ISOFT

{{About|the software supplier|the international symposium|International Symposium on Fluorous Technologies}} {{Infobox company | name = iSOFT | industry = Healthcare IT | products = Healthcare Software Applications | hq_location = Sydney, Australia | homepage = www.dxc.technology/healthcare }} {{lowercase title}} '''iSOFT''' is an international supplier of software applications for the healthcare sector. Its products are used by an estimated 13,000 organisations in 40 countries for managing patient information and healthcare services. It was acquired by DXC Technology in 2011.

==History== iSOFT was founded in 1996 as a business group within accounting group, KPMG, and bought out of the Group in May 1999. It was then floated in July 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.business-live.co.uk/economic-development/probe-isoft-ongoing-despite-collapse-8413265|title=Probe into iSoft 'ongoing' despite collapse of trials|date=10 January 2015|publisher=Business Live}}</ref>

In October 2006 iSOFT put itself up for sale.<ref>"guardianmemorandum"</ref> and on 16 May 2007, iSOFT announced its recommendation to accept a merger with Australian company IBA Health in an all-stock deal.<ref>[http://www.news.com.au/business/story/0,10166,21741061-462,00.html?from=public_rss iSOFT board approves IBA Health takeover]</ref>

Its headquarters was in Sydney, Australia prior to its acquisition by DXC Technology in 2011.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.csc.com/newsroom/press_releases/68289-csc_finalizes_isoft_acquisition |title=CSC Finalizes iSOFT Acquisition |access-date=19 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140319174634/http://www.csc.com/newsroom/press_releases/68289-csc_finalizes_isoft_acquisition |archive-date=19 March 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=TransIP - Reserved domain |url=http://www.isofthealth.com/en-gb/About%20Us/History%20of%20iSOFT.aspx |access-date=2026-03-11 |website=www.isofthealth.com}}</ref><ref>[http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240105223/CSC-closes-acquisition-of-iSoft-ahead-of-NHS-IT-contract-renegotiations CSC closes acquisition of iSoft ahead of NHS IT contract renegotiations]</ref>

==Accountancy irregularities== In the summer of 2004 the ''Guardian'' newspaper saw a confidential report suggesting questionable accounting practices in iSOFT tracing back to 2002.<ref name="guardianmemorandum">{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200607/cmselect/cmpubacc/390/6062640.htm|title=Memorandum submitted by Ian Griffiths and Simon Bowers, The Guardian|publisher=Public Accounts Committee - House of Commons|date=26 March 2007|access-date=15 April 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110904102810/http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200607/cmselect/cmpubacc/390/6062640.htm|archive-date=4 September 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> iSOFT sought<ref>{{cite news|title=Isoft goes to court over leak to press|url=http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/technology/article473319.ece|date=22 August 2004|work=The Times|first=Firchard|last=Fletcher|location=London}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> and obtained an injunction against the paper preventing publication of the story, and a Parliamentary Written Question was answered by the government saying that they had no plans to look into the matter.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2004-09-14.187360.h|title=Health - NHS Information Technology|date=14 September 2004|author=John Hutton MP|publisher=TheyWorkForYou.com}}</ref>

The leaked confidential report had been commissioned prior to a merger between itself and its rival Torex<ref>{{cite news|url=http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/article847686.ece|title=Torex and iSoft unveil £700m merger plan|work=The Times|first=Nic|last=Hopkins|date=23 July 2003|location=London}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> and had raised sufficient concerns within Torex that it was only rescued by the personal assurance of Sir Digby Jones, then Director-General of the CBI and non-executive director of iSOFT.

Following profits warnings in January 2006 and June 2006 due to changes in its accounting policy, the resignation of its chief executive, the announcement of losses of £344m for the year to April 2006, extensive delays to its already overdue Lorenzo product<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.e-health-insider.com/news/4252/lorenzo_stalled_at_morecambe_bay|title=Lorenzo stalled at Morecambe Bay|publisher=E-Health-Insider|date=21 October 2008|access-date=25 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107004058/http://www.e-health-insider.com/News/4252/lorenzo_stalled_at_morecambe_bay|archive-date=7 January 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> and the pulling out of one of its two main customers, Accenture, from the NHS government contract in September, and the opening of an investigation by the Financial Services Authority, the gagging order against the newspaper was lifted in October.<ref name="guardianmemorandum"/>

