EMIS Confirmed As Number One For Value, UK

Main Category: Primary Care / General Practice
Also Included In: IT / Internet / E-mail
Article Date: 09 Jan 2008 - 1:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

Market-leading GP information system EMIS is the most cost-effective available under the GPSoC framework, according to a new pricing schedule published by Connecting for Health.

An annual software license for any EMIS system - currently used by around 56 per cent of GPs in the UK - costs £3,350, compared to more than £5,466 for the most expensive system listed on the GPSoC schedule. This represents a saving of 39 per cent.

EMIS's annual software license is also 27 per cent cheaper than the closest competitor system in price; the annual cost of this system is £4,576.

The figures are taken from Connecting for Health's GPSoC Suppliers' Services & Pricing spreadsheet, published on the CfH website. The prices will underpin all contracts signed under the new GPSoC framework agreement.

Sean Riddell, Healthcare Managing Director of EMIS, said: "These figures confirm that EMIS offers unrivalled value for money for GP practices and PCTs and ultimately, of course, for the taxpayer.

"Not only that, but as the market-leading system, EMIS also offers an exceptional range of services to support GPs and improve patient care - including value-added extras such as our award-winning online and digital TV appointment booking service."

He added: "I welcome the publication of these figures, which for the first time enable a full and transparent comparison of the cost of different GP systems.

"This information is essential if practices and PCTs are to exercise an informed choice of GP system. It is disappointing that the costs of LSP GP systems are not similarly published."

EMIS is the UK's leading supplier of IT systems to GPs, providing the software that holds the medical records for 39 million NHS patients nationwide. Around 56 per cent of GPs in the UK currently use EMIS software. The company has a 20-year history of innovation within the UK primary care market. Founded by GPs Dr Peter Sowerby and Dr David Stables, its guiding ethos is that the software used by GP surgeries should be "written by doctors, for doctors". EMIS is responsible for a number of innovatory products and services for GPs and patients, including EMIS Access - the only online appointment bookings service currently available within the NHS; a groundbreaking electronic prescription management service and a shared data system that enables secure GP-to-GP exchange of patient records.

The GPSoC Suppliers' Services & Pricing document can be accessed here.

http://www.emis-online.com