eHealthNT

eHealthNT implementation is a joint initiative of the Australian Government's Department of Health and Ageing and the Northern Territory Government's Department of Health and Community Services

What's Next For eHealthNT?

eHealthNT is committed to the phased implementation of eHealth initiatives progressing towards compliance with National eHealth Transition Authority Standards compliance. eHealthNT will build on significant achievements to date and targets the following outcomes during the 2007/2008 financial year:

• Passing the Patient Safely Back to their Community - enhanced clinical communication through standardisation of electronic discharge summaries in all Northern Territory public hospitals for inpatient and Emergency Department (ED) attendances by consumers registered for the expanded eHealthNT Shared Electronic Health Record (SEHR) and consumers of providers participating in the eHealthNT Secure Electronic Messaging service, to enable the Territory's health professionals to fully utilise the Shared Electronic Health Record and Secure Electronic Messaging services and better respond to consumer needs, particularly benefiting Indigenous consumers in remote communities.
• Improving the Quality and Safety of care for patients in hospitals - following the successful implementation of advanced medication management (National Input Medication Chart compliant) in three pediatric wards in Royal Darwin Hospital, (includes capture of Medications on Admission, Electronic Prescribing, Pharmacy Review, Nurse Drug Administration, Advanced Decision Support and automatic inclusion of Discharge Medications into Inpatient Discharge Summaries and Emergency Department Event Summaries and integration with the Shared Electronic Health Record and Secure Electronic Messaging Service) continue to progressively implement the advanced medication management program into NT public hospitals.
• Improving Care in Emergency Presentations and for the Chronically ill, and Children - life saving information about consumers registered for the expanded eHealthNT Shared Electronic Health Record, including records of immunisations and medications and consumer care plans, will be able to be accessed by participating health providers across the NT, enabling those professionals to better manage acute presentations, chronic disease and child health issues and reduce duplication of tests and procedures.
• Breaking Down the Distance Barriers by Improving the co-ordination and delivery of health services to Indigenous populations.
• Increase the number of registrations of residents in the Northern Territory who receive / will receive services from health providers participating in the expanded eHealthNT Shared Electronic Health Record. Particular focus will be on remote Indigenous communities and Aboriginal Medical Services operating in major urban centres and small regional centres/towns across the Territory.
• Commence registration of residents in Darwin who receive services from health providers participating from the 3 major urban GP practices targeted for implementation of the expanded eHealthNT Shared Electronic Health Record.
• Through Nganampa AMS undertake community awareness consultations and develop an implementation strategy to progressively implement the eHealthNT Shared Electronic Health Record into remote Indigenous communities in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Homelands of Northern SA in conjunction with the timed implementation of the Communicare PIRS into Nganampa Aboriginal Medical Service remote health centres.

Acknowledgements

• Department of Health & Ageing for funding, support and their faith in the project
• Dialog Information Technology for the development of the technology to make it work and the support and advice provided to assist with implementation.
• IT System Vendors.
• Communities, Councils and Community Members who have made us welcome and provided us with so much support and assistance.
• Aboriginal Medical Services and their representative bodies; Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance of the Northern Territory (AMSANT) and Katherine Regional Health & Related Services (KRAHRS)
• Top End Division of General Practice (TEDGP)
• Northern Territory Public Hospitals.
• Remote Health Services