The West Australian government has endorsed the final report of the independent Sustainable Health Review (SHR) panel, which calls for an investment in data analytics, a phased and prioritised roll-out of electronic medical records across the WA health system, and a target of 65 per cent of outpatient consultations for regional patients using telehealth by 2022.
The review was called in June 2017 by the new McGowan government to find solutions to the under pressure WA health system, which was facing a future of health spending overwhelming the state budget, very poor staff morale, the delayed opening of Perth Children's Hospital and several years of bad press over the IT systems used at the flagship Fiona Stanley Hospital and WA Health's centralised computing contract.
The review panel, headed by former NSW Health director-general Robyn Kruk, submitted an interim report in February 2018, which among a host of recommendations highlighted investing in a statewide EMR, closer ties with the Australian Digital Health Agency on the My Health Record roll-out and an immediate expansion of telehealth provision. It also recommended closer ties with primary and aged care through integrated care strategies.
