Mater named as latest e-health site

Mater Health Services has been awarded funding by the Department of Health and Ageing (DOHA) to implement an eHealth site under its Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record (PCEHR) Program.

The funding of $7 106 000 for the next 12 months will enable Mater Mothers’ Hospitals to implement a new shared Electronic Health Record (EHR) for expectant mothers as part of the national PCEHR initiative for all Australians.

Mater will collaborate with Brisbane South Division, South East Alliance of GPs, Southeast Primary Healthcare Division and private obstetric practices to meet the project’s objectives.

Once developed, the patient’s record will be able to be contributed to and accessed by Mater clinicians, general practitioners (GPs), private obstetricians and the patient themselves.

When fully operational, the shared EHR system should allow health consumers to access their electronic health information online as well as improve patient safety, enhance health care delivery and cut waste and duplication.

Mater Health Services Chief Information Officer Mal Thatcher said a paper-based Pregnancy Health Record was currently used to support the care of a woman during her pregnancy.

“This record is referred to as a ‘hand-held’ record and is carried by the woman during her pregnancy as she visits various health care providers within Mater and in the community,” Mr Thatcher said.

“The aim of the shared EHR project is to replace the paperbased Pregnancy Health Record with an electronic health record, controlled by the woman.

“While many specialists already use electronic systems, such as their practice management systems and Mater Doctor Portal, for storing and viewing patient data, the shared EHR system will allow data to be securely shared between health providers and the patient.

“By sharing information, patients would no longer need to repeat their medical history to each provider they visit,” he said.

Mr Thatcher said the intention was that Mater’s maternity focused shared EHR would store key information such as health history, previous pregnancy history, birth preferences, breastfeeding preferences, an obstetric management plan, pathology and radiology results, alcohol and drug screening information, medications, allergies and adverse reactions.

“The maternity shared EHR project will collaborate with Health Industry eXchange to leverage their expertise and intellectual property in the area of practice system integration in order to fast track the integration of the practice information systems (GPs and VMOs) in the project’s catchment area.”

Since the early 1990s, Mater has rolled out a comprehensive suite of clinical information systems and today we have more than 100 departmental clinical systems which have laid the foundation for the development of an Electronic Health Record.