Author: Lauren Turner

Clanwilliam’s HealthLink acquires Telstra Health’s Argus, Connecting Care and eReferrals Business

Posted on by Lauren Turner

Australian-based technology company Telstra Health has today announced the sale of its secure healthcare messaging and e-referrals business – Argus, Connecting Care, and eReferrals – to HealthLink.

The strategic sale reflects Telstra Health’s commitment to interoperability and open-source standards for healthcare data exchange, by continuing to partner with secure messaging and eReferral providers, while focusing on expanding its clinical solutions and services within Australia and international markets.

Existing customers of Telstra Health’s messaging solution will receive the same level of support through HealthLink, including access to the extensive HealthLink nationwide network. They can also anticipate benefits from HealthLink’s substantial investments in its technology platforms, particularly in API and FHIR-based messaging solutions. These advancements illustrate HealthLink’s commitment to continuous innovation, ensuring ongoing value for its expanding customer base.

Both Telstra Health and HealthLink are ensuring a smooth transition for customers with no disruption to services or support. A transition plan is in place and customers are being contacted.

HealthLink, part of Clanwilliam, is a market leader in secure healthcare message delivery, eReferrals and SmartForms. Operating for more than 15 years, HealthLink is one of Australia and New Zealand’s leading healthcare technology businesses, connecting more than 15,000 medical organisations and exchanging over 100 million clinical messages and forms annually.

Since becoming part of Clanwilliam in 2017, HealthLink has continued to grow in the Australian market through ongoing investments in its products and its team.

This acquisition aligns to HealthLink’s Australian growth strategy which focuses on expanding its network of healthcare providers, advancing its technologies, and enhancing customer experiences.

David Young, Managing Director of Clanwilliam Australia, said, “Our priority right now is ensuring a seamless transition for our new customers. We are committed to maintaining the high standards and quality of service that they are used to, as well as offering new and innovative solutions to our expanded customer base.”

Highlighting HealthLink’s focus on playing a key role in shaping the future of digital health in Australia, Young continued, “The landscape of e-health is evolving, and HealthLink, as well as the wider Clanwilliam team, is committed to collaborating closely with stakeholders and customers, recognising the shared vision we all have for an exciting future marked by increased interoperability. We are currently investing substantially in our technology platforms, particularly in API and FHIR based messaging solutions, strategically aligning ourselves with national digital health strategies.”

Telstra Health’s Hospital Care Executive, Chris Norton, said: “This decision is consistent with Telstra Health’s strategy, focussing on the development of our clinical and interoperable solutions, and partnering where it makes the most sense to deliver the best solutions for our customers.”

Telstra Health has strategic partnerships with leaders in the healthcare and technology sectors which are dedicated to accelerating the digital connectivity of healthcare adoption, including a recent partnership with CSIRO to implement interoperable solutions across the Australian health and aged care systems.

For any media enquiries, please contact either HealthLink at transition@healthlink.net or Telstra Health at communications@health.telstra.com

Also see HealthLink swoops on Telstra Health’s secure messaging and eReferrals business -published by Pulse+IT on 16/1/2024

Written by Kate McDonald


Clanwilliam’s HealthLink acquires Telstra Health’s Argus, Connecting Care and eReferrals Business

Posted on by Lauren Turner

Australian-based technology company Telstra Health has today announced the sale of its secure healthcare messaging and e-referrals business – Argus, Connecting Care, and eReferrals – to HealthLink.

The strategic sale reflects Telstra Health’s commitment to interoperability and open-source standards for healthcare data exchange, by continuing to partner with secure messaging and eReferral providers, while focusing on expanding its clinical solutions and services within Australia and international markets.

Existing customers of Telstra Health’s messaging solution will receive the same level of support through HealthLink, including access to the extensive HealthLink nationwide network. They can also anticipate benefits from HealthLink’s substantial investments in its technology platforms, particularly in API and FHIR-based messaging solutions. These advancements illustrate HealthLink’s commitment to continuous innovation, ensuring ongoing value for its expanding customer base.

Both Telstra Health and HealthLink are ensuring a smooth transition for customers with no disruption to services or support. A transition plan is in place and customers are being contacted.

HealthLink, part of Clanwilliam, is a market leader in secure healthcare message delivery, eReferrals and SmartForms. Operating for more than 15 years, HealthLink is one of Australia and New Zealand’s leading healthcare technology businesses, connecting more than 15,000 medical organisations and exchanging over 100 million clinical messages and forms annually.

Since becoming part of Clanwilliam in 2017, HealthLink has continued to grow in the Australian market through ongoing investments in its products and its team.

