New pathology system for Vic hospitals

Australian e-health provider, LRS Health, has beat larger international competitors to win a five-year deal to provide e-health systems and support for Victoria's largest hospital group, Southern Health.

Electronic Health
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LRS Health began implementing its MediPath pathology management system in hospitals in October last year, with plans to go live in April. The company will provide 24-hour support for the system.

The system will process around 1.5 million pathology tests Southern Health deals with annually. The group services approximately 32 per cent of metropolitan Melbourne across 40 sites including five major hospitals.

"The MediPath system allows clinicians to order tests straight from the patient's bedside, the system then takes the specimen and via a completely automated system, interfaces with over 50 different highly sophisticated laboratory analysers for the results. Test results are then returned via LRS Health's secure messaging service, AllTalk, not only to the requesting clinician but also to other parties involved in the patients care."

LRS Health beat out competitors such as GE and Cerner after a six-month selection process.

Part of the reason LRS had won the contract was because its system was specifically designed for Australia, with systems that interfaced directly with organisations such as Medicare. It will also work together with Southern Health's patient administration systems, clinicians systems, accident and emergency systems, as well as the national and Victorian e-health projects.

LRS Health's other customers include the Royal Prince Alfred hospital in Sydney, St Vincent's in Sydney and Melbourne, North Coast Area Health Service sites and St John of God Pathology.