Web-based patient record gets South Island trial

By Lucy Ratcliffe, NZ Doctor magazine

A new web-based patient record that can be accessed by a group of clinicians and the patient is getting ready for launch in the South Island [of New Zealand].

Developed by HSA Global, the "collaborative care management solution" (CCMS) is already is in use in south Auckland (NZ Doctor, 8 September) and is now being tailored for use in the Canterbury Clinical Network's business case.

The business case focuses on clusters of health and social services, rather than integrated family health centres in urban areas, IPA Pegasus Health chief executive Vince Barry says.  It is envisaged one cluster will trial the use of the CCMS for a group of patients; however, the cluster has not yet been selected, Mr Barry says.

Thanks to funding from the National Health IT Board - although the exact sum has not been confirmed yet (it is said to be "modest", between $50,000 and $200,000) - the use of HSA Global's software use in Canterbury will run as a pilot programme over 12 months, starting in March.

The IT board is contributing similar funding to the Wairarapa business case to trial Medtech Global product Manage My Health as a web-based record for access between after-hours providers and secondary care - similar to another project in South Auckland (NZ Doctor, 24 March).

Tony Cooke, manager health systems investment and planning for the National Health Board, says, while the board will be interested in the results from both pilot projects, it is ultimately up to the patient which online health products they wish to use.  Part of the National Health IT plan is to make sure patients have choice, Mr Cook says.