NT rolls out first stage of $259m patient health record system

The Northern Territory Government has rolled out the first stage of its $259 million patient health record system Acacia — a digital clinical care software based on InterSystems TrakCareÒ that is now in use at Katherine Hospital.

The investment replaces six legacy clinical systems and integrates a dozen more into a single digital ecosystem, with the project delivering more than 100 jobs during implementation. InterSystems is also supporting IT internships at Charles Darwin University through the project cycle.

Introduced first into Katherine Hospital and within budget, the system is being rolled out in phases to minimise the impact to frontline NT health workers and to protect patient safety.

NT Chief Minister and Minister for Health Natasha Fyles said, “We thank our nurses and doctors. This new system will mean a nurse in a remote clinic or a doctor on the intensive care ward of a major hospital can use Acacia, which provides access to the same patient record in real time, allowing instant access to details about previous care provided in other clinical settings.

“Having a Territory-wide electronic patient record system will allow NT Health to better support our transient and most vulnerable Territorians.”

Minister for Corporate and Digital Development Ngaree Ah Kit claimed, “This is the biggest project of its type ever undertaken in the NT, with more than 20 years of patient data from multiple systems and care settings being migrated to Acacia.”

Despite the impacts of the COVID pandemic, we are now seeing the results of everyone’s hard work and our long-term collaboration with NT Health and the Department of Corporate and Digital Development, said Darren Jones, InterSystems Country Manager, Australia and New Zealand.

Image credit: iStock.com/Chinnapong