Sullivan Cuff Software Limited
Sullivan Cuff Software Limited is the leading supplier of anticoagulation computer decision support software (CDSS) for general practitioners in the UK. Patients are normally prescribed warfarin to reduce the tendency of their blood to clot and require frequent blood tests to determine their International Normalised Ratio (INR – a measure of how quickly the blood clots compared to a person not taking warfarin). The patient’s latest INR is entered into the anticoagulation CDSS which suggests a new dose of warfarin and a date for the patient’s next test.
Sullivan Cuff Software produce two versions of their INRstar anticoagulation CDSS – INRstar Practice Edition which is installed in individual surgeries and INRstar Intranet Edition which is installed on a central server, usually at a Primary Care Trust IT department, and access is gained via a secure intranet by hospitals, practices, pharmacies and community nurses. There are now over 700 installations of INRstar throughout the UK and Eire with new practices joining every week.
Both increasing sales and number of employees necessitated Sullivan Cuff Software moving to new offices in Hayle and at this time they took the opportunity to upgrade their IT system and improve the communication links to staff based in Truro, Torquay and Coventry by installing a Virtual Private Network (VPN). Additionally, they wished to provide remote access to the INRstar Intranet Edition allowing potential customers to experience the benefits of the system before purchasing and to train users in the use of the system.
actnow has helped Sullivan Cuff Software in a number of ways, both through grant support and advice, providing a grant towards the installation of the servers and to equip the offices with computers and broadband internet access.
David Barrett, Managing Director, says “Two broadband lines were bonded together to give us improved upload and download speeds allowing the VPN and remote customers to operate efficiently.”
David continues “One of the areas we are always trying to improve is the technical support we provide to the clinicians who are using our products. They do not always have a high level of IT skills and sometimes require significant support. Thanks to the speed of broadband, we have been able to introduce a secure remote link that allows us to quickly diagnose and correct problems. This has greatly increased our efficiency, reduced the time spent solving problems and thereby increased customer satisfaction.”
“We plan to expand our system further” says David. “Our intention is to host a version of the Intranet Edition on a server within the secure NHS network so that it will be available to individual practices. We will also take advantage of broadband to improve our website www.anticoagulation.com.”
“Broadband has made our business much more efficient and has paved the way for us to develop our product further, reaching out to new customers both in this country and in export markets. It has also assisted us in developing our products in association with leading healthcare software suppliers that should result in increased sales in the coming months.”
