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Home  »  E-Library  »  Service  »  General Practice Liaison  »  GPLO Conferences  »  5th National GP Liaison Officers Conference 2005  »  E-Linking

E-Linking (Secure Messaging)

Speaker

Anthony Critchley

Anthony Critchley trained as a clinical psychologist and is currently working as Manager of the GP-Hospital Integration Project on the Central Coast NSW.

Abstract

The E-Link Central Coast is a joint project between Central Coast hospitals within Northern Sydney Central Coast Health Service (NSCCH) and NSW Central Coast Division of General Practice (CCDGP) to improve communication delivery from hospital to general practice. 

E-Link Central Coast utilises an innovative, Australian designed DivisionReport, which enables medical providers to electronically communicate with one another and relevant government agencies in a secure and dynamic online environment. The system has been specifically tailored by Computer Network Systems (CNS) for Central Coast region as CentralReport and will deliver

  • Status Messages from CCH to GPs and Specialists on their patients 
  • Discharge Referrals (EDRs) from CCH to GPs and Specialists
  • Messages between GP and Specialists

As of July 2005, there are 184 GPs and 31 Specialists (various disciplines) connected with Central Reports on the NSW Central Coast.

Status Messaging To Gps:

  • The introduction of electronic transfer of status reports to the GP desktop has improved communication, patient confidentiality and efficiency of sending & receiving status messages (such Patient is admitted, Discharged, Deceased and baby born). All messages being sent from NSCCH are secure, ensuring patient confidentiality is maintained.

Discharge Summaries To Gps:

  • The Central Coast EDRS project was identified as a potential source of key information required to support ongoing clinical management and messages between GPs and specialists for referral and other communication purposes.
  • Planned NSCCH departmental interfacing of software has allowed patient reports and results to appear in the electronic health record, creating an integrated electronic medical record.
  • Tne recent major achievement for the area health service has seen the completion of clinical documentation by medical officers in the following clinical disciplines - Discharge Referrals/Summary for Paediatrics, Palliative Care, Geriatrics, General Medicine, Neurology and Registration/Care Plans for Palliative Care. The next clinical specialties planned to come on board include Surgical, AODS, Cancer Care, Respiratory and Cardiac Services. THESE SECURE DISCHARGE SUMMARIES ARE NOW BEING RECIVED BY THE GPs.

Communication Between Gps And Specialists:

  • GPs and specialists can also communicate with each other in real time, delivering patient information for referral or providing feedback whilst enabling the integration of patient notes. Most GPs and specialists have current systems and processes that are labour intensive and as a result many GPs on the coast have responded favourably with this solution

Presentation

PDF File E-linking (405K)

Seminar

5th National GP Liaison Officers Conference

Update

A Post Implementation Review (PIR) of this project was recently undertaken.  Attached is the Executive Summary of the PIR Report.

PDF File Executive Summary (174K)

 

 
 
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