National-scale secure messaging in sight as ADHA funds software upgrades

Clinical software vendors are being offered up to $30,000 to assist them in implementing new FHIR-based interoperability standards for secure messaging with the aim of boosting national take-up of the technology in all parts of the healthcare sector this year.

Following the success of two proof-of-concept trials in 2018 led by Telstra Health and Healthlink and involving major clinical information system and secure messaging vendors, vendors that did not take part in those trials will now be assisted with funding and technical advice from the Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA) to implement the standards, which will allow health professionals using different platforms to securely send information to each other.

ADHA chief operating officer Bettina McMahon said vendors involved in the trials had all implemented the standards within their systems but there were a number who will need assistance.