Australia publishes CIS standards for aged care
The Department of Health and Aged Care and the Australian Digital Health Agency have published a set of minimum software requirements for clinical information systems and electronic medication management systems used in residential aged care.
The Aged Care Clinical Information System (ACCIS) standards provide the basis for information exchange and interoperability in residential aged care.
According to Ryan Mavin, branch manager of ADHA Connected Care, the standards “provide clear and consistent direction for software developers and aged care providers on how to design and implement CIS that meet the needs and expectations of residents, their families and care teams, and ensure they connect seamlessly with the entire national digital health infrastructure.”
It is based on the following principles:
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Data is reliable, consistent, calculable and timely.
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Data can be shared seamlessly between systems, healthcare institutions and organizations.
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Data is accessible and transparent, enabling consumers to make better choices and decisions.
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Data drives efficient and safe clinical decision-making and positively impacts the end-user experience.
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Data is captured once, retains its original meaning, and can be safely reused multiple times if needed.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT
Sam Peascod, Assistant Secretary for Digital and Service Design at the Department of Health and Aged Care, said the ACCIS standards are vital to supporting reforms in aged care.
One of the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Quality and Safety in Aged Care in 2021 was the mandatory use of My Health Record interoperable digital care management systems.
According to Dr. George Margelis, chief technology advisor for the Aged Care and Community Care Providers Association, the standards are expected to boost the adoption of telehealth, remote monitoring and data analytics in the aged care sector.
Additionally, ADHA’s Mavin said the ACCIS standards will help improve continuity and coordination of care for older Australians, particularly during transitions in care.
THE BIGGER TREND
The ADHA recently issued an offer to healthcare CIS and mobile CIS software vendors to create more products that connect to My Health Record and electronic prescribing services.
The offering comes after ADHA recently introduced an upgrade to Provider Connect Australia (a portal for healthcare providers to update their business details), allowing CIS to connect via SMART on FHIR.
As part of the national infrastructure modernization program, ADHA is currently building a FHIR-based Health Information Gateway, a scalable platform for exchanging and accessing health information, including vaccination data and elderly care data. The construction contract was awarded to Deloitte in 2021.