Queensland Health implements Australia’s first state-wide cardiology system

MedTech & Diagnostics News: GE Healthcare revealed its triumphant bid to implement a comprehensive cardiovascular information system for Queensland Health on a state-wide scale.

Scheduled to commence in mid-2024, GE HealthCare in collaboration with eHealth Queensland, will roll out the cutting-edge Centricity Cardio Enterprise (CCE) solution across 11 cardiac catheter laboratories and 20 echocardiography facilities spanning 11 of Queensland’s hospital and health services. The ambitious deployment is anticipated to span 18 months.

GE HealthCare ANZ CEO, Amit Yadav, enthusiastically disclosed the news, underscoring that CCE stands to bridge efficiency gaps and enhance service delivery within cardiology practices and information systems across Queensland Health’s extensive network.

“This will be the first time in Australia that a state-wide solution is rolled out for cardiology related services – from cath labs to echocardiogram clinics,” said Mr Yadav.

“Our CCE solution will provide a streamlined patient journey for cardiac care, less waiting time on appointments and referrals, and a new and welcomed era for remote patient assessments for people living in rural Queensland communities.”

Dr Rohan Poulter, Director of Cardiology at Sunshine Coast University Hospital and Co-Chair of Queensland Health’s Cardiac Clinical Network, echoed this sentiment, emphasising that the implementation of a state-wide cardiovascular information system marks a significant advancement in Queensland Health’s ability to provide timely, high-quality cardiac care to all Queenslanders.

“This new information solution provides opportunities to expand on the data we already collect to further develop the clinical quality indicator programs we operate,” Dr Poulter commented.

The CCE solution by GE HealthCare empowers cardiologists with unified access to critical patient data, waveforms, images, and reports. Once integrated into Queensland Health’s cardiology facilities, this system will centralise and streamline workflows, simplifying the currently complex, multi-vendor setup.

Each year, Queensland Health’s cardiac cath labs conduct more than 25,000 diagnostic and interventional procedures, while echocardiography departments perform over 124,000 imaging studies. These procedures are essential for the overall health of Australians and the sustainability of healthcare services, given the escalating rates of acute hospitalisations for cardiovascular-related conditions nationwide.

Mr Yadav emphasised that GE HealthCare’s innovative CCE system aligns with the Queensland Government’s extensive multi-billion-dollar health expansion program. This program aims to eliminate bottlenecks, enhance access, and optimise operational efficiency.

“The GE HealthCare solution helps to eradicate duplication of patient scanning and data entry, and reduce time-lag in clinical reporting, especially for urgent findings. By freeing up vital resources for doctors and nurses, the CCE solution will hugely benefit cardiologists and cardiac scientists working across Queensland’s public health facilities. Cardiologists and cardiovascular staff will be able to provide better patient care through full clinical access, improved productivity and standardised work practices.” added Mr Yadav.

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