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Altera Digital Health, a leading provider of electronic patient record (EPR) solutions in the UK, has announced a new partnership with PC PAL to enhance paediatric care within its Sunrise™ EPR system – with Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust becoming the first NHS trust to implement advanced growth charting as part of this innovation.
Through the integration of GrowthXP, PC PAL’s world-class paediatric growth charting application, Sunrise users in the UK can access an augmented depth of data to support accurate growth monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment planning. Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust’s adoption of this functionality highlights how the flexibility and interoperability of Sunrise enables trusts to tailor solutions to meet specific clinical needs, seamlessly embedding specialist tools into everyday workflows.
The solution provides an extensive library of growth references, including local UK standards, as well as data covering over 50 rare disorders. By embedding within Sunrise, Altera is extending its commitment to equip paediatric specialists with advanced, clinically validated tools that improve both patient care and efficiency.
Dr. Shehriyar Khan, Clinical Information Officer for Women, Children and Sexual Health, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust said: “The transition from paper-based to digital growth charts has revolutionised the way healthcare professionals at MTW track and monitor growth. Replacing traditional paper-based charts with fully digitised charts has improved accuracy, accessibility, and standardisation, enabling our healthcare teams to make more informed decisions and provide better care. There has been overwhelmingly positive feedback from users after transitioning to the digital growth charts, leading to improved efficiency and productivity in the clinical environment.”
Mark Hutchinson, Executive Vice President, Altera Digital Health (UK & EMEA), said:
“We are delighted to bring world-leading growth charting capabilities into Sunrise, and proud to see Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust lead the way with our first UK implementation. This achievement demonstrates the capability and flexibility of Sunrise, enabling NHS organisations to integrate best-in-class resources that directly enhance patient outcomes.”
This collaboration reflects the shared vision of delivering innovative, evidence-based digital health solutions that empower clinicians and improve outcomes for children. Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust’s pioneering work sets a strong example for paediatric care across the NHS.
About Altera Digital Health
Altera Digital Health is a global healthcare IT leader. With more than 30 years of experience, we develop technology to bring next-level healthcare within reach. Our approach to solutions provides a fast, flexible and clinically driven roadmap towards digital maturity across integrated care systems.
With more than 2,700 hospitals in more than 15 countries, our solutions support healthcare providers, governments and military institutions around the world. By keeping the human user at the centre of our design methodology, we are supporting caregivers and helping patients meet and exceed their wellness goals. Together, with our clients, we’re driving a new era of healthcare. To learn more, visit uk.alterahealth.com.
About Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust is a large acute hospital trust in the south east of England. Its core catchment areas are Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells and their surrounding boroughs, and it operates from two main clinical sites: Maidstone Hospital and Tunbridge Wells Hospital at Pembury, as well as Fordcombe Hospital which the Trust acquired in October 2024.
The Trust employs a team of 8,000 staff and provides a full range of general hospital services, and some areas of specialist complex care, to around 600,000 people living in the south of west Kent and the north of East Sussex. It also provides outpatient clinics and specialist care, including stroke and sexual health services, to a wider population at locations across the region. The Trust provides cancer services to around 2 million people in Kent, Medway and East Sussex, via the Kent Oncology Centre at Maidstone Hospital, and at Kent and Canterbury Hospital in Canterbury.
About PC PAL
PC PAL is a leading, global, medical software developer providing decision-support modules for integration into medical record systems, notably the child growth charting tool, GrowthXP. Our solutions are used in 20% of the top 100 ranked hospitals in the world.
Media Contact
Jodie Cheetham (on behalf of Altera Digital Health)
Jodie@silver-buck.com
M: 07967 136010
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Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (QVH), a specialist hospital providing life-changing reconstructive surgery, burns care and rehabilitation services, has gone live with its first electronic patient record (EPR) system. The partnership with Altera Digital Health successfully launched the Sunrise EPR platform, replacing many of their patient and clinical documents in paper form and becoming paper-lite in processes.
(Caption: Paper planes made by young patients symbolising saying bye to paper documentation)
Known as Archie EPR, a name chosen by staff, as a nod to pioneering plastic surgeon Sir Archibald McIndoe, this marks the most significant digital transformation the Trust has ever undertaken and is central to QVH’s long-term strategy to become a fully digitally enabled NHS provider.
During go live, QVH was supported by 120 members of staff who became Digital Champions and floorwalkers from Altera, NHS England and other local NHS Trusts helping from day 1, helping the clinical services to adopt the changes more seamlessly. As a speciality Trust with high volume cases of Theatre procedures, it was important that staff felt supported on the ground level and could resolve any challenges that were raised. The feedback from staff has been amazingly positive.
