Country GP tops Clinicians’ Challenge 2012

Country GP tops Clinicians’ Challenge 2012

Opotiki-based GP Dr Jo Scott-Jones is the winner of the Clinicians’ Challenge 2012, supported by Health Informatics New Zealand (HINZ), the New Zealand Health IT Cluster, and the National Health IT Board (Health IT Board).

The winner was announced last night (November 8) in Rotorua at the HINZ annual conference and exhibition.

Dr Scott Jones was one of three clinician finalists from 55 original entries in the annual challenge.
Three solution entries were also chosen to go through to the finals including one that matched his proposal. That proposed solution from Clinical Knowledge Solutions finished joint runner-up.

A first-time entrant, Dr Scott-Jones says he is delighted with his win and looks forward investigating an IT solution to his proposal.

He submitted a proposal: Improving the effective delivery of healthcare in a rural environment based on the standing orders work asking IT vendors to come up with a way to operationalise a national set of standing orders for primary care.

As part of his prize Dr Scott-Jones can travel within New Zealand or overseas to investigate an IT solution to his challenge.
He also receives HINZ membership for two years, registration and accommodations for next year’s conference and the opportunity to present at the 2013 conference.

In his proposal Dr Scott-Jones said: “In an age where electronic processes are becoming the norm, it would be useful to have an IT resource that allowed standing orders documents and protocols to become more widely available, to allow for an easy collaboration in updating, improving and developing new protocols and standing orders, and to support the educational modules that are necessary to support the extended role of nurses utilising standing orders. Also, an alignment with future moves towards extending prescribing for non-doctors clearly exists.”

Dr Scott-Jones envisioned a software programme could be embedded within the Practice Management system (PMS) or on a standalone secure website linked to the PMS. This programme could enable a standing order to be generated and edited on an online template, i.e. by selecting each element from a drop down menu. Links to associated guideline driven rules or decision support which prevents making errors and also educational modules could also be enabled alongside.

Dr Scott-Jones is chairman of the New Zealand Rural General Practice Network. He has been a rural GP for 19 years.

ENDS

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