Gippsland health service systems are in for a major overhaul with a multi-billion dollar investment supporting the modernisation of medical records, resulting in better, faster, safer care.
This week, Victorian Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas announced the investment of $12 million in funding over the next four years to support Gippsland health service system upgrades and the transition to electronic medical records (EMRs).
“Our state’s digital health roadmap is a blueprint for building a health system that can deliver world-class care for all Victorians no matter where they live,” Ms Thomas said.
Victoria’s Digital Health Roadmap prioritises replacing paper-based records with EMRs at all Victorian public health services, removing the risk of staff misinterpreting poorly written or deteriorating physical records while providing a place for patient information to be securely stored.
EMRs streamline tasks, reduce the manual writing of reports and prescriptions and give healthcare workers easy and fast access to vital patient information, improving care coordination and increasing efficiency and productivity.
The state government’s $12 million investment will support Gippsland Health Alliance in extending its Altera Sunrise digital system to Yarram and District Health Service, South Gippsland Hospital, Orbost Regional Health, Omeo District Health, Kooweerup Regional Health Service and Gippsland Southern Health Service, completing the digitisation of the regions remaining public hospitals.
The modernisation of medical records will be a significant step towards digitising health care in the region, which will support home-based and virtual care programs, keeping patients connected and able to access quality care no matter where they live.
Member for Eastern Victoria Tom McIntosh said the transition to EMRs ensures quality, accessible healthcare for all Victorians.
“Upgrading the medical record system ensures our region can provide our community the best healthcare available close to their homes,” he said.
Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing said modernising medical records will allow doctors, nurses and other health care workers to provide safer, more patient-centred care.
“Modernising these medical record systems ensures Gippsland will benefit from a safer and more efficient system when they are getting care,” Ms Shing said.
Yarram and District Health Service chief executive officer Paul Head welcomed the investment supporting the healthcare provider’s transition to EMRs.
“EMRs will have significant benefits across the health service, including in streamlining some tasks and processes, reducing manual writing of reports and prescriptions and better managing the flow of important patient information among healthcare staff,” Mr Head said.
“While it will increase efficiency and productivity, it will ultimately, and most importantly, lead to a better healthcare experience for the consumer.”
The funding announcement, which will support Yarram and District Health Service’s transition to EMRs, comes almost 12 months after Central Gippsland Health (CGH) implemented the electronic medical record system.
At the time of implementation, CGH EMR site coordinator, Lisa Fuessel, said the system reduced the need for patients to re-tell their story, with their detailed medical records available instantly online to their attending health professional.
“Our patients will now notice our staff at their bedside entering their details into a computer rather than writing it in a folder,” Ms Fuessel explained.
“This ensures information is easy to read and readily accessible to the health professionals involved in their care.”
CGH chief executive Mark Dykgraaf said EMRs were designed to help organisations provide safe, effective and precise care.
“Perhaps the most significant difference is that electronic medical records are universal, which allows clinical staff to access a patient record to provide safety and continuous care at any Gippsland health facility,” he said.
EMR allows healthcare professionals to safely prescribe and order medication for patients online; they will know patients’ medical history and any allergies they may have.
“With such detailed information available at our fingertips, our staff can more easily give our patients safe and efficient care,” Mr Dykgraaf said.
