technology requirements in the acute health services environment.

The choice to use Medivate solutions will assist organisations with the essential task of managing customer, organisational, financial and resource based information. This will result in increased organisational effectiveness and increased financial management.

This week 1.5 million Londoners will receive letters about a new electronic patient record and how it will help deliver faster, safer care.

By March 2011, records will be created for all Londoners who wish to have one. The summary care record is a secure electronic record of patients’ vital health information that can be shared between healthcare staff involved in that patient’s care, ensuring vital information is at hand during treatment. The scheme will give doctors and nurses access to information about patients’ allergies, medication and any bad reactions patients may have had to medication in the past. Summary care records greatly increase effective access to patient information and ensure that medical professionals have details of a patients’ essential medical history in the event of an emergency. Dr Phil Koczan, GP, said: “In my experience, unconnected healthcare causes untold and unnecessary angst at often very difficult times for my patients. “The summary care record provides easy access to patient information. It improves patient safety, avoids duplication of tests and improves access to essential patient data during episodes of urgent or unscheduled care. For many patients, making this information available is common sense and they are surprised it doesn’t happen already.” Between now and April, Londoners registered with GP practices aged 16 and over will receive information about how summary care records work. They will also be offered a choice not to have one. A summary care record is only accessible by staff directly involved in a patient’s treatment. Patients have the option not to be part of the scheme, in which case health-care staff will continue to record details as before. This is part of a drive to introduce electronic patient records in the capital. To date, 29 of our 31 primary care trusts and seven out of 10 mental health trusts, and seven acute trusts are using the programme’s electronic patient record systems to provide better, safer patient care. Introducing the summary care record will extend the benefits of faster, more informed treatment to patients using A&E and out of hours services as well.

To find out more information about the summary care record, patients should contact the dedicated NHS Care Records Service information line on 0845 603 8510 0845 603 8510 or visit the website at http://www.nhscarerrecords.nhs.uk/summary

Subsequent to the ‘unveiling’ of Medivate’s new Medic Patient Information Management System at EMSSA, requests for information have been received not only from South Africa, but also from Kenya, Tanzania and Angola.

Medivate is excited to be able to begin examining the opportunities of providing services to other developing countries in Africa.

Developed by Emergency Medical Practitioners in Africa – Medic is cost effective, relevant and user friendly.

The Medic Patient Management System was on display at the 2009 EMMSA (Emergency Medicine in the Developing World) conference from 24 – 26 November.  We were initially a little sceptical about showing a product that is still in the final phases of testing, but we were pleasantly surprised by the interest shown towards the product both by local and international decision makers.

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