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About ePOC...
ePOC is an Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Grant project. The ARC Linkage programs help to broker partnerships between researchers and industry, government and community organisations as well as the international community. ePOC is under current development for The Ambulatory Care1 Team (TACT) Northern Illawarra. The project is a multi-staged design and implementation process which is intended to deliver the following benefits to TACT: ePOC is a PDA based mobile electronic Health Information System which manages client (patient) information, such as personal information, clinical information, electronic assessment and health care plans in an Ambulatory Care environment (Ambulatory Care literally means 'Hospital in the Home'). 1 Ambulatory Care is based on providing patients with a choice of treatment in their own homes (hospital in the home) or other locations as an alternative to hospital. What is a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)... Personal Digital Assistants (commonly refered to as PDAs) are small, mobile, hand-held computer devices which may be programmed for specific functions, such as storing or retrieving information. Project Background... Effective healthcare delivery within the community based health services2 depends upon efficient information access.3 Current systems are paper-based and are limited to what the healthcare worker can effectively carry. The key advantages of a PDA system will be its high mobility and flexibility in matching complex healthcare workflow requirements as well as immediate updating of healthcare records. Such a system has the potential to save people's lives or at least significantly improve their health outcomes by responding more quickly and with more appropriate action. 2 Community based health services, include community health, home nursing services, hospital in the home, homecare services etc 3 NSW Health Information Management and IT Strategic Plan, 2001 This project will involve the design and development of a prototype Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) based delivery system that utilizes generic, reusable and scalable components. A PDA based point-of-care system is significant as it provides for collection, delivery and exchange of timely information (both text and images) at the point-of-care leading to a more efficient health care system. This system should: This system should also address the following issues: Approach... Project Funding... ePOC is fully funded for 3 years through ARC and by the generous contributions of the ePOC project partners; Pen Computer Systems Pty Ltd and South Eastern Sydney and Illawarra Area Health Service. Ethical conduct of this research... The ePOC project is carefully monitored by the Human Research Ethics Committee at the University of Wollongong. |
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