WA Health completes two-year ‘transformational’ project to modernise healthcare with digital medical records

Millions of patient documents are just a tap away for about 27,000 medical staff with the roll-out of two major initiatives at WA Health now complete. It took more than two years, but the new single sign-on system gives medicos an easier time logging in and accessing about 90 clinical applications with the tap of a card. The project first started in February 2023, and since then 44 million paper records have been digitised. The digital medical record ensures clinicians can access up-to-date patient records on demand, no matter where they are in the State. Both the digital medical record and single sign-on are live across WA, including the Perth metro area, Mid West, Kimberley, Wheatbelt, Great Southern, South West, and the Pilbara. With roughly 348,000 log-ins per week and about 13,000 staff accessing the system on a typical weekday, the integrated systems are designed to reduce time logged into systems to increase time spent on patient care. Health Minister Meredith Hammat said it was a “significant milestone” in modernising healthcare statewide. But the digital medical record is just a stepping stone in the State Government’s broader electronic medical record project. “Western Australia is geographically the largest health jurisdiction in the world, and these technologies help to bring us closer together and improve patient care,” Ms Hammat said. “These innovations will help ensure that WA Health remains at the forefront of modern healthcare delivery for our community.” The “transformational” EMR project will see WA Health “purchase a statewide system that can be adapted to meet WA Health’s needs”. WA Health’s project page online says “full deployment of an EMR is several years away”.