Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust enhances Women’s Health Services with ultrasound upgrade

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has upgraded its obstetric and gynaecological ultrasound reporting system to ViewPoint 6, a forward-thinking and futureproofing system which marks a major advancement in women’s healthcare for Chester and the surrounding areas.

Delivered in partnership with Health Net Connections Ltd (HNC), this digital transformation enhances the way ultrasound data is captured, reported, and shared across clinical teams – supporting faster, safer and more efficient care.

Building on its existing ViewPoint 5 infrastructure, the Trust identified a need to modernise and improve interoperability, streamline departmental workflows, and introduce advanced analytics to meet growing clinical demands.

The project, implemented by HNC, included full installation of ViewPoint 6 software, HL7 system integration, and deployment of both production and test environments. The system was equipped with 10 concurrent user licences and 6 DICOM licences, ensuring scalable access for clinical staff and direct transfer of measurements from ultrasound machines.

Workflows were optimised to allow for automatic scheduling, worklist creation, measurement capture, and digital report distribution, including HL7 messaging for PDF report sharing.

Jonathan Raife, Founder of HNC, said: “This initiative represents a major step forward in our shared mission to our commitment to improving women’s health services across the UK. By upgrading the hospital’s comprehensive digital reporting system, we’re enabling faster, more informed decision-making and ensuring more consistent care throughout the region.”

By implementing the new technology, The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust will now benefit from the following in its women’s health department:

• Streamlined Reporting: Clinicians can now complete and finalise ultrasound reports more efficiently, reducing time spent on manual tasks.
• Enhanced System Integration: Seamless connectivity with hospital IT systems allows for real-time data exchange across patient pathways.
• Tailored Configuration: Custom templates and workflows designed to meet the specific needs of obstetric and gynaecological departments.
• Advanced Data Insights: Integrated analytics tools support in-depth audit and continuous service improvement.
• Secure Data Continuity: All patient records were safely migrated from ViewPoint 5 to ensure no disruption to care.

Orlaigh Dennis of Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Viewpoint 6 was successfully implemented a few months ago. From an operational standpoint, the system is intuitive and user-friendly. The seamless integration of measurements directly from the ultrasound machine has been particularly beneficial, significantly enhancing workflow efficiency.”

Image: Christopher Khokhar, Project Lead at HNC with Countess of Chester Hospital Staff. Submitted by Health Net Connections Ltd
Source: Health Net Connections Ltd

Staff Writer