The EMR Phase 2.1 project has reached another exciting stage, with the first new devices associated with the project recently delivered. 

New laptops have been rolled out to the Allied Health departments at Sunshine, Footscray and Williamstown, in a huge boost to their care delivery capabilities prior to the EMR Phase 2.1 Go-Live in July 2023. 

While these devices are part of the EMR phase 2.1 device roll out, clinicians will be able to use them immediately to access their current clinical systems and provide care for patients. 

Sunshine Manager Physiotherapy and Exercise Physiology (Acting), Chris Weiers, said the devices would have an instant impact for his department. 

“It’s going to really improve our ability to get on and access the EMR in the outpatient’s space,” he said. 

“The physio department is quite a mobile workplace, moving from gym equipment to equipment, or just around the physio gym to follow the patient, so it is much better to have a mobile device. It’s going to be revolutionary for us and our staff. 

“We can deploy these straight away and it will mean staff don’t have to go back to a workstation, but can instead sit with the patient and have one-to-one discussions and document in real time.” 

Mr Weiers said staff were looking forward to having the full EMR capabilities on these devices in 2023. 

“There’s been a big call from every corner of the department for this,” he said. 

“We’re a big department with over 100 physios on site each day, and many of them have to share a terminal with other staff, so the more devices we have and the better functionality we have, the more time that saves and the more time we can spend with our patients.” 

This device roll out will bring a number of new devices to the EMR sites ahead of the 2023 EMR Phase 2.1 Go-Live, including Workstations on Wheels’, Specimen Printers, Bluetooth barcode scanners, Anaesthesia mounts and tap on/tap off units. 

For more information on EMR Phase 2.1, please visit the dedicated project page on the Digital Health information site.