-There is a disconnected IT system within hospitals, and between hospitals in the health care segment," Angus Robinson, chair of ICTeHealth Consortium told ZDNet Australia. -Until we sort that out the opportunities for effective new broadband and narrowband application is limited."
The project utilises data-mining software developed by NetMap Analytics -- usually used by insurance companies and fraud detection agencies. -When you have a lot of things dependant on a lot of other things, all these interdependencies make it difficult to analyse what's going on," said Dr John Galloway of NetMap Analytics.
-We build a network of relationships out of what would otherwise be disparate pieces of date," Galloway added. -We'll be able to show the flows and the thickness of flows for each type of process, within each hospital and later with other hospitals. Then they can find out where the disconnects and connect them."
The data is provided by nurses and will cover all the information recorded about a patient, both electronically and on paper.
-The study is designed to demonstrate to NSW and the Federal Government what can be achieved with this methodology," Robinson said. -It's up to the Federal Government to take it from there. In 2003 the government will make the decision to trial on a broader scale. If the whole thing is accepted by the health system then the government can begin the rollout."
Unifying the IT systems in the health sector will allow companies to offer improved services to the hospital system. -In the Wireless LAN field for example, there are so many players that would benefit from a broadening of that sector," Robinson said.
