By Gemma Simpson, 8 March 2007 16:30
One of the main features of the software is a banner (shown at the top of the screen) which holds basic information about the patient - such as their name and date of birth - and a photo for identification.
It also has drop-down menus holding further information such as the patient's address.
Microsoft is currently developing a medication list application - that appears on the right-hand side of the image above - with automated alerts that come up if a patient is due a repeat prescription or is at risk of taking drugs which should not be combined.
The area at the bottom of the screen is where the doctor inputs his or her notes on a patient's symptoms. This uses an app called the NHS Abbreviations Manager which automatically asks the user which condition is covered by an abbreviation.
The application also automatically asks the user for more detailed notes. If, for example, a doctor types 'sore throat' the application will ask the doctor to specify whether the symptom is severe or moderate, for example.
The software can deal with the estimated 200,000 abbreviations and codes which clinicians use and holds a further 600,000 to 800,000 medical terms.
Photo credit: Microsoft
Comments
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1. Roger Huffadine
There are already blogs that show the proposed NHS interface won't work under Vista with the existing hardware. For the system to be able to render the X ray photos in any detail - every PC in the NHS will need to be swapped out for a 100% Vista capable PC. Microsoft know this I hope that the Secretary of State for Health has been told.
2. Alastair Warren
Thanks Roger. I didn't know that.
Sounds like more £$£$ to Microsoft and still less on MRSA and C Difficile infection control, and post operative cancer follow up.
3. anonymous
you have got to be kidding, those thumbnails are tiny!
4. Dr Alison Grimston
There is no way we will be able to work with this - time is already restricted, if we have to state whether every sore throat is mild or severe (with 2-3 extra clicks) and stop every time we are prescribing potential drug drug interactions (which we have already considered and discussed with the patients) we will need 30 minutes for each appointment instead of 10 - but the time would be much better spent lstening to & explaining to the patient.