Major Programs and Projects

As the shared services provider for the WA health system, we’ve been trusted to support and deliver digital or digitally enabled major programs and projects for and with our customers.

Australian Digital Health Agency

The Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA) aims to deliver better use of data and technology to help people live healthier lives, with greater control and better access to important health information.

To support ADHA in achieving this, an annual program of work is delivered by HSS to:

  • Improve the depth of clinical information available to clinicians via My Health Record and other WA Health state-wide systems.
  • Implement business and technical solutions that enable the improved use of My Health Record.
  • ADHA is a Commonwealth Entity whose role is to implement The National Digital Health Strategy Delivery Roadmap.

HSS work closely with ADHA, the Commonwealth and other jurisdictions to progress initiatives that align to Australia’s National Digital Health Strategy, National Healthcare Interoperability Plan and annual work program.

WA Health is the leading jurisdiction for My Health Record integration and usage, with clinicians accessing records over 13,000 times per day and at a rate of over 400,000 views per month.

The main focus for 2023-24 are:

  • Rollout of Electronic Prescribing across all Public Health Metropolitan and regional sites which will see eligible outpatients receive prescriptions via SMS or email.
  • Currently, WA is the only state that undertakes electronic prescribing in Public Health.
  • Structured Pathology Phase 1 upload of reports to My Health Record will allow clinicians to have instant access to actual test results.
  • Integration of Healthcare Provider Identifiers (individual) for all documents uploaded to My Health Record.

Completed projects include:

  • Viewing of My Health Record in clinical applications
  • Development of the clinical workbench
  • ePrescribing for outpatient clinics, statewide
  • Community Health information system integration with My Health Record
  • Emergency telehealth service integration with My Health Record.
  • Uploads to My Health Record
    • Discharge summaries
    • Pathology reports
    • Diagnostic imaging reports
    • Specialist/outpatient letters
    • Goals of Care documents
    • BreastScreen reports
    • Allergies and alerts notifications
    • Stork clinical perinatal discharge summaries
    • Same day procedure discharge summaries

 

 

Critical Health ICT Infrastructure Program

The Critical Health ICT Infrastructure Program (CHIIP) is a HSS-led project to replace all WA Health’s Local Area Network (LAN) infrastructure at more than 450 sites to ensure the highest level of network security to protect patient records and business data.

CHIIP will also improve network reliability, further enhance patient care and safety, and help enable future digital initiatives.

In mid-2024, CHIIP completed the Targeted Risk Mitigation (TRM) stage of the Program, which focused on identifying and mitigating existing network security issues across more than 450 WA Health sites. Works included:

  • Network Access Control enablement at specified tiny and small WA Health sites
  • WA Health sites migrated to segregated Wide Area Networks (WAN)
  • Wi-Fi capability implemented at tiny WA Health sites

CHIIP is now moving into the next stage, to commence the total uplift of and service transition to a more contemporary network infrastructure with managed services support. The uplift and service transition works are expected to continue for the next three years.


2022-23
Network assessment completed, business case delivered and funding granted

July 2023 - June 2024
Targeted Risk Mitigation complete

July 2024
Uplift of and transition to contemporary network infrastructure commenced

2027
Estimated completion
 

 

 

Digital Medical Records / Electronic Medical Records

The Electronic Medical Record (EMR) Program is led by the Department of Health and consists of a range of projects that are divided into a two-stage delivery model. Stage 1 is focused on the immediate priorities that will support state-wide transition to an EMR, and Stage 2 focuses on the implementation of an EMR.

Implementation of the EMR Program requires systemwide collaboration between Health Support Services (HSS), WA Department of Health and Health Service Providers (HSPs).

A key pillar of Stage 1 is the implementation of a state-wide Digital Medical Record (DMR) which will allow clinicians to have real-time access to a single, immediately accessible medical record for health care consumers in WA. It will enable clinicians to work more efficiently without the delays and risks associated with copying, storing and retrieving paper records.

HSS is delivering two projects to implement the DMR:

  1. DMR Upgrade project will upgrade the existing version of the DMR solution (known as BOSSNet) which is currently in use at several sites across WA, to a newer version (known as Opal).
  2. DMR Deployment and Configuration project is being delivered in collaboration with HSP project teams and will roll out the DMR solution to new sites across the state. Over 2023, the DMR was successfully deployed to four large metropolitan sites, as well as a large number of regional sites in the Pilbara, Goldfields and Great Southern regions, with the remainder of the state now a focus for 2024-25.

