With at least nine NHS acute trusts expected to undergo major EPR transitions this year, the forecast is based on remediation costs for post‑go‑live data correction seen in previous transitions, which MBI Health said were largely avoidable.
Dr Marc Farr, chair of the NHS chief data and analytical officer network said: ‘Too often, data experts are brought in too late in EPR programmes, when key decisions have already been made. If we want these transformations to succeed, data and analytics leaders need to be at the table from the outset, shaping how systems are designed, implemented and data assured.'
One of the biggest operational risks is disruption to patient tracking lists (PTLs). If records are duplicated, incomplete or migrated incorrectly, trusts can struggle to manage waiting lists accurately and understand which patients need action first. This can lead to poorer outcomes for patients that wait longer for treatment and frustration for staff.
MBI Health's analysis of previous EPR transitions suggests PTLs can increase by around 25% on average after go-live. This can reflect duplicated records, incomplete data or referrals ending up in the wrong place during migration. Because PTLs underpin Referral to Treatment (RTT) management, disruption in these records can make it harder for trusts to manage waiting list performance and recover elective care.
A recent national review confirmed that new EPR programmes can contribute to missed, delayed or incorrect patient care due to issues in implementation, usability, training and optimisation. One example involved a four-year-old girl who received five incorrect doses of blood-thinning medication after an ePMA system failed to flag the error, leading to bleeding around her brain. The review also flagged inconsistent terminology, missing safety functions, lax governance and low staff involvement during EPR rollout.
Post go‑live, the strain continues: staff are often diverted into manually checking and correcting records, validating data and compensating for system failures, adding pressure to already stretched teams.