This acquisition aligns to HealthLink’s Australian growth strategy which focuses on expanding its network of healthcare providers, advancing its technologies, and enhancing customer experiences.

David Young, Managing Director of Clanwilliam Australia, said, “Our priority right now is ensuring a seamless transition for our new customers. We are committed to maintaining the high standards and quality of service that they are used to, as well as offering new and innovative solutions to our expanded customer base.”

Highlighting HealthLink’s focus on playing a key role in shaping the future of digital health in Australia, Young continued, “The landscape of e-health is evolving, and HealthLink, as well as the wider Clanwilliam team, is committed to collaborating closely with stakeholders and customers, recognising the shared vision we all have for an exciting future marked by increased interoperability. We are currently investing substantially in our technology platforms, particularly in API and FHIR based messaging solutions, strategically aligning ourselves with national digital health strategies.”

Telstra Health’s Hospital Care Executive, Chris Norton, said: “This decision is consistent with Telstra Health’s strategy, focussing on the development of our clinical and interoperable solutions, and partnering where it makes the most sense to deliver the best solutions for our customers.”

Telstra Health has strategic partnerships with leaders in the healthcare and technology sectors which are dedicated to accelerating the digital connectivity of healthcare adoption, including a recent partnership with CSIRO to implement interoperable solutions across the Australian health and aged care systems.

For any media enquiries, please contact either HealthLink at transition@healthlink.net or Telstra Health at communications@health.telstra.com

Also see HealthLink swoops on Telstra Health’s secure messaging and eReferrals business -published by Pulse+IT on 16/1/2024

Written by Kate McDonald


Clanwilliam’s HealthLink expands operations in Australia through acquisition of Telstra Health’s Argus, Connecting Care and eReferrals Business

Posted on by Lauren Turner

Australian-based technology company Telstra Health has today announced the sale of its secure healthcare messaging and e-referrals business – Argus, Connecting Care, and eReferrals – to HealthLink.

The strategic sale reflects Telstra Health’s commitment to interoperability and open-source standards for healthcare data exchange, by continuing to partner with secure messaging and eReferral providers, while focusing on expanding its clinical solutions and services within Australia and international markets.

Existing customers of Telstra Health’s messaging solution will receive the same level of support through HealthLink, including access to the extensive HealthLink nationwide network. They can also anticipate benefits from HealthLink’s substantial investments in its technology platforms, particularly in API and FHIR-based messaging solutions. These advancements illustrate HealthLink’s commitment to continuous innovation, ensuring ongoing value for its expanding customer base.

Both Telstra Health and HealthLink are ensuring a smooth transition for customers with no disruption to services or support. A transition plan is in place and customers are being contacted.

HealthLink, part of Clanwilliam, is a market leader in secure healthcare message delivery, eReferrals and SmartForms. Operating for more than 15 years, HealthLink is one of Australia and New Zealand’s leading healthcare technology businesses, connecting more than 15,000 medical organisations and exchanging over 100 million clinical messages and forms annually.

Since becoming part of Clanwilliam in 2017, HealthLink has continued to grow in the Australian market through ongoing investments in its products and its team.

This acquisition aligns to HealthLink’s Australian growth strategy which focuses on expanding its network of healthcare providers, advancing its technologies, and enhancing customer experiences.

David Young, Managing Director of Clanwilliam Australia, said, “Our priority right now is ensuring a seamless transition for our new customers. We are committed to maintaining the high standards and quality of service that they are used to, as well as offering new and innovative solutions to our expanded customer base.”

Highlighting HealthLink’s focus on playing a key role in shaping the future of digital health in Australia, Young continued, “The landscape of e-health is evolving, and HealthLink, as well as the wider Clanwilliam team, is committed to collaborating closely with stakeholders and customers, recognising the shared vision we all have for an exciting future marked by increased interoperability. We are currently investing substantially in our technology platforms, particularly in API and FHIR based messaging solutions, strategically aligning ourselves with national digital health strategies.”

Telstra Health’s Hospital Care Executive, Chris Norton, said: “This decision is consistent with Telstra Health’s domestic and international growth strategy, focussing on the development of our clinical and interoperable solutions, and partnering where it makes the most sense to deliver the best solutions for our customers.”

Clanwilliam founder and group chief executive Howard Beggs said: “We’re delighted to further expand our e-referrals business and continue to grow our operations across the Australian market. As an Irish-founded company we’ve rapidly accelerated our growth in recent years to become the global healthcare technology and services company we are today, with over 1,000 talented people working delivering 25+ healthcare products and services across three continents.”

