The hospital group is implementing MEDITECH’s cloud-based electronic medical record solution, Expanse, across its network of private hospitals.
St Vincent’s Health Australia Private Hospitals is enlisting MEDITECH as its electronic medical record provider, allowing patient records to be connected across its 10 private hospitals using a cloud-based platform, Expanse.
The EMR solution, which has experienced “significant growth” in the US market since 2017, will be hosted on a single, cloud-based platform allowing integration across St Vincent’s network of private hospitals in Victoria, NSW and Queensland, MEDITECH said this morning.
The platform will allow healthcare professionals to access patient information, examine results, submit orders and edit records on their mobile devices.
“Expanse … enables care across delivery settings, designing cloud-based systems to drive better outcomes, and providing mobile, personalised solutions for an overburdened workforce,” said the company announcement.
“The platform includes intuitive, web-based navigation that presents each member of a patient’s care team with real-time information, personalised to their workflows.”
MEDITECH confirmed that the platform is secure and aligns with St Vincent’s cybersecurity program.
Patricia O’Rourke, CEO of St Vincent’s private hospital division, said:
“As advocates of patient-centered medicine, we are always looking at ways to improve care through use of technology.
“With this robust EMR foundation, we will be able to add even more advanced clinical functionality over time,” she said.
MEDITECH’s Asia Pacific managing director Douglas Murray concurred, adding that the company was looking forward “to working in partnership to support them in their mission to innovate care delivery with our flexible and customisable MEDITECH as a service solution”.
It’s a good news day for SVHA, whose flagship Sydney public hospital at Darlinghurst has been in the news following controversy over a change to one-on-one nursing for patients with special needs, as well as a cyberattack over the summer.
Award for country’s oldest hospital
Sydney/Sydney Eye Hospital (SSEH) has been awarded the Nightingale Badge, given to individuals and institutions who have made an exceptional contribution to the nursing profession.
The museum, located in the historic Nightingale Wing on Macquarie Street, commemorates two very important women in the history of nursing — social reformer and founder of modern nursing Florence Nightingale and Lucy Osburn, an English nurse who, in 1897, was sent by Nightingale at the request of the colonial government to Sydney, to establish the first Nightingale Training school in Australia.
“We feel extremely privileged to have been recognised by our international colleagues, in acknowledgement of the significant history of nursing first championed here by Lucy Osburn over 100 years ago,” said Natalie Maier, SSEH’s director of nursing and support services.
“I thank the museum for preserving the legacy of Lucy Osburn, who, very early on, set the standard for nursing in Australia. This high standard lives on today, as our nurses continue to provide world-class patient care.”
NSW Health Secretary Susan Pearce AM said the award was presented in celebration of all Nightingale-trained nurses in Australia.
“It is great to see Sydney Eye Hospital and the Lucy Osburn Nightingale Museum receive international recognition as the founders of Nightingale nursing in Australia,” said Ms Pearce.
Royal Perth wins medical oncology service approval
Patients with breast, colorectal, lung and metastatic prostate cancer who require specialist inpatient care can now be admitted at Royal Perth Hospital under the governance of a medical oncologist.
The WA Department of Health has approved a restricted Level 5 Medical Oncology Service in the next phase of the East Metropolitan Health Service Cancer Services Plan.
An inpatient oncology unit at RPH will provide continuity of care and support EMHS catchment patients accessing urgent chemotherapy, tumour specific multidisciplinary case conferences, palliative care and pain management services.
In addition, 24-hour access to dedicated medical oncology consultants will facilitate the management of emergency presentations and oncological emergencies.
The RPH Medical Oncology Inpatient Service will build upon a well-established outpatient service supported by a multidisciplinary team, including nursing, physiotherapy, social work, Aboriginal health liaison, clinical psychology, GP survivorship physician, pharmacy, dietetics, speech pathology and occupational therapy.
Infrastructure update
In NSW:
- Community consultations are underway for the design of the $80 million Temora Hospital redevelopment. Services will include perioperative facilities for surgery and procedures, community and allied health, ambulatory clinics, and pathology. Medical imaging facilities will also be enhanced. Improved car parking for patients, staff and visitors, as well as separate emergency and service vehicle entry are also included as part of the design. Consultation is open until 4 March.
- Designs for the $200 million Bathurst Hospital redevelopment are now open for community consultation. The project includes an expanded emergency department and maternity services alongside a new modern non-acute mental health inpatient unit (Panorama House). It will also include improvements to inpatient, outpatient and community health services, operating theatres, cardiology services and a new integrated paediatrics zone, alongside a planned expansion to Daffodil Cottage. Construction is expected to start in 2025 following planning approvals.
- Construction is underway on the $110.2 million Cowra Hospital redevelopment and is expected to be completed in 2025.
In Queensland:
- A $7.3 million expansion and refurbishment project at Mater Private Hospital Mackay is adding a sixth perioperative theatre, refurbishment of the existing theatre shell to support the expansion, a redesign of the pre-operative, recovery and patient amenity zones and the creation of new sterile storage areas. Work is scheduled for completion early next month.
- An extensive upgrade of the Central Sterile Services Department at Mater Private Hospital Townsville (Pimlico campus) has begun and is expected to be completed in March 2025. The work includes the installation of four state-of-the-art sterilisers.