TrakCare Lab's functionality enables the programme to implement a regional deployment model that supports the alignment of the 18 independent laboratories with the seven regional Health Boards. This will facilitate the standardisation of practice, improved clinical governance and increase the capacity and flexibility to meet future demand and new developments. The main objectives for this programme are:

• To have a fully supported networked LIMS available for implementation from January 2011
• To improve clinical data and management information flows to meet the needs of NHS Wales
• To improve the functionality and flexibility of the pathology IT system to meet current and future service needs

Bob Hudson Chief Executive of Public Health Wales said, "Pathology services are essential to the provision of high quality patient care and are fundamental to the delivery of better health services in Wales. The provision of information and advice is essential to support patient care with around 80% of diagnoses supported by pathology test results in both hospitals and General Practice."

Compared with the existing laboratory systems, the centrally managed solution will reduce costs for support and maintenance. These projected savings include a 50% reduction in data maintenance and extraction costs, and 30% reduction in analyser interface costs. New capabilities include distribution of workload across sites, real-time infection surveillance and management, and the improvement of equality and continuity of patient care. The laboratory data will be stored in the InterSystems Caché® high performance object database to provide users with a complete view of a patient's diagnostic record, and contribute to an Individual Care Record for patients in the NHS in Wales.

TrakCare Lab meets all the operational needs of modern pathology services, and is designed to streamline the diverse activities across all disciplines for the smallest to largest laboratories. This versatility was proven in the rigorous user evaluation process as TrakCare received top marks from each laboratory concerning their functional needs. Integral to TrakCare Lab is InterSystems Ensemble®, a seamless platform for integration and the development of connectable applications, which will provide interoperability between the pathology service and other local and national systems.

"We are delighted to be part of this innovative programme, using TrakCare Lab to deliver breakthroughs in patient outcomes, laboratory performance and clinician communications," said Kerry Stratton, Managing Director, Healthcare, InterSystems.

Related news articles:

• InterSystems' Profile

About NHS Wales Informatics Service (NWIS)
NWIS is a new organisation formed from the combination of Informing Healthcare and other Informatics Services from the Health Service in Wales.

About InterSystems
InterSystems Corporation is the worldwide leader in software for connected healthcare. With headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and offices in 24 countries, InterSystems provides advanced software technologies for breakthrough applications.

InterSystems TrakCare™ is a connected healthcare information system that is Web-based and rapidly delivers the benefits of an Electronic Patient Record. InterSystems Caché® is a high performance object database that makes applications faster and more scalable. InterSystems Ensemble® is a seamless platform for integration and the development of connectable applications. InterSystems HealthShare™ is a platform that enables the fastest creation of an Electronic Health Record for regional or national health information exchange. InterSystems DeepSee™ is software that makes it possible to embed real-time business intelligence in transactional applications.

For more information, please visit: InterSystems.co.uk.