Patients at Vale Medical Clinic in Brookvale in NSW have had all their medical details transferred onto a data stick.
And so when they find themselves in an emergency department, doctors have all their information to-hand.
Dr Hans Blom, the brains behind the project, initially suggested the idea to Manly Warringah Division’s program manager Sue Cummins and the pair set about developing the project.
“I would get doctors at the hospital ringing up wanting information about my patients which was very disruptive during a consultation.” Dr Blom told 6minutes. “I had one patient who ended up in west NSW and the hospital needed me to send them an ECG which wasn’t easy.
“It is so important for patients to have their details with them when they access the emergency department.”
They managed to get doctors and specialists at Manley and Mona Vale hospitals on board and launched the three month trial in November.
Dr Blom selected 600 of his chronic disease patients for the trial, including the over-75 and those from the ethnic communities who are continually going to hospital and find it difficult explaining their medical history.
He then transferred details about his patients’ allergies, ECGs, past history and immunisation onto the stick – which the patients bought themselves – and then ensured the data was encrypted so could only be accessed by another clinician.
And with the trial so far proving a success, Dr Blom and Ms Cummins are hoping to eventually see the project rolled out across the division, with the help of some government funding.
“It is a win-win for general practice as it saves us time and the patients just love it as they feel so relieved to have their own records,” Dr Blom added. “It would also save the government lots of money as it prevents duplicate tests being done at the hospital.
“I have been to a lot of conferences where they are talking about health records but it is going to be years until it is at the coalface, but we want it now. This meets a need before something is really out.
“It is a good stepping stone to e-health.”
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Gemma Collins
Quelle/Source: 6minutes, 03.12.2010
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