Wednesday, 15 September 2021

PhoenixSoft’s COSD Companion is a pathology reporting software solution that meets the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service (NCRAS) v9 Cancer Outcomes and Services Dataset (COSD) requirements. The Pathology Department at Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust is using the solution to facilitate rapid and accurate recording and reporting of all cancer datasets using Royal College of Pathology (RCPath) proformas.

Matthew Coles, Senior Biomedical Scientist, Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, explains: “The dynamic data entry in COSD Companion is an extremely user-friendly feature for Consultant Pathologists. It enables them to report using the RCPath proformas which traditionally can be time consuming to work through as not all data categories need to be completed. COSD Companion automatically removes options that are not required – based on the Pathologist’s previous answers - and also has the added benefit of being able to generate the COSD output required by NCRAS at the click of a button.”
The Cancer Outcomes and Services Dataset has been the national standard for reporting cancer data since January 2013. NCRAS mandates all NHS Trusts in England to supply this information directly from their pathology departments and compliance with COSD Pathology v4 (COSD v9) has been required since 1st October 2020.

Matthew adds: “From the Pathology service’s perspective, our number one priority are patients and the RCPath proformas are designed to provide the information that clinicians need to best serve our patient community. However, COSD requirements and the RCPath dataset requirements are two very different things. Therefore we wanted to introduce a robust solution that will provide our Consultant Pathologist team with an efficient reporting workflow that would generate the required clinical reports and datasets and enable the department to achieve compliance with regards to COSD reporting – without creating additional workload for the team.”

Reporting in COSD Companion utilises dynamic templates that prompt the reporter to enter the required data. The data fields required are dependent on previous decisions made by the reporting consultant, enabling quick and efficient reporting.
Once a report is complete, COSD Companion compiles a text report which is copied into the LIMS. COSD data is reported to NCRAS as an XML file which is created by COSD Companion at the click of a button.

Jason Woodard, CEO, PhoenixSoft commented: “When developing COSD Companion, we worked closely with Consultant Pathologists to understand their reporting requirements, their existing workflow, and concerns regarding reporting the different datasets for RCPath and COSD. We are delighted that Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust will be using COSD Companion as their primary pathology reporting solution.”
For more information, visit www.phoenixsoft.co.uk.

ENDS

NOTES FOR EDITOR

• PhoenixSoft Limited was founded by Jason Woodard in 2015. The company develops specialist software solutions for healthcare, with a principal focus on Pathology. The company develops software to enable easy access to Pathology data and to support NHS organisations to meet their regulatory and compliance obligations.

• Interview: Jason Woodard, CEO, PhoenixSoft Ltd is available for comment via prior appointment (telephone, video call).

• COSD Companion. The Cancer Outcomes and Services Dataset (COSD) has been the national standard for reporting cancer data since January 2013. The National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service (NCRAS) mandates all NHS Trusts in England to supply this information directly from their pathology departments.
Compliance with COSD Pathology v4 (COSD v9) is required from 1st October 2020.
The PhoenixSoft COSD Companion solution fulfils this requirement facilitating rapid, intuitive, and accurate recording and reporting of all cancer datasets.
Developed with the assistance of NHS Trust histopathology consultants, COSD Companion has been in successful operation since January 2017, meeting evolving regulatory requirements by facilitating rapid, intuitive and accurate reporting of all cancer datasets.

• For sales enquiries please contact PhoenixSoft Limited on contact@phoenixsoft.co.uk or visit www.phoenixsoft.co.uk

• For press enquiries, please contact: Philippa Bevan, Accelerate Associates, E: philippa@accelerate-associates.co.uk Tel: 07947 865 915.