Healthcare IT industry news in brief

In this week’s round-up of industry news we look at a big pathology contract in London, some good financial results for a major primary care supplier and a few new appointments to bring a patient sensor software product to market.

Sunquest chosen for North West London pathology
US-based Sunquest Information Systems has signed a £14.4 million contract to provide laboratory information systems for pathology across North West London. The system will be deployed across one central laboratory hub for non-urgent and specialist work and six ‘spoke’ laboratories providing 24/7 cover for the area.

The North West London Pathology Consortium is a shared service formed by Hillingdon Hospitals and Chelsea and Westminster NHS foundation trusts, and the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. The Sunquest system will be integrated with other clinical systems and include statistics, reporting, and customer relationship management packages.

EMIS reports profit
EMIS Group has reported an adjusted profit of £17.7m for the six months ending 30 June, 2016, up 5% from the same period the previous year. The unaudited results show revenue was up slightly, by 1%, and the results overall were in line with expectations.

EMIS is best known as the dominant provider of primary care systems, specifically its Emis Web product, in the NHS. However, it also has a range of other health and non-health IT system products. The company reported solid results in primary and community care but a more mixed result for the secondary and specialist markets.

CSC partners with PKB
Patients Know Best has entered into a global partnership agreement with US-based CSC Healthcare. The agreement will mean PKB’s patient portal product will be available to CSC customers and provide “tight integration with the CSC medical records systems”.

PKB provides a patient portal that is designed to give patient more control of their health data and who sees it. CSC is one of the biggest suppliers of software to NHS, providing a range of clinical systems.

Intelesant makes new appointments
Intelesant has brought on board two additional senior appointees to help develop its Howz product. Entrepreneur Simon Devonshire has been appointed a non-executive director while Mark Duman, who has worked within the NHS and for the King’s Fund, has been appointed market development director.

The Manchester-based software company is developing a multi-sensor software platform aimed at monitoring older or frail patients in their home through heat, light and movement, and alert carers about signs of ill health. The company is hoping to bring Howz to market this year.

Orion Health wins European award
Orion Health’s population health management solution had been recognised in the European Frost & Sullivan Award for Product Leadership. The award specifically noted products including the company’s integration engine, Rhapsody, and patient engagement solution Engage.

Orion is New Zealand based global technology company with a significant presence in the NHS, particularly in the system integration area.

Mobile medical device maker appoints new CEO
Inotec AMD has appointed a new chief executive to help promote it oxygen based wound treatment product. Chad Bateman has been appointed to the role, coming from a senior executive position at wound care and regenerative medicine company Acelity.

The Cambridge-based company primary product is Natrox, a mobile medical device that uses oxygen to treat wounds and other health conditions. The company received venture capital funding in April and had since been building its sales and business team.