Digital Health for Allied Health Professionals
Digital Health refers to a range of digital processes, services and systems that can be used to manage health information and data from different points of care to allow faster, easier, secure sharing and access to this information, deliver safer, better quality healthcare and result in a more efficient, integrated health system.
Contact our Digital Health & QI team: digitalhealth@cesphn.com.au for support and assistance.
See here for upcoming Digital Health events and webinars.
My Health Record (MHR, formerly Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record or PCEHR) enables better access to important health information which are currently held in silos across the health sector. MHR provides an active online record that follows your patients as they move through the healthcare system, capturing important clinical information at different points in time. Australians who are registered for My Health Record can access their health information when and where they need it and share this information with their health providers.
Currently My Health Record provides information on medications, allergies and adverse reactions, medical history and immunisation history, MBS and PBS history, imaging and pathology reports and advance care documents.
Click here for our dedicated page on My Health Record.
Secure messaging is the secure electronic transfer of information between health professionals within the healthcare sector, including general practitioners, allied health professionals, hospitals, specialists etc. Secure messaging allows you to exchange reports, discharge summaries and other documents between other health professionals.
The benefits include:
- reducing the time waiting for documents to be delivered
- receiving the documents electronically into your software, removing the need for scanning
- no more illegible and faxed documents
- cost saving on staff time, stationery and postage
- being environmentally friendly
A list of common vendors include:
- HealthLink
- Argus
- MedicalObjects
- ReferralNet
For more information, see here.
Telehealth refers to information and communication technologies to deliver healthcare services and transmit health information via telephone, email or videoconferencing.
Benefits of using telehealth include:
- convenience/flexibility of conducting consultation in any place, saving travel time and money
- improves access to care, including easier access for other parties to join and participate
- privacy and confidentiality maintained as with face-to-face consultations
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Medicare subsidised telehealth services were expanded for all Australians from 13 March 2020 to 30 September 2020.
Click here for the Department of Health COVID-19 Telehealth items guide.
Healthdirect Video Call service
We are pleased to announce that the Healthdirect Video Call Service Pilot Program has been refunded by the Department of Health until 30 June 2021.
This includes GPs, AHPs, Mental Health and Aged Care providers, partaking in the PHN Video Call Service Pilot Program. However, it is being reviewed to re-focus on supporting areas of need for primary care. What these areas of need will look like is being determined by the Commonwealth Dept of Health therefore, the eligibility criteria for this Program will change at 30 September 2020.
Advice about these changes for your PHN and GPs, Allied Health, Mental Health and Aged Care networks, will be provided as soon as information becomes available from the Commonwealth Dept of Health.
PHNs participating in the Healthdirect Video Call Service Pilot Program are still able to access the Healthdirect Video Call platform and onboard services as per their approved application until 30 September 2020.
View this short video to learn more about the Healthdirect Video Call service
If you are interested in being set up, please complete the New Clinic Application Form and send it to telehealth@cesphn.com.au. We can get you up and running in a day.
HealthDirect Video Call Service resources:
- View this 6 minute video to learn more about the Healthdirect Video Call service
- HealthDirect Videocall factsheet
- Customisable Video Call Patient Information Leaflet
- Video Call Clinician How To and Troubleshooting Guide
- Video Call Patient How To and Troubleshooting Guide
See here for the latest telehealth information on our Coronavirus webpage.