Clinical information will be more accessible across central region DHBs.
A new regional IT support service is helping ensure central region District Health Board staff can receive consistent support for central region clinical computer systems.
Central region DHBs – Capital & Coast, Hutt Valley, Wairarapa, Whanganui, MidCentral, and Hawkes Bay – have co-developed a suite of shared computer systems to centralise the acquisition, storage, retrieval, and use of patient information across the DHBs.
The shared systems are part of a $65 million investment across the DHBs to ensure they are linked up, and give patients quality, joined-up care across the region, said Capital & Coast DHB chief information officer Shayne Hunter.
“Patients sometimes go to hospitals in other regions. Health professionals need to be able to access a patient’s medical records regardless of which DHB they belong to,” Hunter said.
“By having the most up to date information about the patient – including any illnesses, or medications they may be on – health care professionals can provide care that is consistent with what they’ve been receiving from their own DHB.”
Each DHB maintains its local part of the shared computer systems, with the team based at Capital & Coast DHB providing the regional support service for problems they can’t fix locally.
“We’re well-placed to provide the service because we, as a three DHB service – across Capital & Coast, Hutt Valley and Wairarapa – already have experience working across multiple organisations."
As reported yesterday, the delayed National Oracle Solution of enterprise software for all 20 DHBs is being reviewed by Deloitte ahead of a bid for additional funding from Cabinet.
