Sunshine Coast Health has completed a significant transition to fully digital patient records across its five hospitals and health facilities, marking the end of paper medical records for the health service.
The move to Queensland Health’s Integrated Electronic Medical Record (ieMR) system centralises patients’ medical histories, making them easily accessible to healthcare staff across the network.
“They can attend any site, and all their information—treatments, operations, medications, consultations—is more easily available to clinicians,” said Dr Stephen Priestley, Clinical Director of Digital Transformation and Emergency Specialist.
The ieMR eliminates the delays and inefficiencies associated with paper records, enabling clinicians to access patient information instantly without navigating multiple systems or waiting for physical files to arrive.
“This saves a lot of time and ensures that useful information about the patient is available when you’re looking after them,” Dr Priestley said.
The digital system also introduces enhanced safety features, including automatic alerts for medication allergies and potential drug interactions.
“While allergy information was always available on paper, the alert pop-ups in the digital system act as an extra safety net for our patients,” Dr Priestley explained.
Gympie Hospital recently became the last facility in the Sunshine Coast Health network to adopt the digital records system, following Caloundra Health Service and Maleny Memorial Soldier’s Hospital earlier this year.
“I’m very pleased and proud of the effort across all facilities to make this change. Now, we can communicate more effectively about our patients,” Dr Priestley said.
Digital Health Nurse Manager Aaron Tyrie highlighted the benefits for patients receiving care across multiple facilities, noting that the unified system accelerates clinical decision-making and provides a more holistic approach to patient management.
“With a digital solution, everything is there and readily available. Being on the statewide platform offers significant advantages for both patients and healthcare providers,” Mr Tyrie said.