Technology is a key part of modern healthcare, which is why the Tasmanian Government is transforming digital health, with $1.5 million to develop a strategy that is focused on improving patient care across our health system.
As part of the Government’s Our Healthcare Future, we are investing in key areas to deliver the right care, in the right place, at the right time, for all Tasmanians.
These areas include better community care, infrastructure, workforce, strengthening the consumer and clinical voice in our planning, and transforming digital health.
Digital health includes a range of technologies and services that can improve patient care and make it easier for health professionals, including electronic referrals from GPs to specialists and telehealth options so people can get care closer to home.
We are investing $52 million for in-home and local community delivered services, employing an additional 280 full-time equivalent staff to support new and boosted services across Tasmania and making record investment in infrastructure developments at our major public hospitals, and developing a $1.5 million digital strategy.
KPMG has been engaged to help us develop our digital health strategy, and clinician and consumer input will be key during development, along with information and communications technology professionals and other key stakeholders.
KPMG brings a broad range of skills to the development of our strategy, including a Tasmanian-based team, which will be able to see firsthand digital health challenges that are unique to our state, as well as digital health specialists from across Australia so we can draw on what is happening nationally and internationally.
More information will be available in coming months as we progress this important project for the future of health information and services in Tasmania.
Jeremy Rockliff MP, Minister for Health