SA Health will start implementing the Sunrise EMR by Altera Digital Health across regional hospitals and local health networks.

Over the next two years, it will roll out the EMR system in regional SA in partnership with Digital Health SA. 

WHY IT MATTERS

It is said that LHNs account for about a third of acute hospital beds across SA. Regional patients are poised to benefit from the ongoing statewide EMR rollout as it is expected to improve patient experience. Particularly, it is seen to reduce the need for them to repeat pathology and x-ray imaging and provide medical information at every stage of their treatment journey as information will be readily available to clinicians anywhere. 

The regional implementations will also support clinical and administrative workforce to deliver improved care by streamlining processes. 

Based on a media release, Limestone Coast, Flinders and Upper North, and Barossa Hills Fleurieu LHNs will be the first to be activated, followed by Riverland Mallee Coorong and Yorke and Northern LHNs, then Eyre and Far North LHN.

THE LARGER TREND

The regional Sunrise EMR rollout comes as the state government sets aside an additional investment of A$31.1 million ($21.5 million) in the project. 

Since SA Health revamped the EMR system statewide in 2019, the new system has been live in most metropolitan hospitals, including Royal Adelaide Hospital and The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, as well as at Mount Gambier and Districts Health Service and Port Augusta Hospital. Implementation at Women’s and Children’s Health Network is due for completion by the middle of the year.

In other related news, Altera recently completed the rollout of the same EMR system across major regional and subregional health services under the Gippsland Health Alliance in Victoria. It represents the largest EMR deployment on Microsoft Azure in Australia, the company claimed. 

ON THE RECORD

"The move to a statewide, integrated [EMR] system will connect our regional hospitals to those in metropolitan Adelaide in real time, which will improve [the] flow and movement of patients and staff across our LHNs. Importantly, it will improve the experience for our patients and result in fewer tests and x-ray imaging, and better access to virtual care services, so people can receive care closer to home," SA Minister for Health and Wellbeing Chris Picton said.

"This integrated program has proven to be invaluable in the hospitals where is it already implemented and the move to statewide deployment is when we will see the full benefits come to the fore due to the ability to share information across our health system," SA Health Chief Digital Health Officer Bret Morris also commented.