Topic: Digital health

General practices are leading the way in healthcare by embracing digital health solutions.

One such solution is the creation of Shared Health Summaries for patients in My Health Record.

By incorporating this practice into your workflow, you can contribute to a patient-centric health system, encourage shared care teams, and provide a more positive experience for your patients.

The following article will guide you through practical steps on how to identify patients who would benefit from a Shared Health Summary and seamlessly integrate this process into your everyday practice.

 

Step 1: Identifying patients with chronic diseases:

Chronic diseases such as the following which require ongoing management and coordinated care are recommended to have a Shared Health Summary uploaded to their My Health Record.

• Alcohol and other Drugs (AoD)
• Cancer
• Cardiovascular disease
• Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)
• Dementia/Alzheimer’s
• Diabetes
• Disability
• Mental health
• Musculoskeletal conditions
• Oral Diseases
• Respiratory conditions

Focus on your current patient database to identify individuals with these conditions who would benefit from a Shared Health Summary. This can be done during routine consultations, care plan reviews, or chronic disease management assessments.

 

Step 2: Assessing the benefits:

For each identified patient, evaluate the potential benefits of creating a Shared Health Summary.

Consider factors such as the complexity of their condition(s), involvement of multiple healthcare providers and the potential impact on continuity of care.

Engage in discussions with the patient to explain the benefits of securely sharing updated information with other members of their care team through creating a Shared Health Summary.

 

Step 3: Collecting and organising information:

Leverage your practice management software to streamline the process by utilising the functionalities of the My Health Record tab to document the Shared Health Summary.

When creating a Shared Health Summary, gather relevant clinical information such as medical history, current diagnoses, medications, allergies, and recent test results.

 

Step 4: Documenting the Shared Health Summary:

Ensure the summary is easily understandable by utilising plain language and standardised medical terminologies. Remember to update and maintain the Shared Health Summary as necessary to reflect changes in the patient’s health status.

 

Step 5: Integrating the workflow:

To seamlessly incorporate Shared Health Summaries into your workflow, consider the following suggestions:

• Make time in your appointments specifically for creating and updating Shared Health Summaries.
• Explore integration options between your electronic health record system and My Health Record for streamlined data transfer.
• Develop checklists to identify patients who have conditions which would benefit from creating a Shared Health Summary.
• Inform shared care teams and other healthcare providers you have created a Shared Health Summary in My Health Record for them to facilitate the exchange of information and collaboration.

 

Conclusion:

By following these practical steps, you can successfully implement the creation of Shared Health Summaries for your patients in My Health Record.

Identifying patients with chronic diseases, assessing their needs, collecting relevant information, documenting comprehensive summaries, and integrating this process into your workflow will enable you to provide a patient-centric care approach, foster collaboration among shared care teams, and improve the overall healthcare experience for your patients.

Resources:

• How to upload a Shared Health Summary to My Health Record using Best Practice.
  Watch on YouTube
• How to upload a Shared Health Summary to My Health Record using MedicalDirector.
  Watch on YouTube
• How patients can access their medical records in the MyHealth app.
  Watch on YouTube

Reach out to the Digital Health team via email at DigitalHealth@swsphn.com.au for assistance in getting started.

Together, let’s create a more connected and efficient healthcare system.

SafeScript NSW is a real-time prescription monitoring system which provides prescribers and pharmacists with access to a patient’s prescription and dispensing history for high-risk medicines, known as monitored medicines, such as opioids and benzodiazepines.

It aims to support clinical decision making and improve patient safety.

SafeScript NSW assists prescribers and pharmacists to:

• review patients’ prescribing and dispensing history for monitored medicines
• identify patients who are receiving prescriptions for monitored medicines from multiple prescribers, placing them at increased risk of harm
• consider patients’ total daily dose of opioids when making decisions about their care
• identify patients who may be taking harmful combinations of monitored medicines

Who can access the system?

All prescribers (medical practitioners and nurse practitioners) and pharmacists who are registered with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) are able to access SafeScript NSW, once invited to register.

Prescribers and pharmacists can only use information held in SafeScript NSW for the purpose of:

• providing treatment to an individual patient by reviewing the monitored medicines prescribed or supplied to the patient
• providing advice to a prescriber or a pharmacist on the treatment of an individual patient

Use for other purposes is not permitted.

To get started, prescribers and pharmacists will need to:

• register for SafeScript NSW (registration is simple and takes less than 10 minutes to complete)
• enable SafeScript NSW in your prescribing or dispensing software (if using integrated clinical software)

Already registered?

log in and start using SafeScript NSW

To support the rollout of SafeScript NSW, prescribers and pharmacists are invited to:

• complete the accredited eLearning modules (NPS MedicineWise sign-in required)
• learn about the support available, including a dedicated 24/7 clinical advice line (1800 434 155), technical support
• Access local HealthPathways, including:

• SafeScript NSW
• SafeScript NSW – Clinical Support for General Practitioners
• SafeScript NSW – Clinical Support for Pharmacists

SafeScript NSW has created new resources to support health practitioners, including a clinician guide and consumer factsheet.

• using SafeScript NSW in clinical practice (2-page | PDF)
• supporting the safe use of high-risk medicines (3-page consumer factsheet)

If you have questions, or need assistance registering for SafeScript NSW, please contact SWSPHN’s Digital Health team at DigitalHealth@swsphn.com.au

In the rapidly evolving landscape of healthcare, telehealth is breaking down barriers and revolutionising the way we provide care to our elderly population. For GPs working in residential aged care homes (RACHs), the integration of telehealth provides benefits including supporting continuity of care, overcoming geographical limitations, improving collaboration and knowledge sharing, and ultimately enhancing patient care.

