Well I wouldn’t blame you for thinking that; over the years a lot of GPs have taken up secure messaging services, while other healthcare providers have had much lower adoption.
This probably has a lot to do with health informatics, clinical risk and financial incentives being more developed for GPs and incentivising secure messaging software adoption. Another factor could be Healthcare providers limited understanding of the importance of securely communicating with each other and what options exist to achieve that outcome.
Since the Privacy Act 1988 was updated with respect to healthcare information and the obligations of healthcare providers and the fact that GPs are well equipped with secure messaging systems, it’s now more important than ever for Allied Health practitioners to be able to securely communicate with GPs, Specialists and Hospitals across compatible and secure electronic systems.
A key problem in adopting Secure Message Network products:
However, the longstanding problem has been; having one secure message software like “Argus/ HealthConnex” for example meant that you could only share messages with other Argus users. So, if you wanted to send or receive messages from users of HealthLink then you would also have to have a separate software subscription with HealthLink, and with MedicalObjects, and so on.
Fast forward and you’re now paying for multiple secure message software products, have multiple software installed on your machine and they’re still not integrated with your practice management software. In short, it’s extra cost, extra complexity and realistically in the past you would have had to buy an expensive GP software system to be able to use these systems within your natural workflow.
Well not anymore…
coreplus’ SMD Hub has already overcome a key barrier to using secure messaging by allowing you to have access to both HealthLink and HealthConnex (Argus) without having to install any software, or pay for any subscription to those products…you simply pay for messages received.
Why have we done this?
coreplus’s Secure Message Delivery (“SMD”) Hub is one of the most effective ways in the short term that Allied Health providers can communicate with GPs and other health practitioners about a common client/ patient.
This concept is called “Interoperability” and has been a longstanding goal of the Australian Government as defined with corresponding Australian Digital Health Agency (“ADHA”) standards and guidelines.
As a background, After the ground breaking release in 2015 of coreplus’ SMD Hub; we have continued working with multiple SMD vendors who in turn are connected to other Electronic Medical Records (“EMRs”) in a collaborative environment, in order to develop a truly flexible environment that allows the provider to focus on clinical workflows whilst being able to receive eReferrals from GP’s.
coreplus has continued research in to Secure Message Delivery, and it currently developing more features adhering to the standards as set by the Australian Digital Health Agency’s (“ADHA”) Working Group. This working group is comprised of all the major health software players within the Australian industry, ADHA and end user representatives.
Keep an eye out for further announcements in this area as we expand referral partnerships via secure message networks.
coreplus will continue to develop innovative features so that you can ‘practice happy’, confident that you have adopted a future-proof Practice Management System and most importantly allow you to safely share client information with your network whilst complying with Australian Privacy Laws, Digital Health regulations and standards.
For more information on coreplus’ Secure Message Delivery Hub contact our Support Team (support@coreplus.com.au)
