Serving up the PCEHR at Eastern Health

Inner East Melbourne Medicare Local (IEMML) and Eastern Health will shortly begin a trial at Box Hill Hospital to provide a bedside registration option for patients wanting a PCEHR.

For the duration of the month-long trial, all lunch trays for patients will include a tray liner with information about the national eHealth record system, Adam McLeod, director of strategy and eHealth at IEMML, said.

“Box Hill Hospital serves over 7000 lunches to patients each month and this trial means that every one of those patients will be able to learn more about the advantages of an eHealth record,” he said.

“We think it makes a lot of sense to give Eastern Health patients this option at a time when they are focused on their health and the next stages of their treatment and recovery.”

While tray liners have been used as a promotional tool by Calvary Hospital in the ACT and in other sectors, this trial adds the option of assisted registration. Assisted registration has been designed to simplify the process of setting up a PCEHR, requiring only some basic demographic information and a Medicare number.

Any patient who decides they want to register for an eHealth record will be able to complete a form and have it processed on-site, meaning their eHealth record can be set up before they even leave the hospital, Mr McLeod said.

IEMML also recently started working with general practices in the region to offer assisted registration in practices. Mr McLeod said early feedback had been positive, particularly from smaller practices and those providing services to migrant communities.

“Assisted registration has only been available for a short time but we’ve immediately noticed how much people appreciate the user-friendliness of this process,” he said.

IEMML is currently finalising translations of some registration documentation to support practices with large patient groups whose primary language isn’t English.

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