NEW DISCHARGE SUMMARY IMPROVES CONTINUITY OF CARE

Hospitals in the Sunshine Coast-Wide Bay Health Service District Northern Cluster have joined forces with local GPs to improve continuity of care for patients.

With the rollout of the Enterprise Discharge Summary project, GPs can automatically receive a computerised summary of their patient’s stay in hospital.

Discharge summaries can be provided to GPs immediately upon completion, providing the GP is electronically enabled.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Health Paul Lucas said previously, doctors received hand-written summaries by post or fax and this new process would enable Queensland Health to distribute discharge information in a more timely and secure manner.

“Bundaberg, Hervey Bay and Maryborough hospitals and rural facilities across the North Burnett have embraced the new technology which enables patient information to be sent directly to general practitioners,” Mr Lucas said.

“The new application is gradually being implemented throughout all hospital departments.

“While the primary benefit is the improvement of post-discharge patient care, the project will also improve relationships between hospitals and GPs.

“We are continuing to work with GP Links to ensure all practices are electronically prepared to receive the Enterprise Discharge Summary.”

Mr Lucas said the Enterprise Discharge Summary system was now live in 108 hospitals throughout Queensland and he thanked the Divisions of General Practice for having taken a lead role.

“These facilities are now completing more than 15,000 discharge summaries per month,” he said.

“At the end of May 2010, the Enterprise Discharge Summary system reached a milestone in sending its 200,000th discharge summary.

“The rollout of the system to the remainder of Queensland Health hospitals throughout the State will be completed by the end of the year.”

EDS Clinical Leader and Director of Medical Services at the QEII Hospital, Dr David Evans, said patients were the real winners.

“Accurate information about their hospital stay being delivered more efficiently to their GP means better post-discharge care,” he said.

Dr Fraser McKenzie, from the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, echoed the sentiment.

“I would like to thank the EDS team for this excellent discharge summary system. It provides a detailed summary of the patient’s problem, past medical history and outstanding issues.”

Mr Lucas said existing computer systems within Queensland Health automatically completed some sections of the summary.

“This makes it more accurate and thorough, and saves the valuable time of our clinicians,” he said.

“Because the summary is sent securely using Public Key Infrastructure with Medicare location certificates, patient information remains confidential at all times.”

Mr Lucas said the vast majority of doctors were using the new program which had three key benefits – timeliness, legibility and appropriate information.

“Having it electronically also means less paperwork, and it is a marked improvement on what was in place prior to this system being introduced,” he said.

ENDS

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