SA Health has scored just under $200 million to finish the rollout of the state’s long-delayed Allscripts Sunrise electronic medical record (EMR) and patient administration system (PAS).
Budget papers handed down on Tuesday reveal the government will spend $198.6 million over the next three years deploying the systems across metropolitan Local Health Networks.
It follows a successful rollout at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and Mount Gambier and District Health Service (MGDHS) last financial year.
The funding is the first major investment in the state’s electronic medical health record project since the government’s electronic patient administration system (EPAS) reset in 2018.
The reset was prompted by a review that found “major changes” were needed to improve EPAS, which had suffered delays, usability issues and cost overruns since its introduction in 2013.
In response to the review, the government cancelled the EPAS program and, instead of discontinuing the system, opted to improve the underpinning Allscripts Sunrise EMR software and PAS software.
Royal Adelaide Hospital and MGDHS were to be used as the testbed for the upgraded software versions, before the government made a decision on the future of the program.
But with the EMR and PAS system achieving “full clinical functionality” at the sites in 2019-20, the government is now pushing ahead with the establishment of a single EMR and PAS across the state.
“The deployment of Sunrise EMR and PAS has now been successfully completed at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and MGDHS,” budget papers state.
“Based on the successful deployment, the government has decided to proceed with the rollout over the remaining metropolitan local health networks.
“Implementation of a consistent EMR and PAS is a key enabler in support SA’s digital health strategy, and is designed to improve patient safety… and improve the efficiency of our public hospital system.”
The government now expects the electronic medical records system will be in place across the state by December 2022.
SA Police mobility overhaul
Elsewhere in the budget, South Australia Police will receive $34.9 million over four years to kick off a mobile workforce transformation program.
The funding will be used to “upgrade key operational systems and acquire mobile remote connectivity capabilities” for both staff and vehicles, as well as develop new mobile apps.
The budget also provides $19.4 million over two years for SA Police to roll out fixed mobile phone detection safety cameras at an undisclosed number of high-risk metropolitan locations.
The South Australian Fire and Emergency Service Commission will also receive $3.8 million over three years to implement an automatic vehicle location system for the emergency services.
“Automatic vehicle location will provide real time location of firefighting and other emergency response vehicle information during incidents to both improve the safety of first responders and provide information to incident management personnel,” budget papers state.
