Varian enables clinical data reporting to support
NHS goals for UK cancer care
8 March 2011
Varian Medical Systems has completed two data compatibility
initiatives aimed at reducing data input for users of its cancer therapy
systems in the UK National Health Service.
The company’s ARIA for MedOncology information system is now
compatible with the National Cancer Intelligences Network
(NCIN)/National Chemotherapy Advisory Group (NCAG) draft dataset and
the Chemotherapy Planning Online Resource Tool (C-PORT).
“Far too much staff time in UK hospitals has been taken up
inputting clinical data into different systems and there has been
much duplication of effort, as they often need to manually input the
same data two or three times,” says Bev McParland, area software
sales manager for Varian Medical Systems.” The National Health
Service is attempting to address this by introducing streamlined
systems and Varian has worked hard to ensure our oncology
information system is compatible with these.”
“ARIA Medical Oncology customers will receive these reports as
part of their standard upgrade programme. The upshot should be that
clinical staff can spend less time inputting data and more time
caring for patients.”
NCIN draft dataset
The new draft NCIN dataset along with the existing reporting
tools for radiotherapy will provide all stakeholders with the
information to measure patient outcomes in real time, plan for
future facilities and adjust funding based on accurate and timely
data.
To ensure compatibility with this draft dataset, Varian received
support from two key customer facilities that acted as pilot sites
(Thames Valley and Lancashire Cancer Network), along with advice and
support from the National Cancer Action Team (NCAT) and National
Cancer Intelligence Network.
C-PORT
Developed for the NHS by Concentra, the C-PORT system is an
on-line tool which applies advanced modelling techniques to tackle
the problem of chemotherapy capacity planning. Available to all NHS
hospitals, it enables them to produce a ‘model’ of an entire cancer
centre, including staff, equipment and overheads. By inputting all
these resources, administrators can calculate the financial and
efficiency implications of changes in staffing or equipment.
“Manually inputting data from your oncology information system
into C-PORT is very time-consuming, which is why Varian has created
an interface between our ARIA system and C-PORT,” said Steve Laws,
Varian’s head of European software sales.
“The NHS understands that by properly modelling resources they
can spend money in the right way and achieve cost-efficiencies and
we are working hard to ensure our systems interface effectively with
these tools.”
Jane Whittome, associate director of NCAT, said, “We are really
pleased to have worked with Varian as they have supported clinical
teams in the NHS by ensuring that their products are able to
interface with CPORT making data entry easier and quicker and also
ensuring that their e-prescribing system is compatible with the
draft dataset, so that once collection of the datasets is mandatory,
NHS Trusts who use their system will more easily be able to submit
data.”