Tech course a shot in the arm for healthcare

TWO Grampians Health staff members have been selected to take part in a program that’s seeking to help medicos improve their digital health practice.

Run by an organisation called the Centre for Digital Transformation of Health at the University of Melbourne, the Learning Health System Academy looks at how to use technology for better patient outcomes.

Grampians Health clinical pharmacist Daniela Bowen, and manager of allied informatics Heath Miller have been chosen to attend this year’s academy.

They will seek to gain skills related to data and digital health which could be then used on Grampians Health projects.

Ms Bowen’s aim is to understand how coordination and communication can be used to improve timely discharge from hospitals in regional patients with single or easily treated conditions.

Her work will help create a prototype system that would track discharge forms.

Mr Miller’s work analyses attendance at outpatient clinics at the Ballarat Base Hospital with the hope of understanding how travel can impact patients access to services.

Chief medical officer at Grampians Health, Matthew Hadfield, welcomed the pair’s inclusion in the academy.

“Grampians Health is committed to providing its staff with opportunities to learn and develop new skills to deliver the best care possible to patients,” he said.

“As an organisation with a large rural footprint, the use of digital health is integral in providing timely and effective care.”

As part of the academy, Ms Bowen and Mr Miller will network with other healthcare professionals and there’s hopes the program will create an environment where participating clinicians can learn from each other.

“We expect the training imparted by the Learning Health System Academy will help us to drive positive patient outcomes,” said Mr Hadfield.