QAPlus ltd

Continuing Health Care Management System

The iChord system is designed for organisations managing NHS continuing healthcare, NHS funded Nursing Care and Complex Care patients.

Users record clinical and financial records including key contacts and detailed care packages. The system improves management of provider payments, assessments, reviews, document storage, letter generation, financial forecasting and data analyst.

Features

  • End to end management of patient journey
  • Pre-defined process to record activity against workflow
  • Care provider management information
  • Financial data set allows financial forecasting
  • Dashboard and comprehensive suite of pre-defined reports
  • Report builder tools with templates
  • Full electronic storage of documents
  • Standard, editable document production
  • Patient journey progress bar
  • Dedicated support via help desk

Benefits

  • Decision making processes optimised with workflow prompting users
  • Reduce administration costs through document automation on schedule
  • Improved service quality through visual prompts
  • Assessment backlog reduction and maintenance
  • Remote off site working where secure access is provided
  • CQC link provides users with provider CQC outcome ratings
  • Designed and delivered by experienced CHC managers
  • Automatic payment schedules with credit recovery
  • Expert CHC management consultancy and training support
  • Single source data entry without duplication and discrepancies

Pricing

£15,000 to £25,000 a licence a year

  • Free trial available

Service documents

Framework

G-Cloud 12

Service ID

4 8 2 3 5 5 8 1 1 4 4 6 2 9 9

Contact

QAPlus ltd Sion Davis
Telephone: +447779794154
Email: Sion@qaplus.co.uk

Service scope

Software add-on or extension
Yes, but can also be used as a standalone service
What software services is the service an extension to
IChord is part of iQA providing discrete modules that may be integrated with external systems - or each other to dramatically improve efficiency of our healthcare management clients. These systems include:
iChord: CHC & FNC Management
Referral Portal
Needs Assessment App
Panel Portal
Patient Choice DPS
Patient Access Home Support
Cloud deployment model
Private cloud
Service constraints
None
System requirements
  • Web Server: Windows 2008 Server Standard Edition or above
  • Web Server: IIS Version 7.0 or above
  • Web Server Ports: 443 (SSL), 1443 (SQL Server)
  • Web Server: .Net Framework - Version 4, 4.5 or 4.6.1
  • SQL Server: Windows 2008 Server Standard Edition or above
  • SQL Server: 2008 Standard Edition or above
  • SQL Server Authentication: Mixed (SQL & Windows Authentication)
  • SQL Server: Port - 1433

User support

Email or online ticketing support
Email or online ticketing
Support response times
SLA extract:

Faults: Potential fault evidence will be reviewed within 2 hours. Fixes are provided according to severity levels and vary between 1 day and 30 days subject to client agreement

Help: These are usually handled immediately. A more complex query relating to client configuration will be referred to a consultant within 2 hours.

RFCs (Request For Change): Your Project Manager will provide an initial cost estimate within 1 working day. If agreed in principle this is followed by a more detailed specification and accurate quote for approval and scheduling.
User can manage status and priority of support tickets
Yes
Online ticketing support accessibility
None or don’t know
Phone support
Yes
Phone support availability
9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
Web chat support
Web chat
Web chat support availability
9 to 5 (UK time), 7 days a week
Web chat support accessibility standard
None or don’t know
How the web chat support is accessible
Real time chat between a User and a Helpdesk Consultant, within a Web Page, using Microsoft SignalR Library
Web chat accessibility testing
Not designed for assistive technology.
Onsite support
Onsite support
Support levels
Severity:
1. System or module down
2. System partially inoperable
3. Function cosmetic or work-around provided

Delivery Target
1: Immediate investigation, resolution within 4 hours
2: Review within 4 hours, investigation within 1 working day, resolution within 5 working days.
3. Review within 4 hours, investigation within 5 working days, resolution next client planned release [by agreement]
Support available to third parties
Yes

Onboarding and offboarding

Getting started
Every aspect of implementation is delivered based on Project Templates that usually cover an 8 to 12 week project lifecycle. These are customised for each client but typically tasks include:

INITIATION:
Specify key contacts
Agree communications [including IG constraints]
Scope Processes, Letters, Parameters
Platform Specifications
PID Agreement

CONFIGURATION:
Client config
Referral Pathways
Workflow Processes
Letter master templates & Letter drafts
SBS Finance Codes
User Roles
Variables & Checklist approval

PLATFORM:
Copy database: for audit & Trial
Server Build & Security certificates
VPN Access confirmed
Install pilot release
Confirm pilot access by Users
Install peripheral modules as required

RFCs:
Demerge
Data cleanse
System Enhancements if specified

MIGRATION:
Trial data migration
Trial transfer documents & files
User Review
Trial issues resolution
Trial RFC enhancements
Go-Live planning
Live database copy issued [Thurs 4pm]
Processing moratorium
Install Live database [plan Tuesday 9am]
Live transfer documents & files
Client validation / UAT
Live Operation

TRAINING
User Lead familiarisation [WebEx or onsite]
Onsite training:
Customised anonymised training database set up
Admin team
Finance team
System Administrators
Nurse Assessors
Onsite support [go live day onwards as required]
Service documentation
Yes
Documentation formats
  • HTML
  • PDF
End-of-contract data extraction
We provide data extracts to the specification of incoming system suppliers on an RFC basis.
We can also provide a 'standard' staged database that may be licenced and used, without customisation, for migration and/or legacy data access.
End-of-contract process
The staged database is available at no cost.
Customised data extracts are available on an RFC [chargeable] basis.

