New South Wales
HealthConnect is a system of electronic health records that aims to improve the flow of information across the Australian health sector. It involves the electronic collection, storage and exchange of consumer health information via a secure network and within strict privacy safeguards.
HealthConnect trials test the network in a 'live' setting and have helped to identify the preferred model for HealthConnect. The national implementation of HealthConnect, to begin in South Australia and Tasmania, will have minimal impact on the trials which will continue as planned to inform the implementation process.
The NSW HealthConnect trial is being developed in close collaboration with the NSW Electronic Health Record Strategy, NSW Health e-Link. It has been agreed by NSW Health and the HealthConnect Program Office that a pilot of NSW Health e-Link will form the basis of the NSW HealthConnect trial.
The NSW trial will operate in two locations and build upon projects already established by NSW Health. The Child Health Information Network project will operate in Greater Western Sydney, and the Chronic Disease Management System project will operate in the Hunter Valley.
What does the trial aim to do?
The trial's objectives are to:
- improve the health of those participating in the trials; and
- develop, test and evaluate the core components of HealthConnect and NSW Health e-Link, including business and technical architecture, security and consent, communication and implementation of standards.
When will the trial begin?
The trial will commence in mid 2005 and is expected to continue for at least 2 years.
Child Health Information Network
The Child Health Information Network (CHIN) will collect health information (subject to parent or guardian consent) in an electronic format at the point of care, such as at hospitals, child health centres, paediatricians' and GPs' practices. The information collected will be used to support the care of children with acute and chronic health care needs. It is envisaged that the information will provide services equivalent to an electronic 'Blue Book' (or reference book) in managing those children who enjoy good health.
Who can participate in CHIN?
CHIN will focus on children 0 to 15 years living and receiving health services in five postcode areas of Greater Western Sydney. This region contains one of the highest concentrations of children in the state with over 420,000 children in this age group enrolled in Medicare.
Conducting the trial in this region will enable sufficient numbers of children to participate to enable clear conclusions to be drawn from the trial.
The trial will include health care providers working in private and public health facilities such as hospitals, outpatient clinics and community health centres, and doctors who service the five postcode areas. Four Area Health Services within the region will provide data to CHIN:
- South Western Sydney Area Health Service;
- Western Sydney Area Health Service;
- Wentworth Area Health Service; and
- The Children's Hospital at Westmead.
Information will also be drawn from seven hospitals and up to twenty-three community health centres. I additional, private medical practitioners in the areas will also provide data from their practice management systems.
Chronic Disease Management System
The Chronic Disease Management System (CDMS) will seek to improve the delivery of health care to people with chronic disease in the Maitland/Raymond Terrace area of the Hunter Valley. This region has been chosen because it has a high concentration of people with chronic disease and its relatively close locality to health services at the acute care, community and GP level.
The objectives of CDMS are to:
- provide clinicians with a more complete health record to assist them in managing the care of people with chronic disease; and
- prove that the use of integrated, shared information can support and improve the management of chronic disease at the point of care.
The development of a formal care plan for those taking part in the trial will also be used to assess existing performance indicators for chronic disease.
Who can participate in CDMS?
Consumer participants will be adults over 65 years of age who live in the region and suffer from:
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease;
- other respiratory diseases - including asthma, emphysema or bronchiectasis;
- pulmonary fibrosis and other non classified respiratory diseases;
- congestive heart failure; or
- diabetes.
CDMS will include acute hospital and community health services as well as GPs who provide a pivotal role as care planners and coordinators in the management of people with chronic disease.
Further information
To find out more about Health e-Link visit the website:
www.health.nsw.gov.au/im/ibs/ehr/index.html
For general information about HealthConnect contact the HealthConnect Program Office:
Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing
MDP 25, GPO Box 9848, Canberra ACT 2601
fax: (02) 6289 8295
email: healthconnect@health.gov.au