Block launches Medical Desktop as a Service

Block, the specialist health IT consultancy and services organisation, has announced the availability of its Medical Desktop as a Service (MDaaS) to the UK healthcare market.

Deployed on a virtualised platform, MDaaS delivers consistent, mobile, ‘always on’ access to resources and information specifically needed by clinical and frontline healthcare workers, regardless of location or device. MDaaS enables the clinician to put the patient’s condition and location at the forefront of their care pathway.

It’s no longer enough to simply have access to medical data and applications. Clinical staff need to have access wherever their patients are, and whatever they’re doing

This access also provides clinicians with the ability to update medical information at the point of care, which improves quality, efficiency and reduces the need to rely on paper records. It also resolves the delays and repeated inconveniences of a typical departmental fixed PC setup, such as slow login times, multiple password requirements and the inability to access critical information on the move.

The service is device and system agnostic, allowing for persistent access between PCs, tablets and mobiles, without compromising security. The operating system, its applications and data are never left on any device, making MDaaS an ideal choice for trusts looking to enable greater mobility. MDaaS drives faster deliverables and better clinical behaviours and outcomes, all supporting the trust’s business, patient and Government directives.

Block is releasing MDaaS as a series of intelligent and scalable packages, based on role-type within a health setting. Each package comprises services and features and optional devices to optimise the specific user requirements.

MDaaS is deployed across two high-availability data centres. The virtualisation reduces the management burden on a trust’s IT team and allows them to focus on healthcare-centric issues such as patient data security, regulatory compliance and network risk management.

Other specific efficiency and productivity savings for healthcare from MDaaS include:

• Tangibly drives a better patient experience
• Fewer and faster log-in times
• Accelerates clinical information flows
• No need for multiple passwords
• Reduces CapEx and lowers TCO
• Tap & Go smart card log-in
• Centralised management and maintenance
• Helps reduce IT support requests and tickets

Jon Pickering, chief executive at Block, said: “It’s no longer enough to simply have access to medical data and applications. Clinical staff need to have access wherever their patients are, and whatever they’re doing.

We know through our customer experience that by utilising IT effectively, clinical and nursing staff can spend more time with patients, treat more of them faster, and do all of this without increasing risk or cost. It’s MDaaS’ ability to create more time that we are most excited about. The information is always available to the clinician, which will save so much time and, in turn, have a positive impact on patient experience and safety.”