ACT pushes ahead with digital healthcare transformation


Released 26/08/2019

The next phase of the ACT’s digital healthcare transformation is now underway, with the release of a Request for Tender (RFT) seeking a service provider for the new Digital Health Record.

The 2019-20 ACT Budget delivered $106 million over eight years to introduce the Digital Health Record – a major investment that followed the release of the ACT’s new Digital Health Strategy in May and a further $41 million delivered in the 2018-19 Budget.

Minister for Health Rachel Stephen-Smith said the release of the RFT represented a significant step forward in the project.

“Technology is completely transforming the way health systems work – improving clinical practices and empowering patients to be more involved in their health,” Minister Stephen-Smith said.

“The Government recognises that to position the ACT to take advantage of new technologies and advances in health care into the future, we need to have the ICT systems in place to support our staff and patients.

“That’s what this new Digital Health Record will do, and we are proud to be delivering this important project for the Canberra community.”

The RFT is for a service provider to provide, support and maintain the Digital Health Record solution over the ten-year initial contract period. As part of this, the service provider will be engaged to deliver:

  • the territory-wide Digital Health Record solution to meet the ACT’s strategic objectives and stated requirements;
  • implementation services required to successfully complete the Digital Health Record; and
  • the operation of services through a collaborative relationship that will seek to improve the Digital Health Record over the contract period to ensure it remains contemporary and meets the evolving needs of the ACT community.

Acting Chief Information Officer for the ACT Health Directorate Sandra Cook said the Digital Health Record was an incredibly important project for the ACT health system.

“The impact the Digital Health Record will have for the ACT public health system cannot be underestimated,” Ms Cook said.

“It will ensure a single point of access to patient information across public hospitals and health services.

“It will support the other digital systems that we have put in place in recent years to improve the care the community received. And it will also assist us in consolidating other paper and legacy electronic clinical records, of which there are more than 250 currently operating due the rapid innovations in medical technology over the past decade.

“We look forward to hearing from the market about what they can offer the Territory to assist in achieving our vision of enabling exemplary person-centred care through digital innovation.”

Ms Cook said a key factor in progressing the Digital Health Record project will be meeting the community’s expectations about privacy of information and managing patient confidentiality.

“Much of the information to be contained in the new record is already captured through paper records and various clinical IT systems. What the new record will do, is make it easier for the clinical workforce to access the information to get the best treatment outcomes for their patients,” Ms Cook said.

“One of the highest priorities for this project is ensuring we are building up the protections around health information that consumers expect in this digital age, and this will continue to be a key focus.

“There are also strong privacy provisions in the Health Records (Privacy and Access) Act 1997 that protect patient confidentiality.”

The RFT closes on 3 October 2019. Further information is available on the Tenders ACT website.

Further information on the Digital Health Record is available on the ACT Health website.

- Statement ends -

Rachel Stephen-Smith, MLA | Media Releases

Media Contacts

Name Phone Mobile Email

Caitlin Cook

(02) 6207 8731

0434 702 827

caitlin.cook@act.gov.au


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