For any media enquiries, please contact either HealthLink at transition@healthlink.net or Telstra Health at communications@health.telstra.com

Continue reading “Clanwilliam’s HealthLink expands operations in Australia through acquisition of Telstra Health’s Argus, Connecting Care and eReferrals Business”

Western Sydney to axe the fax in Engage Outpatients eReferrals pilot

Posted on by Lauren Turner

https://www.pulseit.news/australian-digital-health/western-sydney-to-axe-the-fax-inengage-

outpatients-pilot/

First published by Pulse+IT on 29/11/2023

Written by Kate McDonald

Western Sydney to axe the fax in Engage Outpatients eReferrals pilot

Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD) is getting ready to pilot NSW’s Engage Outpatients eReferral solution in two groups of clinics at Blacktown Hospital.

The solution, which has been piloted at Sydney LHD and Northern NSW LHD, uses HealthLink’s SmartForms secure messaging technology and an electronic referral management system (eRMS) co-developed with eHealth NSW.

The solution sees an eReferral form generated within the GP’s practice management system, where it is pre-populated with demographic data, medical history, medications and alerts. HealthPathways are embedded in the system to guide the referral, and it is then electronically sent to the eRMS, where it is triaged.

Referrers are notified electronically that it has been received or if more information is required. Patients are also be notified. Clinical documents can be attached to the referral. The eRMS is integrated with the hospital’s EMR providing the referral information for the outpatient clinic.

The technology uses FHIR as the standard to exchange communication between NSW Health and external healthcare providers. HealthLink and NSW Health have signed a $2.8 million contract for the phased roll out of the technology.

WSLHD is piloting the solution at its gastroenterology/liver clinics in Western Sydney, as well as antenatal and gynaecology clinics. WSLHD chief medical information officer Naren Gunja said if the pilot goes well, it is hoped to be expanded across more of the district.

“For us, the main benefits are the visibility,” Dr Gunja told a WSLHD webinar recently. “At the moment, you have to walk into a particular room, look at a bundle of referrals, and triage them. You can’t do it from anywhere in the hospital, and our clinicians are mobile. They could be working from home on a particular day.

“So, this allows that kind of visual visibility to be able to look at everything everywhere. The system has a lot of fantastic metrics and dashboards for us to be able to operationally manage the whole clinic system to know what needs to be prioritised, where do we need to send more staff, what’s doing well, what’s not, and where the bottlenecks are.

“One thing we are going to be doing in this pilot is we are going to be turning off the fax machine so that the only way to be able to refer to these clinics will be electronic. Fax referrals will not be allowed once they’re on this system.”

For the GP, the benefits are touted as being better communication with the hospital, near real-time transmission with no lost referrals or delays, with copies of the referrals autosaved into the PMS. HealthLink’s SmartForms are integrated with Best Practice, Medical Director, Genie, Medtech, Zedmed and Shexie practice management systems.

Western Sydney GP and HealthPathways clinical lead Michelle Crockett said most NSW GPs would be used to SmartForms as they have been used for a number of years for NSW Roads and Maritime Services, now Transport for NSW, fitness to drive medical assessments.

They are also used for referrals to My Aged Care, Hearing Australia and for referrals to Chris O’Brien Lifehouse cancer centre.

The system is free for GPs to use through a $2.8 million contract for the phased roll out of the technology between HealthLink and NSW Health.

Some NSW LHDs and specialty networks are using other eReferral solutions. Hunter New England Health rolled out BPAC’s SeNT eReferral software in 2020, funded and supported by Hunter New England and Central Coast PHN.

Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network (SCHN) went live earlier this year with a new electronic referral system from Sydney-based start-up Consultmed.

Disclaimer: Pulse+IT and HealthLink are both part of the Clanwilliam Group.


HealthLink modernise radiology reporting in Australia with new Diagnostic e-Ordering.

Posted on by Lauren Turner

Team member: Nick Rowland

Job title: National Manager for Diagnostic Services, HealthLink

Location: Sunshine Coast, Australia

Project: Diagnostic e-Ordering launch

 

In this special blog series, we’re shining a light on some of our talented team members, who have played a pivotal part in enabling us to continue to achieve our vision of improving healthcare for everyone. Our 1,050-strong team is made up of the biggest and brightest talent around. Collectively, our employees are helping deliver product innovations across more than 20 countries and destinations, including the UK, Ireland and Asia-Pacific.

