Hospital first to offer all patients chance to manage healthcare online

Website My Medical Record (MyMR) was developed by IT experts and clinicians at UHS and supplier Get Real Health and allows patients to access parts of their record from home or on the go.

The innovation gives staff the opportunity to make information which is held in clinical and admin systems, such as upcoming appointments, test results and consultant advice, available to patients electronically in an instant.

Additionally, they can keep daily diaries on their health, upload data from devices used at home – such as blood pressure, blood sugar and Fitbit activity – and communicate with doctors and nurses without attending hospital.

MyMR was launched at UHS in 2012 and piloted among patients with inflammatory bowel disease before being extended to cover cancer and children’s services.

In 2014, it was adapted and launched at four other UK hospitals to evaluate its effectiveness as a self-management tool for prostate cancer patients, with more than 3,500 patients now registered which has removed the need for 20,000 outpatient appointments to date.

In total, MyMR, which was named best use of IT to support treatment and care within the NHS in 2016, is now used by 14,000 patients across 10 hospitals nationwide with more set to join this year.

“MyMR really is leading the way in working towards a virtual hospital environment which gives patients much more control over their healthcare and better accessibility to their clinical teams and health record,” said Adrian Byrne, director of informatics at UHS.

“We are extremely proud of the impact this development is having not only in Southampton and the surrounding area but across the country at a time when the digital agenda forms an integral part of the plan for the NHS over the next 10 years.”

Matthew Beedle, MyMR product manager at UHS, said: “We want to sign up any patient who has a recent, ongoing or upcoming relationship with us as these patients will get the most benefit out of MyMR.

“We have a very exciting year ahead with more trusts lined up to adopt MyMR and UHS patients are at the forefront in terms of access to this technology.”

UHS is one of 16 national centres of excellence – known as global digital exemplars – selected to lead pioneering informatics projects to improve safety, quality and efficiency that could go on to be rolled out nationwide.

Any patients interested in signing up to MyMR can do so directly by visiting mymedicalrecord.uhs.nhs.uk or by emailing mymedicalrecord@uhs.nhs.uk