The Health Ministry and Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. (ACS) signed a formal agreement yesterday that will improve the delivery of healthcare to patients and ensure safer and more accurate digitally-stored medical records that will enable easier and faster access by authorised healthcare professionals.
The patients will benefit from the products and services ACS Healthcare Solutions will provide under this agreement as they will be vital in helping professionals make more precise and faster diagnoses of patients’ conditions that will facilitate speedier treatment. In addition, the agreement supplies doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals with the latest in healthcare technology, meeting and exceeding standards existing anywhere else in the world.
The agreement between the government and ACS Healthcare Solutions is the first phase of the government’s Integrated Health Information System (IHIS) programme, which will improve the management of healthcare records and integrate state-of-the-art digital medical equipment at the Mater Dei Hospital.
The seven-year, $20.9 million, contract was signed by Frank Mifsud, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, the Elderly and Community Care and by Charles O. Bracken, managing director, and Arvind P. Kumar, senior vice president and managing partner, of ACS Healthcare Solutions.
“This is another milestone reached by the government in its endeavour to give the Maltese people the best in healthcare. These integrated healthcare information systems should put our patients’ minds at rest that their medical care is being dealt with effectively in the most professional way. These systems will also open avenues for the planned future expansion in the network of the health sector with the connectivity to the Community Care services,” said Mr Mifsud.
Mr Bracken said: “We are excited about our new partnership with the government and citizens of Malta. With over 20 years of experience, ACS provides first-rate solutions, technological expertise, and best practices in the management of healthcare delivery systems. We look forward to working with Mater Dei Hospital to provide world-class care to the people of Malta.”
ACS Healthcare Solutions is a leading provider of healthcare IT services to clients around the world. It has more than 4,000 healthcare clients and 2,300 dedicated IT-healthcare employees. ACS Healthcare Solutions is a fully-owned subsidiary of US-based Affiliated Computer Services, Inc., a global provider of business process outsourcing and information technology solutions to world-class commercial and government clients. A
FORTUNE 500 company, ACS has 58,000 employees supporting client operations reaching more than 100 countries, and generated $5.4 billion in revenue in the 2006 financial year.
Through this agreement, ACS will provide the hardware, software and expertise needed to maintain laboratory information systems, radiology information systems, picture archiving and communications systems. The company will also upgrade and integrate the systems currently used in the management of Mater Dei Hospital.