UQ Military work on electronic health records

An international think tank will examine the use of electronic health records (EHRs) in disaster zones and on battlefields paving the way for public use and improved healthcare.

The University of Queensland’s Centre for Military and Veterans’ Health (CMVH) and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs will host the strategic think tank focusing on future directions for e-health in Brisbane this week. How to achieve interoperability of EHRs across the public, defence and veterans communities, and internationally will be a key issue for discussion.

Senior administrators of veterans’ agencies in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom and the United States will join defence health representatives and e-health experts, including HealthConnect – a joint state and federal government EHRs initiative.

CMVH Director Professor Niki Ellis said the key aim of the event was to foster important collaborations that would progress a wide range of opportunities provided by e-health technology.

“EHRs have significant benefits to offer by providing health professionals with quick, secure access to important and potentially lifesaving medical information. Importantly, the work being done by the defence and veterans communities will help progress the use of EHRs in the public area,“ Professor Ellis said.

“From a Defence point of view, having access to a patient’s health records, perhaps via a palm pilot, in a battlefield hospital is invaluable. Ensuring accurate, legible and transferable records once military personnel become veterans is also important for ongoing healthcare.”

Other major topics include telehealth and collaborative data management. The think tank, which will attract around 50 attendees, runs until Friday.

The CMVH is Australia`s centre of excellence in researching health issues faced by serving and former military personnel. Created in 2004, it is led by The University of Queensland, in partnership with The University of Adelaide and Charles Darwin University.

Media: Captain Tracy Carthew 0417 782754