Continuity of care

Telehealth allows GPs to maintain continuity of care. With virtual consultations, GPs can bridge the gap between in-person visits, ensuring consistent support for their aged care patients. Continuity of care builds trust, allows for regular monitoring and enables proactive interventions. By being a constant presence in their patients’ lives, GPs can make informed decisions, track progress and deliver personalised care plans.

Overcoming geographical limitations

Distance can pose a significant challenge in aged care. Telehealth allows GPs to overcome geographical limitations to easily reach and treat patients in aged care. Virtual consultations ensure patients, regardless of their location, can access the highest standard of care in the comfort of their surroundings.

Expanded reach

GPs can use telehealth to reach seniors who have previously faced challenges in accessing healthcare services. This expanded reach has a positive impact on the overall health and well-being of our ageing population.

Collaboration

Telehealth improves collaboration between GPs, allied health professionals and specialists. This patient-centred approach to care ensures comprehensive assessments, holistic treatment plans and improved health outcomes for aged care patients. Through collaborative consultations, GPs can tap into a wealth of expertise, exchange knowledge and develop innovative strategies which optimise the quality of care.

Access to mental health services

Telehealth can improve access to mental health support for aged care residents. Older adults living in RACHs often face challenges when seeking mental health support, including the stigma associated with mental health issues and limited access to specialised providers. Telehealth provides an easily accessible, secure and confidential platform for residents to connect with mental health professionals.

Through telehealth, aged care residents can engage in therapy sessions, receive counselling and access psychiatric consultations without the need for travel or exposure to public spaces. This promotes emotional well-being, early intervention, and timely support for residents who may be experiencing anxiety, depression or other mental health concerns.

My Health Record integration

The coming integration of the Aged Care Transfer Summary into My Health Record will improve a GP’s access to information. GPs will be able to tap into a consolidated source of patient information, facilitating informed decision-making and streamlining care coordination. This will enhance patient safety, minimise gaps in care, and promote a seamless transition of information between aged care facilities and hospitals, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of each patient’s medical history.

 

If you’d like to know more, please contact SWSPHN’s Digital Health Team via email

DigitalHealth@swsphn.com.au

Privacy Awareness Week, held earlier this month from 1 to 7 May, is an annual event which aims to raise awareness and promote best practices in privacy and data protection.

It is the responsibility of healthcare providers to ensure patient information is always kept secure and private.

The following discusses the basics of keeping patient information secure and private by having security protocols in place and protecting access to sensitive information.

Security protocols are a set of guidelines and procedures which help ensure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information.

Protocols are essential for protecting patient information from unauthorised access, use or disclosure.

Some basic security protocols healthcare providers should have in place include:

Access control: Access control is the process of granting or denying access to resources based on the user’s identity, role and permissions. Healthcare providers should implement access control mechanisms such as passwords, two-factor authentication and role-based access control to ensure patient information is only accessible to authorised personnel.

It is vital to keep access secure by not sharing passwords with multiple people as it can pose a significant security risk. Passwords should never be shared or reused and healthcare providers should use strong passwords which are difficult to guess.

Special attention needs to be given to your PRODA account or clinical software, every person accessing information should be identifiable and, if necessary, their access removed if they are no longer employed by the practice.

Provider Digital Access (PRODA) is an online identity verification and authentication system which lets you securely access a range of government online services for healthcare providers. Your PRODA account authorises most transactions through Medicare and will become more important as more services become digital, so protect it as you would your banking details.

Encryption: Encryption is the process of converting data into a code to prevent unauthorised access. Healthcare providers should encrypt patient information both at rest and in transit to ensure it cannot be intercepted or accessed by unauthorised parties.

It is important to note that while most clinical software programs offer encryption to protect patient information, healthcare providers must ensure they configure and use the software correctly to maintain the security and privacy of patient information.

Secure messaging is another essential tool in healthcare, as it enables healthcare providers to collaborate and communicate with each other without compromising patient privacy.

It is also important to comply with relevant regulations and standards, such as the Australian Privacy Principles and the My Health Record Act, when handling patient information.

There are several secure messaging platforms available in Australia which comply with these regulations and standards, including Argus, Medical-Objects, ReferralNet and HealthLink.

Audit trail: An audit trail is a record of all actions taken on a system or application. Healthcare providers should implement audit trails to monitor access to patient information and detect any unauthorised access or changes.

For instance, using My Health Record (MHR) creates an audit trail to identify who is accessing data and when it is accessed. This can be useful in identifying any unauthorised access or changes to patient information.

It is important to regularly review audit trails to ensure patient information is only being accessed by authorised personnel and for legitimate reasons. By implementing audit trails, healthcare providers can better protect patient information and maintain the trust of patients.

Privacy Awareness Week is a timely reminder of the importance of protecting patient information from unauthorised access, use or disclosure.

By having security protocols in place and not sharing passwords in PRODA or clinical software, and using secure messaging platforms comply with relevant regulations and standards we can ensure patient information is kept secure and private.

Let us all do our part in maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of patient information.

Set up your My Health Record Security and Access Policy with this template.

If you require help setting up any of these security protocols or untangling your PRODA account, please reach out to your PSO or the Digital Health team at DigitalHealth@swsphn.com.au.