Information Management

Overview

Objectives

Partners

Achievements

Resources and Links

Contact Officers

Overview

Information Management (IM) – an organisation’s ability to process and manage information – is at the core of organisational and managerial competence. The proliferation of information and data sources and the increasing demands for immediate access to information internally and externally, has created a significant challenge for Divisions.

General Practice Tasmania is committed to supporting the delivery of high quality, safe and integrated primary health care services to Tasmanian communities and believes effective information management and eHealth are critical to achieving this.

Evidence shows that service efficiency, quality, safety and health outcomes will be significantly improved through the establishment of an integrated health network underpinned by effective information management and information technology reforms across the entire health sector.

The timely, accurate, consistent and secure exchange of information relevant to the care of patients between general practice and other health care providers is fundamental to the development of an integrated health network.

The Information Management Program is governed by the General Practice Tasmania network IM and eHealth Position Statement released in November 2007 and aims to provide leadership in and support the information management and information technology reforms that will deliver high quality, safe and integrated primary health care services.

In order to support Divisions of General Practice, the Department of Health and Ageing and the Australian General Practice Network (AGPN) are working together to raise awareness of IM and promoting the use of the Information Management Maturity Framework (IMMF).

The framework has been designed specifically for Divisions in Australia in order to build capacity in IM and enhance service delivery outcomes.

Program Objectives

The Objectives of the Information Management Program are to:

• Support the development of network policy by providing high-level, strategic advice on key information management issues impacting on general practice
• Contribute to developing a state-wide perspective on information management
• Provide advice and support to divisions in improving their information management practices
• Promote communication and information sharing between divisions on information management and eHealth initiatives and best practice
• Act as key points for interactions with divisions on information management initiatives
• Contribute to the education of divisions on techniques for improving the quality of clinical data within general practice

The IMMF has been developed to actively support Divisions achieve these objectives by:

• enhancing their IM capacity, and promote models of best practice in IM;
• establishing a uniform national approach to IM, enabling Divisions to share successes and best practice lessons in IM throughout the network;
• supporting the effective management of health information to enhance the quality of healthcare through the collection and utilisation of clinical data in general practices;
• facilitating better access to health information to improve integration and continuity of care across health and community care services; and
• using data to inform the planning and evaluation of health services, and measure the effectiveness of health program delivery.

Partners

General Practice Tasmania has partnerships with the following organisations in the National Immunisation Program:

• The Australian General Practice Network (AGPN)
• The State Based Division Organisations (SBOs)
• Divisions of General Practice (DGPs) across Australia
• Tasmanian State Department of Health and Human Services

Achievements

Achievements within the Information Management Program  include:

• Establishment of the Statewide IM and eHealth Collaborative Framework
• Uptake of the Information Management Maturity Framework (IMMF) by member Divisions

Contact Officer(s)