The EMR rollout is crucial to improving patient healthcare now and boosting innovation and research for better care in the future.
—State Health Minister Jill Hennessy on the rollout of Electronic Medical Records for the Victorian Health System, April 2018.
Alfred Health is the main provider of public health services to people living in the inner southeast suburbs of Melbourne and is also a major provider of specialist services to people across the state of Victoria. The health service operates three hospital campuses: the Alfred, Caulfield, and Sandringham. The Alfred runs one of Australia’s busiest emergency and trauma centres, the state’s largest intensive care unit, and is home to multiple statewide services.
THE CHALLENGE
In order for Alfred Health to undergo its own major technology upgrade, DB Results were engaged to provide Electronic Medical Records (EMR) implementation and hypercare support services.
Alfred Health first implemented the Cerner EMR software in 1999 and gradually increased its use in a number of selected specialty and critical care areas including Pathology, Emergency, Radiology, Theatre, and Anesthetics. In 2016 a major transformation program was launched (the electronic Timely Quality Care (eTQC) program) to dramatically expand the footprint of Cerner into all wards and specialty care areas and introduce electronic medication for all three care facilities.
Ahead of a fast-approaching deadline, DB Results were engaged at Alfred Health to develop a comprehensive end-user training schedule for 7,000 staff to support the eTQC implementation.
With 10 weeks before the Go-Live date, Alfred Health further engaged DB Results to document a Go-Live Implementation Plan and command centre schedule. DB Results were subsequently employed to support Alfred Health in the delivery of that plan.
THE RESULTS
Within two weeks and with DB Results' support, the training schedule was built, reviewed, and approved.
With the implementation workstreams all delivering on schedule, Alfred Health successfully achieved the required independent readiness criteria to obtain governance and CEO approval to proceed with eTQC Go-Live.
On time in mid-October 2019, eTQC went live and all the Go-Live structures, processes, and systems were utilised by over 80 program staff involved with the implementation and hypercare support, initially operating 24/7.
DB Results' work provided Alfred Health with an effective and fit-for-purpose implementation and support model that significantly helped mitigate risks for a major transformational change. It enabled a robust, yet smooth, coordinated, and safe implementation outcome.
DB Results provided a calm, methodical approach to our planning. This guidance helped to ensure that Alfred Health had a smooth implementation of the plan, through a heightened period of intense activity across the health service.
—Amy McKimm, Executive Director of the Information Development Division, Alfred Health.
MOVING FORWARD
The outcome of this transformation has led to Alfred Health becoming a fully digital healthcare provider and resulted in the removal of almost all paper records for inpatient care. Alfred Health demonstrates improved medication safety and better access to patient information due to this transformation.
The command centre team and the training team in particular were appreciative of your support over those few intense weeks of activity. The lessons we learnt through this approach have continued into new projects across the organisation.
—Amy McKimm, Executive Director of the Information Development Division, Alfred Health.
