Posted on 10 Jan, 2023 in
Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network commits to ‘Axe the Fax’.
Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network (SCHN) is ditching paper referrals and transitioning to Consultmed for outpatient referrals from February 1, 2023. Consultmed is set to increase efficiency for clinicians and administrative staff while improving the patient experience. The Consultmed pilot programme at SCHN saw a significant improvement in the quality of referral information and time needed to triage the referral. The average time for triage was reduced from 10 to 15 minutes to one to four minutes.
Dr Mary McCaskill, Director Medical Services and Clinical Governance at SCHN, saw significant improvements in the quality of referral information and time needed to triage the referral. “The transition to a digital referral system will increase efficiency for our clinicians and administrative staff, as well as improve the experience for our patients and their families,” Dr McCaskill said.
“The technology facilitates more effective clinical handover processes and ensures that patient information is securely transferred between healthcare providers, ultimately improving healthcare outcomes for the children we care for.”
With improved data quality, real-time data provision, and better integration, the new system will facilitate more effective clinical handover processes, securely transferring patient information between healthcare providers to improve healthcare outcomes for the children we care for.
In the time of COVID-19, healthcare delivery has undergone a transformation, with a shift towards electronic processes and the rapid adoption of telehealth services. The SCHN move toward digital referrals reflects this trend and will help meet growing demands on the health system. While the majority of referrals to hospitals are still sent via fax, post or hand-delivered, the Network is taking a step towards the future by axing the fax and embracing digital referrals.