Kirsten Timmins, Chief Operating Officer at QVH, said: “I witnessed one of the smoothest transitions over from analogue to digital, and we couldn’t have done it without our staff embracing this journey. It has been a privilege to be part of this work bringing together QVH staff, digital and technical contractors, Altera Digital Health, NHSE teams and support from neighbouring Trusts. The success of the roll out truly reflects our values as we have succeeded together. Archie EPR will transform the way we work together and across the NHS.”
Mark Hutchinson, Executive Vice President at Altera Digital Health (UK & EMEA), said, “Huge congratulations to QVH on the successful go live of its first EPR and for significantly advancing the Trust’s digital maturity. The new EPR is providing a single source of patient data, so clinical teams have comprehensive, real-time information at their fingertips to improve decision-making and patient safety. This is a fantastic achievement that was made possible by the team’s unwavering commitment throughout to ensure it remained patient focused, clinically led and digitally enabled.”
In the first week:
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4,064 clinical documents created in Archie EPR
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2,729 prescriptions prescribed on ePMA
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11,305 instances of other Trust clinical systems, e.g. PACS being accessed via patient context links from Archie EPR
Archie EPR will allow nursing and clinical teams to receive timely electronic notifications to undertake reviews and guides for decision support, ensuring proactive and responsive care. The future is to continue optimising the system, giving staff more time to focus on delivering exceptional care.
Romana Balle, Chief Nursing Information Officer at QVH, said: “Archie EPR marks the beginning of QVH’s digital journey. It represents a foundational step in modernising our clinical systems and strengthening the digital capability of our organisation. The implementation was very successful and we had positive feedback on clearer access to patient information and more efficient ways of working for teams across the Trust and with the wider NHS.”
(Caption: Paper planes made by young patients symbolising saying bye to paper documentation)
Altera media Contact:
Jodie Cheetham, Silver Buck (on behalf of Altera Digital Health)
jodie@silver-buck.com
07967 136010
QVH media contact:
Simone Onasanya – EPR Communications Lead
qvh.communications@nhs.net
About Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
QVH is a leading specialist centre for reconstructive surgery and rehabilitation, helping people who have been damaged or disfigured through accidents or disease. For more information, please visit www.qvh.nhs.uk.
About Altera Digital Health
Altera Digital Health is a global healthcare IT leader. With more than 30 years of experience, we develop technology to bring next-level healthcare within reach. Our approach to solutions provides a fast, flexible and clinically driven roadmap towards digital maturity across integrated care systems.
With more than 2,700 hospitals in more than 15 countries, our solutions support healthcare providers, governments and military institutions around the world. By keeping the human user at the centre of our design methodology, we are supporting caregivers and helping patients meet and exceed their wellness goals. Together, with our clients, we’re driving a new era of healthcare. To learn more, visit uk.alterahealth.com.
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Annual Harris user conference will gather hundreds for education, training and networking
NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — October 16, 2025 — Altera Digital Health, a global health IT leader, today announced its participation in HCTC 2025, hosted by parent company Harris at the Gaylord Pacific Resort and Convention Center in Chula Vista, Calif., December 2–4. Altera thought leaders, clients and partners will present during healthcare track sessions at the annual user conference, which brings together more than one thousand attendees to provide technical education, exchange industry best practices and network with other Harris users.
Clients in attendance will hear directly from Altera leadership on the company’s vision for artificial intelligence (AI) and other key industry topics such as clinician satisfaction, financial stability and patient engagement. Breakout sessions for Sunrise™, Paragon®, TouchWorks® EHR and CareInMotion will feature product roadmap previews from solution experts as well as success stories and learnings shared by peer institutions like Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Pipeline Health and Lakeview Clinic. Leaders from Ventus, Managed Services and Altera Cloud will also be onsite to answer client questions and discuss new ways to drive organizational value. Additionally, healthcare track attendees can join sessions presented by Ingenious Med, a fellow member of the Harris Healthcare family, that will focus on common industry pain points and emerging technologies.
“HCTC offers so much interaction, information and exchange of ideas. Engaging with leaders from other organizations using the same solutions and facing the same challenges was invaluable,” said Dr. Michael Josey, Chief Medical Information Officer, Grand Lake Health System. “I’m looking forward to this year’s event, learning from Altera and fellow clients, and taking new strategies back to our organization to work on even more improvements.”
