Mid North Coast Hospital Admission and Discharge Notifications Pilot

Hospital admission and discharge notifications (ADNs) are intended to improve the flow of information to the GP about a patient’s health journey beyond primary care.

The Mid North Coast ADN pilot has been designed by eHealth NSW’s Integrated Care Program in partnership with the Mid North Coast Local Health District (MNCLHD).

The pilot starts in late September 2020 and will run for six months — real-time admission and discharge notifications will be sent for patients who nominate a regular GP who is listed correctly in the MNCLHD address book.

Clinician experience and feedback will inform the pilot evaluation.

Awareness of admission (means I) can talk with clinical staff if we have important information that they need for care of the patient. Can also contact family and arrange supports etc and be aware that patient may need to (see) us after discharge and arrange early DC review especially if DC summary is not timely eg orthopaedic admissions.

Watch this video to hear from local GPs involved in the MNCLHD Working Group — Dr Adrian Gilliland and Dr Gull Herzberg.

Overview

Notifications, sent as an event summary, will be delivered from MNCLHD facilities to the patient-nominated GP via secure messaging. Click here to see example notifications.

Event summaries will include:

  • ED discharge notification
  • COVID-19 Clinics notifications
  • Admission notifications – inpatient, including when a patient is transferred from ED to an inpatient ward
  • Discharge notification – inpatient

MNCLHD pilot resources:

This solution is also being piloted in South Eastern Sydney and Illawarra.

What's Involved

1. Update your contact information:
The secure delivery of patient information to the right person is dependent on accurate contact and addressing information. MNCLHD relies on general practices and AMSs telling them when a new staff member joins their service or when their practice details change – this helps keep the LHD ‘address book’ up to date, ensuring outbound hospital notifications can be sent/received.

2. Educate your patients:
Admission and discharge notifications are sent directly to a patient’s nominated GP, so it’s important that your patients know who is their regular, or primary, GP by name. Some practices encourage patients to keep their GP’s business card in their wallet or phone case.

3. Provide feedback about your ADN experience:
Practices will be invited to provide feedback during the pilot through two questionnaires — at three months and six months. GPs and practice staff can provide feedback/suggestions

Contact for more information

Level One Support:
Click here to browse FAQs and find more information.

Level Two Support:
Contact your Healthy North Coast Primary Health Coordinator (PHC) or Aboriginal Health Coordinator (AHC) for general support needs or questions about the pilot. See contact details below.

Level Three Support:
Contact the MNCLHD working group to provide feedback or suggestions

We'd love to hear from you