Original article was published in July 2023 and has since been updated with new information.
Update from Northern NSW Local Health District:
Northern NSW LHD (NNSWLHD) is transitioning to the eHealth NSW State-wide Admission and Discharge Notification (ADN) service, scheduled to go live in the first quarter of 2024.
The existing NNSWLHD ADN service – introduced as part of the Integrated Care Collaborative in 2017 and which sends ADNs for enrolled integrated care patients only – will be retired.
The existing service only sends ADNs for specific patients, whereas the new service is activated for all patients.
What does this mean for general practices?
General practices will start to receive near real-time notifications for all patients who are admitted to, discharged from, or transferred within a NNSWLHD facility under the following circumstances:
Discharge from Emergency Departments and inpatient facilities for:
- discharge against medical advice
- did not wait to be seen (ED only)
- deceased
Direct admission to Psychiatry Specialty (including direct admission).
Transfer to an inpatient ward (i.e. unplanned admission) from:
- Emergency Department
- Outpatient Clinic
Notifications will not be sent for discharges from hospital or ED (other than those listed above), presentation to emergency department, recurring admission (e.g., Oncology and Renal), community health admission/discharges, or for outpatient appointment attendance. Community Health and Outpatient Clinic notifications are under consideration for future implementation, subject to further consultation.
Please note, planning is underway to include HITH in the second half of 2024.
The ADN system will assist general practices to:
- Share patient information and up-to-date medical information with treating teams.
- Be involved in discharge planning.
- Follow up at-risk patients who have not received required medical attention in ED or have discharged against medical advice from hospital.
Act now so you are ready for this change:
- Make sure your GP provider and practice details are up to date in the NNSWLHD’s Patient Administration System (updates can be made via this form).
- Educate your patient to state their GP or practice when they present to a hospital.
The design of NNSWLHD’s ADNs was based on consultation with GPs and LHD Services.
There was consultation with the Combined Clinical Advisory Council and additional GPs alongside Mental Health and Aboriginal Health services.
Consultation identified strong support for receiving hospital ADNs as detailed below:
- 100% of GPs want notifications for transfers from ED and Outpatient Clinics to an inpatient ward
- 93% of GPs want notifications for taken own leave from ED and inpatient wards
- 84% of GPs want deceased in hospital notifications
- 75% of GPs want admission to psychiatry notifications
- 75% of GPs want admission to Hospital in the Home notifications
Please contact the NNSWLHD Integrated Care Project Team for any related enquiries:
Laura Newell – Project Officer
[email protected]
Timothy Marsh – IT Integrated Care
[email protected]
We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land we live and work, the Bundjalung, Arakwal, Yaegl, Gumbaynggirr, Githabul, Dunghutti and Birpai Nations, and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to elders past, present and future.