Attendees will also have an opportunity to engage with Altera partners like IMO Health and Crowdstrike during sponsorship showcases and educational sessions. Health Gorilla, a designated QHIN under TEFCA, will team up with Sunrise to provide insights on advancements in nationwide interoperability. FinThrive, a healthcare revenue cycle management software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider, will also join Sunrise to discuss how clients can drive efficiency and revenue at their organizations.
“Healthcare is moving at a rapid pace, from innovation to regulation. No matter their size or location, our clients are facing many of the same clinical, financial and operational complexities,” said Marcus Perez, President, Altera Digital Health. “I’m excited for the discussions to come at HCTC as we dig into our clients’ top challenges and opportunities. It’s all about sharing knowledge among people with the same drive to do right by providers, patients and overall organizations.”
Altera clients can learn more and register for HCTC 2025 here.
About Altera Digital Health
A global healthcare IT leader, Altera Digital Health develops and elevates technology to bring next-level healthcare within reach. Altera’s approach to our solutions is changing the way healthcare is delivered—we see the summit of what healthcare can be, but rather than total transformation, we’re focused on helping organizations take the steps they need to get there. Altera designs digital health services that lead healthcare to a higher place, while we guide those we partner with, all along the way. To learn more, visit www.alterahealth.com.
Media Contact
For Altera Digital Health
AlteraMediaRelations@alterahealth.com
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Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (MTW) has achieved significant time savings across its wards by introducing automated vital signs integration into its Sunrise™ Electronic Patient Record (EPR), provided by Altera Digital Health. The trust now estimates a savings of 2.5 minutes per observation, equating to approximately 50% time saving for clinicians to record observations, freeing up hundreds of hours each year for direct patient care.
Traditionally, clinicians at MTW captured vital signs using portable physiological measuring devices and then manually transcribed results into the EPR. The process was prone to delays, transcription errors and inefficiencies.
Due to the limited availability of Computers on Wheels (COW) on wards and the difficulty of wheeling the device and a COW around a ward, observations were frequently written on paper and entered into the EPR later. This created systemic delays, often 45 minutes or longer, and increased the risk of error, reduced data quality, and delayed visibility of National Early Warning Score 2 (NEWS2) alerts and prompts for follow on actions and escalation of care for deteriorating patients.
With the new solution, data is transmitted automatically and in real-time from bedside to EPR. Time-and-motion studies conducted by the trust revealed that observation documentation now appears in the EPR within approximately one minute on average, down from up to 45 minutes previously. This rapid data entry means clinicians no longer need to backdate entries or search for paper notes, enabling faster decision-making and patient escalation.
“This transformation is more than a technology change – it’s a cultural shift in how we deliver safe, data-driven care,” said Johanna Kelly, Chief Nursing Information Officer at MTW. “Our teams are empowered to act faster and more confidently with real-time information at their fingertips, improving both outcomes and experience.”
Shanese Rochester, Registered Nurse at MTW, said: “I love it, it’s easy to use and accurate. It goes straight to the EPR so there is no need to key in the information after taking the observations. It saves a lot of time not having to log into the EPR after doing the observations and that time can be used to provide other nursing care to the patients.”
For the patient, safety is improved with earlier identification of deterioration to enable faster escalation and improved outcomes. It is also enhancing experience with more informed and timely care discussions during ward rounds and reduced need for repeat observations due to errors or delays.
Designed in partnership between Altera, MTW and Baxter, using its Welch Allyn Connex Vital Signs Monitors, the automation has been honed to include positive patient identification and barcode-enabled user authentication in line with Scan4Safety principles. Trust-localised NEWS2 scoring and device-to-EPR automation ensure robust escalation pathways and reduced transcription errors.
Unexpected benefits have been identified in the form of an increase in the total number of observations recorded per patient in the EPR. During the training programme for the new solution, inconsistencies in how observations were measured were also identified and provided an opportunity to re-enforce best practice.
MTW’s automated vital signs model is now being shared with neighbouring NHS organisations as a regional exemplar. The solution supports interoperability, aligns with MTW’s Green Plan by reducing paper use, and improves compliance with national clinical governance standards.
Mark Hutchinson, Executive Vice President, Altera Digital Health (UK & EMEA), commented: “This capability has transformed how vital signs are captured, recorded, and acted on with a robust digital workflow. It demonstrates the power of digital transformation in improving patient care, enhancing staff efficiency, and pushing the boundaries of EPR capabilities. We’ve very much enjoyed collaborating with the trust and Baxter to reduce the administrative burden on clinicians so they can focus more on direct patient care. Looking ahead, we will be supporting other trusts with vital signs integrations and similar scalable, interoperable system optimisations that deliver significant benefits to patients and clinicians.”
