A pilot of new web-based software designed to improve communication between Mater Health Services and external providers is being rolled out across Brisbane.
Mater Doctor Portal (MDP) allows patient health information to be shared, thereby enhancing continuity of patient care, while maintaining individual privacy and confidentiality for Mater’s shared patient population. Electronic Health Record Project Officer Gerard Gallagher said the portal contributed to Mater’s objective of putting the patient first by improving the quality and timeliness of patient information.
“Mater Doctor Portal enables authorised individuals and organisations—including GPs, Visiting Medical Officers (VMOs) and Queensland Health—to access patient health information to provide continuity of care while also maintaining the privacy and confidentiality of patients,” Mr Gallagher said.
Mater Health Services Chief Information Officer Mal Thatcher said practitioners would soon be able to access a significant amount of clinical information about their Mater patients including past, present and future bookings.
“For some years Mater Health Services has been pursuing a 'smart hospital' strategy which, over the past 12 months, has seen clinicians in Mater Adult and Mater Mothers' Hospitals and many specialists at Mater Private Hospital have access to the major components of an integrated health record through one Mater clinical portal,” Mr Thatcher said.
“We are continuing the implementation of this strategy and have now reached the point where Mater health records can go beyond provision of discharge summaries to general practitioners, which we have been doing for over a decade, by making an electronic health record portal accessible to external practitioners.
“The feedback we have received from general practitioners and VMOs who have so willingly participated in the pilot of Mater Doctor Portal has been overwhelmingly positive,” Mr Thatcher said. “Mater Doctor Portal has certainly made a substantial difference in the working lives of practitioners and has contributed to significant improvements in the delivery of health care services.
“I would urge providers who have patients in any of the Mater hospitals or are involved in any of our outreach services in the community to take full advantage of Mater Doctor Portal.”
Practice Manager Helen Chambers said Mater Doctor Portal made it easy to put together a complete patient file.
“Mater Doctor Portal allows me to gather patient information such as GP details, next of kin, and Medicare number which is especially beneficial for patient billing and also corresponding with the GP, details of whom are not included on the chart label.”
Mater Doctor Portal contains reports from pathology and radiology providers. Mater Doctor Portal version 1.3 will be released in late March and will include the following new features:
- Improved practice patient lists
- Private theatre list for surgeons
- Private theatre list for anaesthetists
- Additional information on pharmacy, referrals, waiting lists and patient insurance details
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