Data storage system centralises critical applications for Bristol trust

The United Bristol Healthcare Trust has centralised its critical applications and information storage onto an EMC CLARiiON data storage infrastructure. As a result, the teaching trust now has telemedicine facilities, with clinical staff across its nine sites able to access a central continuous flow of information, and consultants have real-time access to a central repository of video images and patient records to make collaborative diagnoses.

“Each of the nine hospitals in the Trust comprised multiple, overlapping patient services and systems, which undermined its ability to provide the most efficient patient care”, explained Professor Shastry, Director of Radiology at Bristol Royal Infirmary. “Following growth in data volumes arising from MRI, CT scans and other imaging solutions, we recognised the need for a consolidated and networked information management strategy.”

The consolidated storage environ­ment has seen feedback time to patients reduced from a couple of weeks to less than seven days. The Trust plans to move to wireless collaboration within hospital wards and remote locations including health authorities, health visitors and district nurses.