A small Mackay team are harnessing the power of technology and data analytics to revolutionise patient care and drive positive change in health settings.
Their commitment to digital innovation and providing data solutions to drive informed decision making was the reason Mackay Hospital and Healthcare Informatics Unit was nominated for a 2024 Queensland Health Awards for Excellence in the Digitising Healthcare category.
MHHS Executive Director of Research and Innovation Dr Pieter Nel said the team of four people had developed about 50 integrated and innovative dashboards and data solutions to empower clinicians, administrators and patients. The dashboards used bespoke tools tailored to specific needs which provided clinicians with near real-time data to make informed decisions swiftly and support workflows with data integration.
These innovative tools revolutionised the approach to patient care by harnessing the power of data analytics and transforming raw data into impactful data and clinical solutions, Dr Nel said.
“The dashboards give ready access to data to support understanding of clinical performance and enable clinical risk management,” he said.
“These solutions empower evidence-based choices, leading to positive clinical outcomes.”
The development of the dashboards allowed clinicians to track patient outcomes, medication adherence and trends and offer insight into potentially high-risk cases, prompting personalised interventions. Subsequent data solutions not only improved workflows, efficiency and optimised resource utilisation, they also reduced risk and improved clinical outcomes, he said.
“By integrating data from ieMR, results, patient flow manager and several other systems, we’ve built a comprehensive view of healthcare delivery,” Dr Nel said.
“It’s an innovative data approach which is giving clinicians and executive even greater confidence in the safety and quality of care provided by MHHS.”
Such digital innovation and the transformative power of data analytics in healthcare also served as an inspiration for other regional HHSs including Ipswich and Townsville, Dr Nel said.
The Mackay Informatics team, including Pharmacist Robert Knights, Team Leader System Integration Claudio Gaspar, BPIO Outpatient Sustainability Tammie Pisani and Admin Officer Kelly Smith (pictured), were committed to engagement with colleagues and collaborating closely to develop a culture of data-driven decision making. The data team collaborated closely with local clinicians and staff, sharing their knowledge and fostering skill development through workshops and hands-on sessions.
“This small regional team has surpassed expectations and made an indelible mark on the future of healthcare delivery,” Dr Nel said.
