NSW Health’s largest digital transformation program is now underway with global technology supplier Epic Systems signing on to deliver the Single Digital Patient Record (SDPR).
The SDPR will provide a highly secure and holistic record of a patient’s care at NSW Health services. The nex-tgeneration system will enhance experiences of care by giving clinicians access to a patient’s medical information in real-time, from a single source.
It will integrate and build upon the existing electronic medical records (eMR), laboratory information management systems (LIMS) and patient administration systems (PAS).
Consistent and comprehensive patient health records will be available across all NSW Health services and facilities. This includes public hospitals, community health centres and pathology laboratories.
The SDPR will be delivered collaboratively and in partnership with Local Health Districts (LHDs), Specialty Health Networks (SHNs) and other NSW Health organisations, facilitated by eHealth NSW and NSW Health Pathology.
eHealth NSW Chief Executive and NSW Health Chief Information Officer Dr Zoran Bolevich said the SDPR will support the delivery of consistent, safe, and timely care across NSW Health.
“For the first time in NSW, all healthcare teams will be able to use the same system to access clinical information in real-time, record the care they provide, order diagnostic tests and manage medications,” Dr Bolevich said.
“Patients will have confidence that their care teams have all the relevant information at their fingertips, no matter which public hospital or community healthcare facility they visit.”
A new SDPR Steering Committee was established in August this year with representation from across the NSW Health system. This group will oversee the system's design and implementation and are responsible for key decision making.
Recently the group endorsed the SDPR program governance model, including the Design Authority and discipline-specific councils. It is expected that there will be approximately 70 specialist groups that will lead the configuration of the SDPR ensuring that clinicians are empowered to make key design decisions on the SDPR to meet their needs.
Consumers will also be consulted through working groups and wider advisory groups including the existing eHealth NSW Consumer Reference Group. We continue to build strong connections with these groups to ensure a diverse range of voices are heard.
Once the design and configuration phase is complete, the SDPR program will move to implementation at its lead site.
Hunter New England LHD and the HNE-based laboratories in the NSW Health Pathology North Network are scheduled to be the first to go live with SDPR in 2026 followed by the Justice and Forensic Mental Health Network. This will be followed by a phased rollout throughout NSW. Northern NSW LHD and Mid North Coast LHD are the first sites in the second tranche followed by Northern Sydney LHD and Central Coast LHD. This ensures rural LHDs, and their patients, can start benefitting from the SDPR early in the rollout schedule. There are 3 further tranches to complete the statewide rollout by 2029/30.
If you would like to know more about SDPR and receive regular updates, please contact our SDPR team.
You can also learn more by visiting the SDPR solutions page on the eHealth NSW website.
The above news item is included in our eHealth NSW December 2023 newsletter.
Download the December 2023 newsletter
