27 July 2011
Media release
Wairarapa patients to benefit from new online health record
Health record summaries from GP’s surgeries will soon be immediately available to hospital clinicians as a new system
for accessing health records online is launched in Wairarapa.
“The Shared Care Record will be a huge benefit to both patients and health professionals,” says Wairarapa DHB Chief
Executive Tracey Adamson. “It’s a big step forward for the region. What this means is that when Wairarapa patients are
unwell, an up-to-date summary of their health history will be available to the clinical staff who are treating them.
We’re committed to the rollout of the Shared Care Record to all patients and medical practices in the Wairarapa.”
Wairarapa Community PHO Board Chair Elaine Brazendale is equally positive about the benefits of the new system. “Often
health providers need to have access to shared information about patients,” she says. “For example, if an elderly
patient suddenly goes into hospital, the hospital doctors can get a more complete view of that person’s general practice
records as soon as possible. The ability to electronically share information will help improve the whole system. It will
make both information sharing and subsequent care more timely, efficient and safe.”
The software being used is a New Zealand-built product called ManageMyHealth™ which enables health providers to easily
access a summary record of patient information through a secure web-browser connection. “Only authorised health
professionals can access the information which will be kept safe and confidential”, says Ms Brazendale.
“Clinical information is already shared using paper systems, but this is not always available when it is most useful,”
says Wairarapa DHBs Chief Medical Officer Alan Shirley. “With the Shared Care Record hospital clinicians will be able to
see a patient’s information through a link in the individual patient’s on-screen record. The clinical information
available will be limited to the patients’ medication details and their diagnoses.”
“It’s important to know that individual patients can “opt out” if they do not want the selected information of their
primary care health record shared with hospital staff through the Shared Care Record process,” says Mr Shirley. “If
patients do not want their health information shared in this way they can tell their general practice, write to a
free-post address or free-phone 0800 SCR MMH or 0800 727 664. However, taking part in this has real benefits in terms of
their care.”
“This new system will provide doctors and nurses with better information in settings where patients haven’t planned on
presenting such as emergency departments,” says Elaine Brazendale.
“The DHB, the PHO and Compass Health (who have managed the project) see this as a significant improvement for patient
care,” says Tracey Adamson. “We anticipate that eventually all patients and primary care practices will participate in
this progressive initiative.”
The system is being launched across the Wairarapa from July 2011. It is planned to be rolled out in conjunction with
other local PHOs within the Capital and Coast and MidCentral health districts later this year.
ENDS