 

Nick Rowland, who has been working for Clanwilliam and the HealthLink product suite for the last 15 years and is responsible for supporting more than 300 distinct diagnostic service providers across Australia, talks about the launch of our latest innovation in Diagnostic e-Ordering.

During the pandemic, demand for secure, contactless processes sector-wide reached epic proportions, particularly within the healthcare industry. In May 2020, Nick helped launch a pioneering new product, Diagnostic e-Ordering, to accelerate telehealth and contactless radiology referrals for new and existing HealthLink customers.

Ultimately, the new product is aimed at providing healthcare providers with a more efficient and secure electronic referrals system which, in turn, has created a more streamlined patient journey.

 

Nick managed all aspects of the project

Working alongside two account managers and registration team members, Nick operated across customer engagement, sales, project management, marketing and customer support. This involved liaising closely with referring doctors and service providers and their radiology information system vendors.

“While the project may be ongoing, there was so much to learn from during the initial implementation phase,” he explains.

“It highlighted the importance of effective teamwork, communication, project management and planning/documenting technical solutions, which enabled us to deliver what was required. It also provided me with invaluable lessons I can leverage and build upon going forward.”

 

200% increase in demand

Within the first 12 months of being introduced, demand for the product had increased by 200%. To date, more than five million e-orders have been transferred.

 

How the Diagnostic e-Ordering system works:

 Patient information is validated and encrypted automatically by the sender’s HealthLink software

  • The encrypted message is sent securely via the internet
  • It is stored temporarily in the recipient’s HealthLink account
  • The message is retrieved from the HealthLink messaging services following authentication The e-order is then passed to the Radiology Information System for the booking teams to manage.

 

Delivering customer and patient benefits

“By digitising traditional paper-based radiology workflows, we’ve enabled our customers to better respond to patient demand, which has resulted in some of them winning new business. The care journey has also been significantly improved – patient information is being exchanged securely, efficiently and cost effectively,“ explains Nick.

“Helping deliver an innovative new solution that has achieved widespread success was a real high for me, so too, was working with our customers, helping them achieve their digitisation goals and realise the full potential of electronic ordering.”

 

For more information about Diagnostic e-Ordering, visit: https://au.healthlink.net/radiology/ 

Dictate.IT Attends RCGP Annual Conference 2023

Posted on by Lauren Turner

Dictate.IT attended the Royal College of GP’s (RCGP) Annual Conference at the SEC in Glasgow between Thursday 19th – Friday 20th October 2023.

1,900 people attended across the 2 days to visit over 320 exhibitors and listen to over 80 sessions. Visitors were able to gain CPD points by attending sessions, which were hosted by various industry experts, from GP’s to NHS England Directors.

Visitors to the stand had a go on our signature Spin to Win wheel, giving them the chance to win a Fortnum & Mason hamper and 2 months free speech recognition! They also had the opportunity to try Dictate.IT’s speech recognition solution live on the stand, proving it’s 99% accuracy from first use!

This was our first year exhibiting at the RCGP Annual Conference and we were thrilled with the conversations we were able to have, introducing our solutions to GP’s from across the country. We’re looking forward to attending next year in Liverpool.

Faiza Saleem, Sales Director, Clanwilliam UK

Dictate.IT Attends Best Practice Birmingham 2023

Posted on by Lauren Turner

Dictate.IT attended Best Practice Birmingham at the NEC on Wednesday 11th – Thursday 12th October.

This was Dictate.IT’s third year exhibiting at Best Practice Birmingham, the UK’s largest General Practice event that offers a free, world-class, accredited CPD training programme for the entire general practice and primary care workforce.

Visitors to the stand were trying out our Spin to Win wheel and getting the opportunity to try the speech recognition solution for themselves. Prizes on offer included a Fortnum & Mason hamper and 2 months free speech recognition!

We had another incredibly successful year at Best Practice Birmingham. Visitors to the stand were really enthusiastic about our solutions and, as always, it was great to get chatting to members of the primary care sector to understand their challenges and requirements. We can’t wait for Best Practice London in February 2024!

Faiza Saleem, Sales Director, Clanwilliam UK

Clanwilliam launches UK Division with new leadership team

Posted on by Lauren Turner

Clanwilliam has launched a UK Division backed by a new leadership team. The new division will bring together five leading UK brands with a track record of delivering for the NHS, led by new managing director, Stuart van Rooyen.

The creation of the UK division will encourage the exchange of ideas and technology between the brand teams and create a focus for investment in solutions to support the NHS and UK healthcare system. Clanwilliam’s UK division will invest over £10million in research, development, and innovation over the next three years.