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Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, in collaboration with Altera Digital Health and Healthcare Innovation Consortium (HIC), has completed a trailblazing benefits realisation review in tissue viability.
Breakthrough improvements have been delivered through the adoption of the Sunrise™ Electronic Patient Record (EPR) system, as part of the review to understand and optimise the impact of introducing the solution to the service.
The innovative review, led by independent digital health consultancy HIC, found Sunrise achieved significant advancements in care quality, patient safety and clinical efficiency by replacing fragmented, error-prone paper processes with streamlined, data-driven workflows. By leveraging the EPR system, the trust is better positioned to prevent pressure ulcers and enhance care pathways.
“This was a quality-driven initiative,” said Jackie Edwards, Chief Clinical Digital Engagement Officer at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. “Tissue viability is a key improvement priority for the trust. Effective prevention and management of skin and soft tissue health are absolutely vital to avoid complications, such as pressure ulcers. Complications can lead to extended hospital stays, increased morbidity and significant healthcare costs, especially for our most vulnerable patients.”
The system’s ability to centralise patient data, provide real-time access and automate critical alerts has unlocked real-time insights. Clinicians are enabled to respond faster, communicate more effectively across teams and make safer, more informed decisions.
Feedback analysis highlighted key benefits, such as enhanced compliance with care protocols and quicker interventions for high-risk patients. As one clinician remarked, “The EPR system’s ability to centralise information has allowed for quicker interventions without needing to be physically present. It gives us a comprehensive view of patient risk factors.”
The review was grounded in extensive stakeholder engagement with ward staff, tissue viability nurses, governance teams, digital leads, medical consultants and senior nurse leaders through workshops, one-on-one interviews, and a trust-wide questionnaire. Their insights were combined with system data, process mapping, and real-world use cases to measure existing qualitative benefits, optimisation opportunities, baseline benefits for areas yet to go live and current challenges.
Overall, 96% of questionnaire respondents found the trust’s practices for managing tissue viability effective and 60% said it was easy to document and access patient information related to tissue viability using the EPR system.
Quick wins for immediate optimisation included the introduction of a tick-box indicator that flags when a wound image has been uploaded. This allows clinicians to quickly check whether visual documentation is up to date, streamlining access to wound images and ensuring relevant teams have the latest information available.
Looking ahead, the review identified opportunities for longer-term EPR enhancements, such as integrated clinical guidance for high Waterlow scores (tissue viability risk assessment tool), greater search capabilities and expanded options for surface selection in recording the SSKIN bundle assessment.
“This comprehensive programme gave us a fantastic opportunity to deep dive into a crucial patient safety issue and shape a meaningful, measurable digital solution,” added Jackie Edwards. “It supports the trust to deliver an implementation approach that is firmly guided by better outcomes and will provide the best possible springboard to deliver excellent care.”
The pioneering benefits review aligns closely with overcoming national EPR optimisation challenges. According to a research report published by the Health Foundation, when EPRs are used well they can unlock important care and productivity improvements. However, with England at a pivotal moment as the NHS moves closer to every trust having an EPR system, many are still navigating how to unlock their full potential.
Mark Hutchinson, Executive Vice President, Healthcare Strategy and Transformation, UK & EMEA, Altera Digital Health, said: “The next, and arguably most important, challenge is making sure EPR systems truly deliver. We are fully committed to ensuring their true potential is reached and Worcestershire Acute Hospital’s EPR benefits review is a brilliant example of what’s possible. It stands out as a national blueprint for EPR success. Not only for driving continuous improvement but also to promote strong staff engagement and a robust framework that can be applied to other system implementations across the trust.”
Hadleigh Stollar, CEO, Healthcare Innovation Consortium, said: “HIC was proud to support such a successful and collaborative project – this isn’t just about adopting digital health, it’s about shaping it. By leading with purpose and evidence, the trust has set a powerful example of how technology, when implemented thoughtfully and collaboratively, can drive real, measurable impact to patients and those caring for them. It has the potential to serve as a model for national digital health strategies and policy to drive better patient outcomes across the NHS.”
Media Contact:
Jodie Cheetham (on behalf of Altera Digital Health)
Jodie@silver-buck.com
07967 136010
About Altera Digital Health
Altera Digital Health is a global healthcare IT leader. With more than 30 years of experience, we develop technology to bring next-level healthcare within reach. Our approach to solutions provides a clinically driven roadmaps that help advance digital maturity across integrated care systems.