Under Stage 1, HSS is also delivering the Single Sign On (SSO) and Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) projects. SSO will enable clinical staff to login to multiple WA health applications at once and reduce the number of times staff are required to enter their login credentials. VDI will implement a ‘follow-me-desktop’ where the user’s active computer session is transitioned from one workstation to another without the need to reopen applications. Deployments for these projects will commence in 2024-25.

Key Achievements over 2023:

  • February - March: DMR deployment to WACHS Pilbara, Goldfields and Great Southern sites
  • May: DMR deployment to Rockingham Peel Group facilities, Kalgoorlie and Katanning Hospitals
  • June: DMR deployment to King Edward Memorial Hospital and Albany Hospital
  • July: SSO deployment to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital’s Emergency Department
  • November: DMR deployment to Perth Children’s Hospital and Armadale Kalamunda Group

 

 

Human Resource Management Information System

WA Health is implementing a new HR, payroll and rostering solution called HRplus to replace our current systems.

HSS is working with all Health Service Providers (HSPs) and entities to implement the new solution as part of the Human Resource Management Information System (HRMIS) program.

HRplus represents a significant step forward, merging our HR information, rosters and pay into one seamless, contemporary solution.

A key recommendation of the Sustainable Health Review and the WA Health Digital Strategy 2020-30, HRplus will provide a more accurate, reliable and accessible HR, payroll and rostering solution to more than 60,000 WA Health employees. It will also provide HSS and all our customers access to more reliable and consistent workforce data, to improve workforce planning and reporting.

 

 

WA Health Data Platform Program

The WA Health Data Platform (WA HDP) Program (formerly the Real-time Demand Data Platform (RDDP) Program) is helping to maximise system capacity and improve efficiencies across WA Health, whilst building the capabilities for an enterprise-wide data platform.

A fundamental requirement for the establishment of the State Health Operations Centre (SHOC), the program is helping to improve capacity and patient flow by providing near to real-time data for informed decision making.

The program will establish a scalable and extensible enterprise data platform, which will provide a common source of truth for reporting and data insights across the WA Health system.

The program will deliver: 

  • near real-time provision of data from key clinical and administrative health systems 
  • efficiencies in the system through streamlined data pipelines and more readily accessible and centralised timely data
  • new business processes, services, resources, capabilities, and governance as part of the establishment of an operating model to support enterprise-level usage
  • infrastructure and support mechanisms for a reliable, scalable data platform.

    2021-22
    Proof on concept complete

    2022-23
    Provided near-real-time WA health system data to the SHOC to aid in decision-making for managing demand, capacity, and patient flow.

    2024-26
    Ongoing development and implementation of the core elements of the enterprise data platform for WA Health, including governance, processes, and services to ensure its scalability and sustainability

    June 2026
    Estimated completion
     

     

     

    Recently Completed

    Medical Imaging Replacement Program

    A new and contemporary platform was implemented at all major metropolitan WA health system hospital sites, providing advanced imaging capability. This has enabled our radiologists and clinicians to view images in new and different ways and with more options for remote access.

    The Enterprise Medical Imaging Platform was introduced as part of the Medical Imaging Replacement Program, providing better patient journeys, streamlined operations and improved collaboration.

    Learn more in our news story.

    PEEL Health Campus Transition and Commissioning Project

    Peel Health Campus transitioned privatised services (formally operated by Ramsay Health Care) into the WA public health system from 13 August 2024.

    Led by South Metropolitan Health Services, HSS provided support to three key workstreams including ICT, Workforce and non-Clinical and Corporate (includes Procurement & Contact Management and Supply Chain).

    The transition built on the outstanding work of Ramsay Health Care and paves the way for the hospital’s redevelopment and service transformation.

     

    Psychiatric Services Online Information System

    Psychiatric Services Online Information System (PSOLIS) is the primary source of clinical information for public mental health services.

    Improvements were made to the web-based application webPSOLIC, which is now integrated with Digital Medical Records. This key integration has provided clinicians, administration staff and ultimately consumers by having key processes and information easily accessible.

Last Updated: 18/10/2024