Last chance for free IT help

Diabetes retinal screening technician Helen Williamson with a camera for photographing the retinas of patients at the Waitakere Hospital. Picture / Martin Sykes

Today is the last chance for Government agencies to apply for free specialist IT help from the Microsoft Innovation Centre as its fifth funding round closes.

The centre was set up in 2002 to improve the use of technology by providing services and commercial partner expertise free of charge to agencies with a Microsoft licensing agreement.

At least five project proposals will be shortlisted this round and, after further investigation, three could be selected to receive specialist technical support worth up to $120,000.

Projects last about six months and culminate in a "kickstart pack", which documents the project and includes a working prototype.

A Waitemata District Health Board project to improve retinal screening of diabetes sufferers - for potentially blinding conditions such as retinopathy - was one of three projects selected in the previous round last October.

Adam Sawyer, information manager at North Shore Hospital, said the financial value of the centre's support made embarking on leading-edge projects "extremely low risk".

"This [eye screening project] is something that may become very useful, but it would be difficult to raise the capital to put it into that basket of 'absolutely essential', especially when you're competing against hip replacements and cancer treatments," Sawyer said.

The project uses on-line consultation between ophthalmologists and eye-screen technicians to improve patient care by reducing the time taken to get results.

Eye-screen technicians in community clinics use cameras to photograph the retinas of diabetics. Technicians and ophthalmologists then meet to review photographs and post results to patients and their doctors.

The project uses a laptop computer to connect the technician with ophthalmologists on-line for instant examination of photographs.

Waitemata DHB project representative Andrew Cave said the virtual consultation could reduce the time taken during the screening process from days to minutes.

"It's going to take away the patient's anxiety of having to wonder, 'Oh God, have I or have I not', until they get that letter a week later."

The system could also eliminate the need to book patients for repeat screenings when initial photographs prove inconclusive.

The project uses a Microsoft Windows instant communication client similar to Messenger, but with a level encryption and security protection necessary for handling personal records.

Screening technicians can see which ophthalmologists are on-line and send a message to confirm they are available for consultation.

The technician can then send electronic patient records and retinal images to the ophthalmologist for immediate examination. Results could be given to patients at the screening, new photographs taken if images are inconclusive, and appointments organised for any extra treatment.

The five-month-old project is near completion and Cave is putting the finishing touches to another application for submission to develop electronic patient medication records.

"It [the centre] is a fantastic concept and it's promoting innovation, so I'm going to make a commitment every year to put forward an application ... because it encourages me to think innovatively. It's also a fantastic opportunity for the DHB."

Proposals from health boards have accounted for a significant number of the 16 projects approved since the centre opened.

"From a health perspective, IT is becoming more and more important," Cave said. "As everyone moves towards electronic clinical records, the opportunities are starting to increase, and getting information to the right person at the right time is becoming a big topic."

Innovation Centre manager Shane Bartle said the funding round was an opportunity for agencies to improve their use of technology and for Microsoft to better understand the needs of its customers.

"Key to what we are trying to do is understand local issues. It's all very well trying to bring our solutions down from the United States, but we want to understand how our technology can work on local issues.

"Obviously it's good for us and it's good for them if they're using all our new stuff well and getting the most out of it."

Bartle said even applications not selected for projects would receive valuable feedback from the centre.

"If you're a public organisation, it's better if you've got an opportunity to test your ideas before you have to commit public funds."