Orion Health has been a long-term partner of the UK healthcare system and has provided them with an
Integrated Digital Care Record (IDCR), also known as an Health Information Exchange (HIE).

The IDCR is a system that integrates an Australian citizen’s health and care data from disparate systems across a geography, into a single view. By pulling data from both traditional and non-traditional sources, clinicians and caregivers have a comprehensive view of their patients to make the best possible decisions at the point of care. 

This allows the healthcare sector to connect everything from acute care to GPs, to allied health to create that one essential care record for the patient. 

Example: The importance of quality data in the life of a mental health patient

Stephen Stoyan, Director of Digital Health shared an example of how data impacted a patient’s life in the UK. A mental health patient was experiencing repeat episodes that caused them to go to the emergency department (ED).

The patient was not physically ill but thought that they were. In this instance they reported having chest pains and thought it might be a heart attack, so went to ED seeking treatment. The cost per patient within an ED department is quite expensive because the care team would need to triage, admit and do the necessary tests. 

On this visit, the doctor providing care looked into the Integrated Digital Care Record and noted that there was some commentary from a GP practice that stated that the patient had previously presented there with similar symptoms. From that information, they were able to accelerate making the right decision and clinical care for this patient.

The crucial role of the clinician in the Integrated Digital Care Record

Stephen asserted that you could have the best data in the world but it is meaningless if you do not have the clinicians trained in how to access that information. He explained that it is of critical importance for countries globally to adopt technology and understand the data in order to make some meaning of it. If the data is not served up to clinicians in a meaningful way, then it loses its relevance and wastes time.

In the full podcast, Stephen explores social determinants of health, their role in preventative health, and how Orion Health is positioned to help with presenting smart data in meaningful ways to make decisions at the point of care.