Clanwilliam founder and group chief executive Howard Beggs said: “Our technology has been in use in multiple healthcare environments across the UK for over two decades, from operating theatres to pharmacies in the high street. This planned investment will help us continue to support the NHS and wider healthcare stakeholders with their digital transformation plans.

“The creation of our UK Division, alongside our planned investment in R&D, will build on that legacy. It underlines our commitment to making sure that the NHS can continue to access the digital technology it needs to address current and future challenges.”

Clanwilliam was founded in 1996 by Howard Beggs to help doctors utilise technology to deliver better care. Today, Clanwilliam is a global healthcare group of more than 25 technology products and services committed to improving healthcare across the world.

It has 16 offices and more than 1,050 staff in the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, and India, serving healthcare customers in over 20 countries.

At launch, the UK Division of Clanwilliam will comprise:

  • Bluespier –theatre management systems and virtual clinics
  • Dictate IT – digital dictation and speech recognition
  • Maxwell Stanley – data quality consultancy and clinical coding
  • Medisec Software – document management software and,
  • Informatica Systems – patient intervention and population health management tools.

Some of the £10million investment in R&D will be used to modernise and expand the product portfolios of these companies over the next three years, while the rest will be used to develop new solutions and patient-focused technology.

Stuart van Rooyen, managing director (UK) of Clanwilliam, said: “It is a privilege to be taking on this new role and driving forward our new strategy for Clanwilliam in the UK. The people and products that make up our division have great potential to work closely together, leverage synergies, and share solutions to problems for the benefit of our healthcare customers.

“There is a real opportunity to invest further in cloud-based solutions that are easier to deploy and maintain, to focus on mobility so clinicians can do their jobs on the devices we all use every day, and to make our products and services interoperable, so our customers can get more of the innovation they need straight out of the box.”

In total, the Clanwilliam UK division has a presence in 89 different NHS trusts. Other Clanwilliam products are used by thousands of professionals in community pharmacies and private practices across the UK.

A good example of a recent innovation is the launch of Clanwilliam’s speech product [Dictate Live©] into the primary care market. The product has been developed to suit primary care workflow and needs, and nearly 300 practices and PCNs across the UK are already using it to streamline document production and clinical noting.

Stuart van Rooyen added: “This is a great example of how Clanwilliam innovation delivers value for clinical users. I look forward to leading this division at what is an exciting time for Clanwilliam and the healthcare systems with which it works.”

Dictate.IT Attends EMIS NUG Conference 2023

Posted on by Lauren Turner

Dictate.IT attended EMIS National User Group Conference 2023 at the prestigious Tottenham Hotspur stadium on Thursday 14th – Friday 15th September.

This was Dictate.IT’s second year at the EMIS NUG conference, an annual event that allows EMIS users across the country to come together to share best practice and hear the latest industry news.

The Ditate.IT stand was manned by two Dictate.IT Account Managers, Carl Downing and Hassnain Shah who were offering visitors to the stand the chance to try our speech recognition solution for themselves.

No Hidden Costs – Customer Support

Posted on by Lauren Turner

Dive into the fourth installment of our ‘No Hidden Costs’ series as we tackle a crucial element that often comes with unexpected costs: Customer Support.

We’re all too familiar with the frustration of navigating through endless automated menus or waiting on hold, only to be met with a representative who doesn’t fully grasp the issue. But did you know that some digital dictation solutions actually charge extra for these customer services?

In the healthcare sector, where time is of the essence and patient care can’t wait, this is particularly concerning. And it gets more convoluted when dealing with providers who are merely resellers. These intermediaries can often only handle low-level queries, forcing you into a lengthy and frustrating process of raising tickets and getting updates.

However, with Dictate.IT, you’re never alone.

Our dedicated support team consists of trained professionals who understand not just our product, but the healthcare environment you operate in. We strive to resolve any hitches quickly, ensuring minimal disruption to your practice. And yes, there’s no extra fee for our top-tier support. Why? Because we believe that stellar customer service isn’t an “add-on.” It’s fundamental to the experience we promise and provide.

Our knowledgeable team is readily available via email, web-chat, or phone, and we’re always happy to screen-share and talk you through our solutions to ensure you’re getting the most from Dictate.IT

With Dictate.IT, you’re not just purchasing a product; you’re investing in a partnership. Our transparent pricing, including the unmatched £23 per month for Swift and £30 with Live, covers it all. No hidden fees, no surprises.

Stay connected for our final piece in this series which will elucidate the comprehensive value Dictate.IT brings to the table. If you missed our previous posts on microphones, training, and updates, be sure to catch up on those as well!