InterSystems has announced that it forged a partnership with Imprivata to enable TrakCare customers to use the digital identity company’s single sign-on and authentication capabilities.

WHY IT MATTERS

As TrakCare is used at sites across England, Scotland and Wales, the firms say the collaboration will promote efficiency, helping to reduce the time staff have to spend logging into different computer systems. 

The UK government pledged £40m at the beginning of the year to address what it called “one of the main technology frustrations facing NHS staff.”

“It is frankly ridiculous how much time our doctors and nurses waste logging on to multiple systems,” said Health Secretary Matt Hancock. “As I visit hospitals and GP practices around the country, I’ve lost count of the amount of times staff complain about this. It’s no good in the 21st century having 20th century technology at work.”

Some staff said they've had to log into as many as 15 different systems when caring for patients. 

HOW IT WORKS

TrakCare customers will be able use the Imprivata single sign-on capability, OneSign, and its user authentication tech Confirm ID.

Mediclinic Middle East recently went live with TrakCare and is reportedly already using Imprivata Confirm ID in the emergency department, where professionals only need to tap their badge to access the system or log off. One nurse said this helped them spend “less time on the technology and more with the patients.”

The companies say the partnership will help improve patient safety. With Imprivata Confirm ID, when a patient record in TrakCare is updated, a notification is sent to the care giver, as well as a secondary witness, to authorise the action.

THE LARGER PICTURE

In February, Imprivata announced the launch of Identity Governance in the UK, an extension to its platform for Identity and Access Management.

Already deployed across public health systems in the U.S., it aims to help organisations manage user accounts and control access to patient records, thus, according to the company, strengthening data security.

ON THE RECORD

“Too often IT security practices can be a barrier to delivering care,” said Dr Sean Kelly, chief medical officer at Imprivata. “Our partnership with InterSystems removes the barriers to accessing patient data by providing fast and secure access to accurate information. Instead of grappling with passwords, clinicians can focus on positively impacting patient care aided by streamlined system access.”