Our increasingly digital delivery of healthcare in Queensland provides many exciting opportunities for improving communication. The integrated electronic Medical Record (ieMR) offers the potential to refine current systems and processes to improve and expedite the production and distribution of outpatient transfer of care (TOC) correspondence which supports GPs as their patients return to community care.
It is proposed that the ieMR be used to produce a templated document which serves as the final clinic note and forms the body of this GP facing correspondence. These letters will also include contact phone numbers, allowing more direct follow-up communication with a senior member of clinic should a GP have follow up concerns or questions regarding the transfer.
This project was initiated by the Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH). Advice and support from clinical and administrative staff in PAH’s Surgical Services as well as the General Practice Liaison Office (GPLO) will be critical to the project’s success. The project also became involved in the state-wide Transfer of Care Optimisation stream where it promoted the needs of outpatient areas.
