Could this be the next BIG thing in the NHS?

Microsoft Virtual Clinical Team Creator 2007 (Easy Edition)

It sounds a great product doesn’t it?

Ok, so we actually call it Office Groove 2007, but don’t let that stop you reading on.......

The best solutions in life are simple and this is really simple, oh and really secure too.Groove is installed on my PC, if you install Groove on your PC, we can collaborate on documents in a secure workspace, no complex infrastructure required. You could also invite other people with Groove to join our secure workspace and collaborate with us. 

So here is clever part number one, they can be inside or outside your organisation again no complex infrastructure is required. In terms of collaboration it isn’t just documents we can share. We can share calendars, discussions, electronic forms, meeting notes, issue logs in fact there isn’t a lot you can’t share with it.

So what is clever part number two? Well, it works both online and offline, so you can work in your copy of the workspace when you are at home or out and about. Next time you are online, our workspace is synchronised and we are all up to date again. We can also see when any member of our workspace is online, and send them an instant message, did I mention that this was also really secure?

Perhaps your organisation uses SharePoint and you would like to be able to take a whole document library offline, again Groove can do it.  It can even share a folder that currently exists on your PC, and synchronise the documents around the workspace members as you update your documents locally.

The possibilities for this in the NHS are vast. You can join up virtual multi-disciplinary teams within an NHS Trust or across Trusts or perhaps  join up teams with Social Services. Mobile Health workers are another great example where virtual team collaboration can help to improve patient care.

“But I don’t have Groove” I hear you cry.

“You do, or at least you are entitled to” I reply

As Office Groove is part of Microsoft Office 2007 Suite and part of the NHS EA, in order to qualify for this NHS Trusts must meet the pre-requisite NIMM maturity levels for Collaboration and Software Asset Management, their Large Account Reseller should be the first point of contact who can provide help and guidance on getting Office Enterprise.In terms of security, data is fully encrypted both on disk, and also in transit over the wires and only people you invite are able to access and collaborate within the workspace.

There are numerous NHS Organisations that have implemented or are piloting Groove. A great example is at Eastern and Coastal Kent PCT, where their Intermediate Care Team are using Groove to ensure their mobile health workers have real time access to patient data. The Groove workspace holds patient assessments, care plans and other information which is securely synchronised to other team members. (Watch the video Case Study)

It is also really easy to use, and like all other products in Microsoft Office 2007 the NHS get free online training from the NHS Resource Centre, you could be learning about Groove within minutes! (Get the Free Training)

If you have any questions on Office Groove – please feel free to drop me an email – richlane@microsoft.com - Richard Lane - Microsoft UK