Nationwide deployment of Clinisys WinPath concludes in Northern Ireland
Modern Pathology Services Transform Northern Ireland: Unified Laboratory System Now Live Across All Trusts
A major milestone has been reached in the transformation of pathology services across Northern Ireland, as every health and social care trust is now working from the same modern laboratory system. The Clinisys WinPath laboratory information management system (LIMS) has been implemented, replacing outdated systems and creating a truly connected service that enhances efficiency and quality of care.
The project to develop and implement the CoreLIMS system, led by the Business Services Organisation (BSO), began in October 2021. The second phase was delivered last June, with the Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service (NIBTS) and cellular pathology services going live. The Western and Southern trusts, who were previously relying on a 30-year-old system developed by the BSO, were among the early adopters. The third phase followed in late October, with a go-live at Northern Health and Social Care Trust.
The first phase of the project was completed in November 2023, with Belfast and South Eastern health and social care trusts going live. The implementation of the Clinisys WinPath system in cellular pathology services was done at an earlier stage of the CoreLIMS programme.
Robin Bell, senior project manager at Clinisys, claims that the final go-lives of the project went smoothly, attributing this success to the early standardization of tests and harmonization of workflows. Bell also paid tribute to BSO and laboratory staff across Northern Ireland for their work in testing the new system and providing the necessary assurance for successive go-lives.
Karen Bailey, Chief Executive of the BSO, is proud to mark the completion of the CoreLIMS roll-out, stating that all health and social care trusts in Northern Ireland are now working from the same modern laboratory system. Bell described the implementation of the Clinisys WinPath system as a "true pathology network," where decisions are made regionally and the same system is used consistently across all trusts.
The Clinisys WinPath system has been integrated with the encompass system, creating a single, digital health record for every citizen in Northern Ireland. This integration ensures that patient data is consistent and easily accessible, improving patient service and coordination of care. Although not directly mentioned as part of the current WinPath implementation, Northern Ireland has ambitions for comprehensive vein-to-vein blood tracking, which could be supported by integrated systems like WinPath in the future.
The success of the Clinisys WinPath system implementation is due to early standardization, harmonization, collaboration, and regional decision-making. Staff from already live labs have been on hand to advise and support their colleagues during the roll-out, making it a collaborative effort by everyone involved.
With the implementation of the Clinisys WinPath system, pathology services in Northern Ireland are now more efficient, integrated, and patient-centric. This modernization marks a significant step forward in delivering high-quality care to citizens across the region.
- The Clinisys WinPath system, integrated with the encompass system, has created a single, digital health record for every citizen in Northern Ireland, bridging the gap between digital health and health-and-wellness.
- The success of this transformation in pathology services has also encompassed modern medical plastics, as technological advancements have been integral to the development and implementation of laboratory information management systems like Clinisys WinPath.
