tasmania plots single patient record system

By Crystal Low | 4 June 2009

The Australian state of Tasmania has issued a tender for a single patient imaging record system that will enable hospital staff across the state to access imaging services regardless of what hospital they were recorded in.

The Australian Department of Human Services hopes that by replacing the state’s existing radiology information and picture archive and communications system, it will be possible for clinicians to access patient images from outside the Department’s network.

The first phase of a roll-out is planned to begin in December with the Royal Hobart and Launceston General Hospital.

The state is also implementing iPatient Manager, a single integrated database of patient records, in all hospitals through a A$4 million (US$3.3 million) contract with iSoft-owner IBA. The database is being implemented region by region; the government anticipates it will be finished by 2009.

Previously implemented was the iPharmacy, an integrated application by iSoft that manages and tracks all essential activities within a hospital’s pharmacy environment.

Tasmania’s 2008/2009 budget marked out $18.5 million to be spent over four years on new IT systems in hospitals, child protection and mental health.

The goal was to provide doctors and nurses with bedside access to information and the transfer of patient data to help with diagnosis.

Tasmania was the only state to receive specified e-health funding from the Federal Budget, getting $1.2 million for a clinical information and communication virtual network to be built in north-west Tasmania, with $300,000 allocated this year.