METRO SOUTH HEALTH
192 ing patient outcomes in an emergency . Ballantine believes Metro South Health understands how technology and healthcare are converging : “ IT is no longer a service into healthcare : it is fundamentally part of healthcare . Whilst it will never take away that doctor , nurse or allied health professional dealing with a patient one on one , it ’ s able to augment how that interaction occurs .”
Metro South Health opened Australia ’ s first digital hospital in 2015 , which , thanks to IMR , has seen re-admissions decrease by 18 %. What has it learned from the successes with Princess Alexandra Hospital and how will this further support the roll out of its Digital Hospital Program ? “ We experienced a myriad of unrealised efficiency and benefits ,” affirms Ballantine of what he sees as more than just an IT project . He is proud of the community outcome that enables rural country hospitals ( such as Beaudesert ) to offer a connected service for patients , minimising the need for transfers while allowing them to be treated in their hometown .
MAY 2019