With more than 2,700 hospitals in more than 15 countries, our solutions support healthcare providers, governments and military institutions around the world. By keeping the human user at the centre of our design methodology, we are supporting caregivers in helping patients meet and exceed their wellness goals. Together, with our clients, we’re driving a new era of healthcare. To learn more, visit uk.alterahealth.com.
About Healthcare Innovation Consortium
HIC is a leading independent digital health consultancy that helps organisations design, implement, and scale healthtech solutions that improve patient outcomes and system efficiency. With a mission to put people at the heart of digital transformation, HIC works across the public and private sector to drive meaningful innovation.
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Bolton NHS Foundation Trust has extended the rollout of Sunrise™ Electronic Patient Record (EPR), powered by Altera Digital Health, to its community services. The go-live marks a major milestone in its digital transformation journey and in supporting care beyond the hospital by joining up patient records across acute and community settings.
This latest rollout highlights Bolton leaders’ ongoing dedication to their digital transformation journey, further building on the successful implementation of Altera’s EPR technology across emergency and inpatient care settings, via a single, integrated platform.
Clunky outdated paper processes coupled with fragmented communication have been replaced with new, streamlined digital workflows that enable services to be more efficient so teams can deliver safe, timely care.
Zoe Fitzsimmons, CXIO at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Our community users were especially excited to move away from paper and its associated inefficiencies. Now they are fully live on Sunrise EPR they have instant access to a patient’s up-to-date electronic record and can document directly into the record as a seamless entry from acute to community. Users are delighted with the efficiency gains they are making and are enjoying reinvesting the time back into direct care.”
The implementation also included going live across Outpatients to extend the reach and impact of the existing medication prescribing solution, and diagnostic orders and results for Radiology and Pathology.
The improved medication workflows are promoting adherence to regulatory guidelines, with the reduction of paper prescription forms, increased patient safety and a more comprehensive digital patient record. Overall, these unified clinical processes are unlocking improvements, including increasing time to care.
Zoe Fitzsimmons added: “This latest EPR go-live across Community and Outpatient is a significant milestone for Bolton’s digital strategy, which set out a vision for a seamless, end-to-end patient journey by sharing information with patients and across the health and social care system. Access to a single, up-to-date patient record has been transformative for the teams and enabled them to deliver safer, faster and more coordinated care. It’s a huge step towards a fully connected care experience for the people of Bolton, with more consistent care, regardless of the setting.”
The go-live was a true team event with a smooth and successful launch that saw teams across both care settings quickly adjusting to the improved processes. In just the first month of being live, 17,614 pathology and radiology requests were processed, demonstrating immediate impact to the services.
Early feedback from users has been overwhelmingly positive with users praising the system’s ease of use and the noticeable improvement in workflows and patient care. Jo Constantine, Team Leader of the Admission Avoidance Team at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Bringing electronic patient records into our community service has transformed care delivery. It has empowered our team with real-time information, helping them give faster, safer and more joined up care to people in their own homes.”
Patient safety was at the heart of the implementation. A significant portion of the implementation prior to going live focused on aligning new workflows with complex requirements and medication policies to ensure full compliance across community and outpatient services.
Mark Hutchinson, Executive Vice President, Altera Digital Health (UK & EMEA), commented: “The progress at Bolton is a testament to what can be achieved with Altera’s highly configurable and flexible EPR with a clear vision and a robust digital infrastructure. By extending the EPR across Community and Outpatients, Bolton has significantly improved care coordination and communication, enhancing both safety and efficiency.
“This is a powerful example of how our EPR platform enables continuous care across the entire healthcare setting, breaking down silos and creating a truly unified patient record. We’re proud to be supporting Bolton as it extends these capabilities and look forward to the next phase that will further enhance care pathways by enabling integration with primary care services.”
Media Contact:
Jodie Cheetham (on behalf of Altera Digital Health)
Jodie@silver-buck.com
07967 136010
About Altera Digital Health
Altera Digital Health is a global healthcare IT leader. With more than 30 years of experience, we develop technology to bring next-level healthcare within reach. Our approach to solutions provides a fast, flexible and clinically driven roadmap towards digital maturity across integrated care systems.
With more than 2,700 hospitals in more than 15 countries, our solutions support healthcare providers, governments and military institutions around the world. By keeping the human user at the centre of our design methodology, we are supporting caregivers and helping patients meet and exceed their wellness goals. Together, with our clients, we’re driving a new era of healthcare. To learn more, visit uk.alterahealth.com.