Greater access for Mater’s e-health record

As a result of a partnership with RACGP Oxygen, GPs will be able to access the Mater Shared Electronic Health Record— a new digital health record for expectant mothers—from their desktop.

The Mater Shared Electronic Health Record, to be rolled out later this year, forms part of the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record (PCEHR) project and will enable GPs, private obstetricians, patients and Mater Health Services in South East Queensland to collaborate and share health information for maternity patients, providing integrated care for mothers.

RACGP Oxygen, an e-health enterprise owned by The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), is working with e-health software developer Pen Computer Systems to deliver an integrated connection to the Mater Shared Electronic Health Record (EHR) from GPs’ desktops through the PrimaryCare Sidebar®.

Mater’s Executive Director of Information and Infrastructure Mal Thatcher said the PrimaryCare Sidebar® would notify GPs their patient has a Mater Shared EHR record and provide a secure link to the patient’s record to enable the GP to view, and securely share with Mater, important patient information.

“This valuable initiative ensures vital patient information is available to the patient’s consented healthcare team in order to increase patient safety and provide the most appropriate care,” Mr Thatcher said.

The PrimaryCare Sidebar® is an e-health resource that resides on the clinical desktop and integrates with the leading clinical and billing systems in general practice.

RACGP Oxygen is currently deploying the PrimaryCare Sidebar® nationally while the Mater Shared EHR program is an initiative that supports the Department of Health and Ageing’s national e-health roll-out.