AKM Software
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Software |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Founder | Kelvin Acford |
| Defunct | 2009 |
| Fate | Acquired by UnitedHealth UK |
| Headquarters | Coventry , United Kingdom |
Area served | United Kingdom, NHS primary care organisations |
Key people | Kelvin Acford (founder) |
| Products | ScriptSwitch (real-time decision support system for GPs) |
| Parent | UnitedHealth UK (from 2009) |
| Website | www |
ScriptSwitch Limited was a software enterprise based in the UK that created a real-time decision support system designed for GP surgeries. Its main offering, ScriptSwitch, was predominantly marketed to NHS primary care organisations, delivering GPs with prescribing guidance customized to local needs, which included alerts on patient safety and recommendations for medication switches. By April 2010, the solution was implemented in more than 4,400 GP practices within 116 NHS Primary Care Organisations, serving a patient population of 27 million and reportedly generating annual savings exceeding £20 million for the NHS.
History
The origins of ScriptSwitch trace back to 2000 when it started as a private partnership led by Kelvin Acford, a retail pharmacist, who worked alongside students from the University of Warwick to create a decision support tool tailored for GPs. Following prototype development and team growth, the collaborators incorporated AKM Software Limited in 2001. The initial commercial release occurred in early 2003 with pilot installations in several GP surgeries. To attract external investment and expand business activities, ScriptSwitch Limited was founded in mid-2003, taking over the assets of AKM Software.
Initial venture funding was secured from MidVen in 2003. In early 2006, ownership transferred to ISIS Equity Partners. Later, in late 2009, UnitedHealth UK—a subsidiary of the American healthcare corporation UnitedHealth Group—acquired ScriptSwitch for an estimated £50 million.
Awards
In 2009, ScriptSwitch Limited was honored with the Queen's Awards for Enterprise specifically recognizing Innovation.
External links
- [1] Optum UK - Official website.
- Software companies of the United Kingdom
- British companies established in 2003
- Software companies established in 2003
- Companies based in Coventry
- Companies based in the West Midlands (county)
- 2003 establishments in England
- 2009 mergers and acquisitions
- 2009 disestablishments in England
- Software companies disestablished in 2009
- British companies disestablished in 2009
- 2006 mergers and acquisitions
- British companies disestablished in 2003