In January 2010, the FSA confirmed that they had begun legal proceedings against the four directors<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.e-health-insider.com/News/5521/former_isoft_directors_face_court|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120321205547/http://www.e-health-insider.com/News/5521/former_isoft_directors_face_court|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 March 2012|title=Former iSOFT directors face court|publisher=e-Health-Insider.com|first=Jon|last=Hoeksma|date=6 January 2010}}</ref> who were involved in the irregularities. In March, the AADB excluded Ian Storey, former financial controller, from membership of his professional body ICAEW.<ref>[http://www.accountancyage.com/accountancyage/news/2259909/aadb-strikes-former-isoft-fc Former iSoft FC excluded from the ICAEW after AADB probe] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100324113555/http://www.accountancyage.com/accountancyage/news/2259909/aadb-strikes-former-isoft-fc |date=24 March 2010 }}, ''Accountancy Age'', 22 March 2010</ref> They were acquitted at Southwark Crown Court on 22 July after a seven-year investigation and two trials brought by the Financial Conduct Authority, which said it would not pursue a third prosecution as the “case was now stale”.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/26309246-f5f1-11e2-a55d-00144feabdc0|title=Call to reform directors' insurance as iSoft four left with bill|last1=Bounds|first1=Andrew|last2=Croft|first2=Jane|date=2013-08-04|website=www.ft.com|access-date=2019-12-10|last3=Gray|first3=Alistair}}</ref> In 2013 the FCA has closed the case because of "procedural problems", clearing Patrick Cryne, Stephen Graham, Timothy Whiston and John Whelan of wrongdoing.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-23409533|title=iSoft's former directors trial collapses|publisher=BBC|date=22 July 2013}}</ref>

In 2011, the Accountancy and Actuarial Discipline Board fined Robson Rhodes £225,000 and ordered it to pay a contribution of £750,000 towards its costs. It also reprimanded Glyn Williams, a partner in the firm, and fined him £15,000.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.frc.org.uk/news/november-2011/rsm-robson-rhodes-llp-and-glyn-williams-isoft-grou|title=RSM Robson Rhodes LLP and Glyn Williams iSoft Group plc - Outcome of Disciplinary Hearing|date=21 November 2011|publisher=Financial Reporting Council}}</ref>

==Software problems== iSOFT's flagship product Lorenzo patient record systems was dogged by a number of issues mainly centred on delays to delivery schedules<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.e-health-insider.com/News/3869/lorenzo_slipped_%27months_ago%27_say_reports|title=Lorenzo slipped 'months ago' say reports|publisher=e-Health-Insider|first=Joe|last=Fernandez|date=19 June 2008|access-date=1 May 2009|archive-date=15 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100115050735/http://e-health-insider.com/news/3869/lorenzo_slipped_%27months_ago%27_say_reports|url-status=dead}}</ref> and questions over its suitability for the purpose it was intended.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.e-health-insider.com/News/2080/%27no_believable_plan%27_for_completion_of_isoft_lorenzo|title='No believable plan' for completion of iSoft Lorenzo|publisher=e-Health-Insider|date=21 August 2006|access-date=1 May 2009|archive-date=4 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100104185717/http://e-health-insider.com/news/2080/%27no_believable_plan%27_for_completion_of_isoft_lorenzo|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.silicon.com/publicsector/0,3800010403,39161655,00.htm|title="No believable plan" for key NHS IT software|publisher=silicon.com|first=Andy|last=McCue|date=21 August 2006}}</ref> As a result of continuous delays and quality issues, SingHealth, one of iSOFT's three early adopters, abandoned plans to wait for delivery of Lorenzo and opted to return to i. Clinical Manager's heritage product and deployed Sunrise Clinical Manager from Eclipsys instead.<ref>{{cite book |isbn= 9781849545525 |title=Conundrum: Why Every Government Gets Things Wrong - and What We Can Do About it |author=Richard Bacon, Christopher Hope |year=2013}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20040523120204/http://www.isoftplc.com/ iSOFT website] * [http://www.isofthealth.com iSOFT Group Limited website] * [http://www.ibsolutions.com iSOFT Business Solutions website]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Isoft}} Category:Health care companies of the United Kingdom Category:Health information technology companies