Finally, GPs out west can at least see their patients’ information, even if they can’t amend them.
GPs and general practices in far west NSW now have digital view-only access to a patient’s NSW Health medical information for the first time.
The co-located GP clinics project is being delivered by eHealth NSW in partnership with Western NSW PHN, Maari Ma Health Aboriginal Corporation and the Royal Flying Doctors Service’s South Eastern Section.
Sharing NSW Health medical information with a patient’s nominated GP or general practice aims to improve continuity and transfer of care, overall patient experience, and health outcomes.
When a patient attends a NSW Health facility in Far West Local Health District for medical treatment, a staff member will confirm details of their GP or general practice. They will also be asked whether they give consent to share health information held by NSW Health with their GP or general practice.
“This allows the sharing of patient information between acute and primary care,” said Brenton Jones, the senior digital health officer of WNSW PHN.
“It aims to significantly enhance continuity of care for patients in the Far West region and we look forward to continuing to support this exciting initiative.”
Dr Shannon Nott, chief medical officer for the RFDS South Eastern Section, said the project would greatly improve the healthcare experience for remote communities in far western NSW.
“Sharing clinical documentation and data means the RFDS can work collaboratively with other care providers to make better healthcare decisions and streamline patient care,” he said.
“We are excited about the potential to support our work and it’s an important step forward in helping to improve health outcomes for vulnerable communities.”
Related
GPs and general practices in FWLHD must sign a contractual agreement to ensure patient privacy and security in accessing NSW Health information.
With a patient’s consent, NSW Health will make the following health information electronically available to their GP or general practice via the HealtheNet clinical portal:
- Patient demographics (e.g. date of birth, address);
- Allergies and adverse reactions;
- Clinical summary (of inpatient, emergency, outpatient and community health treatment);
- Patient documentation (including radiology reports);
- Pathology results; and
- Hospital prescribed medications.
This clinical information includes recent data and historical information from health districts across New South Wales.
