A bespoke software package designed to monitor the outcomes of heart treatments in patients across Europe and Russia has been launched by UK software developers, altcom. The launch was held in St. Petersburg at a conference attended by leading cardiologists collaborating in an international epidemiological study into factors affecting and leading to heart failure.
The project, known as SICA-HF (Studies Investigating Co morbidities Aggravating Heart Failure), is being run across several medical centres in the European Union and Russian Federation, and is co-ordinated by the Hull York Medical School at the University of Hull.
The new software system has been developed using Open Source technologies and being a web-based application, a modern web browser and Internet connection are all that is required to use it. The data collected through the project is stored centrally on a secure server in the UK and the database will eventually contain details of around 2,000 patients studied over the length of the project. Various safeguards have been put in place to ensure the integrity and security of the database, and all data held centrally is made anonymous to ensure patient confidentiality and comply with data protection legislation.
John Warden, clinical trials project manager in the Department of Academic Cardiology at the University of Hull Post Graduate Medical Institute, commented: ‘With this software we are now in a position to effectively record, monitor and review patient data to identify reoccurring themes and trends which, in time, should help us to develop a comprehensive overview of chronic heart failure.
‘By using the database we can identify those factors affecting and leading to heart failure and it may provide us with information which can be used to help reduce the number of people suffering from the disease in the future.’
The software is now being used by all of the partner organisations in the project and the collection of patient data has begun.