Using the service

Web browser interface
Yes
Supported browsers
  • Internet Explorer 11
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Chrome
Application to install
No
Designed for use on mobile devices
Yes
Differences between the mobile and desktop service
The iChord system automatically resizes page formats [using Bootstrap] where the resolution is below the optimal .
Service interface
No
API
No
Customisation available
Yes
Description of customisation
IChord is provided with a full set of templates that meet NHS standards - including those emerging through the NHS Digital program.

However the system is also fully customisable - particularly in relation to Workflow, document templates and IG related access controls.

Documents created automatically by the system may also be edited and the final document is saved for future reference.

Scaling

Independence of resources
We provide a single version of our systems for all clients. There is therefore no conflict arising from service demands - an enhancement provided or issue resolved for one client is equally applicable to all our clients.

Analytics

Service usage metrics
Yes
Metrics types
Client service level standards are set by NHS England - primarily associated with progress through their 'Pathways'.
Workflow and Task prompts are 'driven' by these standards and markers at each checkpoint are used to ensure compliance.
System metrics focus on delivery of assessments and placement within the different pathways.
Reporting types
  • Real-time dashboards
  • Regular reports
  • Reports on request

Resellers

Supplier type
Not a reseller

Staff security

Staff security clearance
Other security clearance
Government security clearance
Up to Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS)

Asset protection

Knowledge of data storage and processing locations
Yes
Data storage and processing locations
United Kingdom
User control over data storage and processing locations
Yes
Datacentre security standards
Managed by a third party
Penetration testing frequency
At least once a year
Penetration testing approach
In-house
Protecting data at rest
Encryption of all physical media
Data sanitisation process
Yes
Data sanitisation type
  • Explicit overwriting of storage before reallocation
  • Deleted data can’t be directly accessed
Equipment disposal approach
A third-party destruction service

Data importing and exporting

Data export approach
There are extensive standard data extract templates.
In addition there is an ad-hoc Report Generator where Users may define their own data extracts from an on-board selection dictionary. These may be linked to user-defined templates for repeated use.
Data export formats
  • CSV
  • Other
Other data export formats
Excel
Data import formats
  • CSV
  • Other
Other data import formats
Excel

Data-in-transit protection

Data protection between buyer and supplier networks
Private network or public sector network
Data protection within supplier network
IPsec or TLS VPN gateway

Availability and resilience

Guaranteed availability
Faults are fixed within the terms of our annual system licence.
Severity and fix timescales are established in SLA agreed individually with clients.
Hosting service suppliers [including in-house] will specify their own guaranteed availability.
Approach to resilience
Hosting services selected for this project provide full resilience subject to SLA.
Outage reporting
System Administrators can broadcast system status messages to all Users.

Identity and authentication

User authentication needed
Yes
User authentication
  • Limited access network (for example PSN)
  • Dedicated link (for example VPN)
  • Username or password
Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels
Access to PID is controlled by client authentication of support connections.
Access restriction testing frequency
At least once a year
Management access authentication
  • Dedicated link (for example VPN)
  • Username or password

Audit information for users

Access to user activity audit information
Users have access to real-time audit information
How long user audit data is stored for
User-defined
Access to supplier activity audit information
Users have access to real-time audit information
How long supplier audit data is stored for
User-defined
How long system logs are stored for
User-defined

Standards and certifications

ISO/IEC 27001 certification
No
ISO 28000:2007 certification
No
CSA STAR certification
No
PCI certification
No
Other security certifications
Yes
Any other security certifications
Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSP)

Security governance

Named board-level person responsible for service security
Yes
Security governance certified
Yes
Security governance standards
Other
Other security governance standards
Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSP)
Information security policies and processes
Our staff are bound by our Information Governance Policy [incorporated in supply contracts].
This is regularly reviewed - at least annually but also triggered by events such as NHS requirements. New employees receive induction training and Staff have refresh training at least annually.

Operational security

Configuration and change management standard
Supplier-defined controls
Configuration and change management approach
System changes are controlled through ISO9001 approved quality controls that cover: Initiation, Realisation and Implementation.
Every RFC specification is risk assessed and graded accordingly - resulting in an appropriate test regime.
Testing is completed for each program against a specific test plan and system regression tests are completed for each new Release.
Release Notes are provided covering enhancements, fixes and test results.
Faults are recorded on Trackers that are used to highlight system functions that represent increased risk and these functions are critically reviewed by the Management Board to identify design or technical structure flaws to be resolved.
Vulnerability management type
Supplier-defined controls
Vulnerability management approach
Potential threats are regularly assessed by our SIRO, and security patches are applied immediately.
(All Laptops & Servers have Windows Automatic Updates configured with the "Install Updates Automatically" option.
Microsoft Security Bulletins and Sophos Alerts provide information on potential threats and vulnerabilities.
Protective monitoring type
Supplier-defined controls
Protective monitoring approach
Data is stored on designated secure servers and encrypted drives.
Access controls and regular security audits ensure risks are identified and mitigated immediately.
Issues are raised at the Management Board and action mandated.
Incident management type
Supplier-defined controls
Incident management approach
Incidents are logged and reported to the Management Board.
These are then tracked and the Management Board oversees investigation and resolution.
Processes are recorded on the Tracker system.

Secure development

Approach to secure software development best practice
Conforms to a recognised standard, but self-assessed

Public sector networks

Connection to public sector networks
Yes
Connected networks
  • NHS Network (N3)
  • Health and Social Care Network (HSCN)

Pricing

Price
£15,000 to £25,000 a licence a year
Discount for educational organisations
No
Free trial available
Yes
Description of free trial
A demonstration system is available to prospective clients subject to IPR protection and provision of consultancy and training services to ensure a viable trial is achieved..

Service documents