A new report from CSIRO’s Australian e-Health Research Centre (AEHRC) and the Digital Health Cooperative Research Centre (DHCRC) highlights the pressing need for standardised data sharing within Australia’s aged care sector to improve care outcomes. Titled The Australian aged care data landscape: Gaps, opportunities and future directions, the report outlines a path toward seamless, integrated digital health systems.
DHCRC CEO Annette Schmiede underscores the urgency of these changes:
“Four years later, substantial advances in digital health technologies have impacted the aged care landscape and it is critical we understand these changes to better improve outcomes for both healthcare workers and patients.”
The report points to limited interoperability as a key barrier to effective care. Dr David Hansen, CEO and Research Director at AEHRC, says gaps in data sharing put an unnecessary burden on both recipients and providers:
“In discussions with care recipients and care givers, we found that care recipients needed to share details of their care repeatedly because data exchange between their service providers is limited.”
Dr Hansen also highlights the benefits of better data access: “If everyone involved in providing and receiving care has access to the same, up-to-date data, everyone is on the same page and older Australians can receive high-quality care.”
Although the aged care and health sectors have similar data requirements, the lack of shared systems hinders coordinated care. Dr Hansen notes that lessons from broader healthcare could help remove these obstacles:
“In the report we look to lessons learned in the healthcare sector. The knowledge can be applied to data exchange both within the aged care sector and between the two sectors.”
The findings align with the Federal Government’s Aged Care Data and Digital Strategy, which aims to optimise data use through a collaborative, standards-based care approach. Projects such as the Aged Care FHIR Implementation Guide & Benchmarking minimal viable product (MVP) by CSIRO and DHCRC are already pushing for more integrated and interoperable digital health systems.
Ritchelle is a Content Producer for Healthcare Channel, Australia’s premier resource of information for healthcare.
