Tasmanian eReferral system axes the fax

Tasmania’s eReferral system has reached a major milestone, with GPs now able to send secure electronic referrals to the Launceston General Hospital.

This development will allow for the safe and timely transfer of patient information from GPs to the hospital’s departments without the need for faxes, emails, letters and scanned referrals.

The software, HealthLink SmartForms, is an encrypted, secure system that integrates with general practice and hospital clinical software. There is no cost to GPs or other healthcare providers to use it.

Primary Health Tasmania (Tasmania Primary Health Network) led the initial development of the eReferral system with Australian Government funding, partnering with the Tasmanian Department of Health to trial the concept and deliver the system.

This initial roll out in the north will be followed by the North West Regional Hospital, Mersey Community Hospital and Royal Hobart Hospital by mid-2023.

Primary Health Tasmania CEO Phil Edmondson said general practices are already reporting reductions in workload and speedier communications with the hospital.

“General practice staff no longer have to manage faxes, transcribe information from one form to another and duplicate work,” he said.

A large number of primary care providers across the state are set up to send and receive messages using
the system, including:
• all general practices using Best Practice and MedicalDirector clinical software
• more than 125 private medical specialists
• a growing number of allied health organisations.

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