19 November 2004

$1.8 million Patient Administration System - Broken Hill

NSW Minister for Health, Morris Iemma, inspected the new Far West Area Health Patient Administration System while visiting Broken Hill Health Service today.

“This system is a first for rural NSW and ensures all aspects of patient care are recorded on a single file that is accessible to clinical staff treating the patient,” Mr Iemma said.

“This innovative system will assist clinicians in providing an improved level of service, equivalent to that available at major metropolitan teaching hospitals,” Mr Iemma said.

This system allows patient information to be accessed via computers at any Area Health Service facility in the Far West.

The Patient Administration System will mean:

• improved immediate and long term patient care
• increased clinical information
• Increased access to patient information by clinicians

“The Far West Area Health Service is the first non-metropolitan Health Service to benefit from this technology and is working in partnership with the Western Sydney Area Health Service to operate the system.

“Smaller hospitals like the eight-bed Wilcannia Health Service will now have access to the same patient administration system as the 800-bed Westmead Hospital complex,” said Mr Iemma.

The system is now available across the Far West including Bourke, Walgett, Brewarrina, Lightning Ridge, Collarenebri, Wilcannia, Balranald and Wentworth.

Discussions are underway to extend the system throughout the newly created Greater Western Area Health Service.

“This system is about bridging the skills gap between remote NSW and metropolitan hospitals and providing ongoing support to rural and remote NSW,” Mr Iemma said.

For a range of health information, go online to www.health.nsw.gov.au