State Government of Victoria, Australia Selects TrakHealth to Speed Transition to New Health Systems

The government in the Australian State of Victoria has big plans for its health system. An A$324 million project called HealthSMART is underway to refresh and replace existing information and communication technology across the Victorian health system, with the ultimate goal of creating state-wide coordinated and integrated information systems. At the heart of this effort is TrakHealth, which in March 2006 signed a contract with the Victorian Department of Human Services to provide its TrakCare Web-based healthcare information system to Community Health agencies throughout the State. “This will improve client care, standardise client data, and allow more time for health professionals to spend with clients.” -Bronwyn Pike, Health Minister, Australian State of Victoria.

The solution provides Community Healthcare professionals with fingertip access to client information that supports improved coordination between agencies, more efficient delivery of services, and better health outcomes for the residents of Victoria. “This contract provides independent community health services the opportunity to participate in a state-wide coordinated and integrated information systems rollout for the first time in Victoria,” says the State’s Health Minister Bronwyn Pike. “This will improve client care, standardise client data, and allow more time for health professionals to spend with clients.”

Chosen by health care practitioners
The decision to adopt TrakCare came after it was evaluated by a panel of over 150 health care professionals. “Such extensive consultation with users has ensured that the product has been selected for heath care professionals, by health care professionals,” the Minister says, while recognising that the adoption of TrakCare will give the State capabilities unavailable with its existing systems. “These new systems will replace a range of outdated applications and provide improved services far in excess of what is currently available.”

One of the Department of Human Services’ key requirements was the ability for the Community Health information solution to integrate with Victoria’s state-wide healthcare integration architecture. TrakCare is meeting this integration requirement with its ‘FastTrak to EPR’ rapid integration capability.

Making a difference for five million people
The Victorian Government’s decision to work with TrakHealth is expected to improve the services upon offer to a population of over five million people. “These systems will better support the interaction between clients and health care professionals and reduce the administrative time required of health care providers,” Ms. Pike says. “Improvements in the availability of information will result in more time for clinicians to spend with clients and support the case management of clients across the spectrum of health. This will streamline the delivery of services and improve the client experience when dealing with Victorian public health professionals.”

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