The cloud platform will be rolled out in its new mental health clinic in Western Australia.
Bethesda Health Care, a private healthcare provider in Western Australia, will be the first medical facility in Australia to implement the latest Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare as its patient administration system.
According to a media release, the private surgical and palliative care provider will be rolling out the cloud platform in its new mental health clinic in Cockburn through its technology partner, Velrada.
Launched in 2020, Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare combines the capabilities of various Microsoft cloud technologies, namely Microsoft Azure, Dynamics 365, Microsoft Power Platform and Microsoft 365. It includes managed services, such as self-service portals and applications, data analytics and care collaboration tools, clinician collaboration software, and other capabilities.
WHAT IT’S FOR
With Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, Bethesda can explore new care models “where the consumer is in control of their care and, with consent, provide clinical staff a full history of the care and support given and proposed,”
Velrada, a Microsoft Gold partner.
Its new clinic can offer its patients and clinicians direct access to patient history. The cloud platform keeps a record of a patient’s “episode of care,” which enables more personalised and tailored care plans based on their needs.
The mental health facility can also keep patients informed by tracking both their inpatient and outpatient care plans. The cloud platform allows care teams to create unique care plans, enabling the setup of remote health monitoring, chatbot interactions or telehealth visits.
WHY IT MATTERS
The first implementation of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare at Bethesda’s latest clinic comes as demand for mental health support is rising across Western Australia. The latest government data showed that approximately 63,415 people in WA, or about 2.5% of the state population, received clinical mental health care in 2019, up from 60,629 people in the previous year.
“There has never been such a need as now to provide new and connected services for people affected by mental health issues”, “This is a huge step in supporting care across often very complex needs and one that Microsoft is very proud to be taking with Bethesda and Velrada”
Microsoft Australia CMO Dr Nic Woods
Their new cloud-based system “allows an incredible amount of important data to be exchanged from multiple operational and clinical sources, creating more connected consumer experiences, where the consumer is in control of what is shared and who it is shared with”.
Bethesda CEO Dr Neale Fong
Bethesda’s new PAS will bring together protected health information from disparate systems into a standards-based solution to help create a longitudinal patient record. The system will also improve how patients can access and receive mental health support, as well as how they and their families interact with care teams.
THE LARGER TREND
In 2019, Microsoft partnered with NSW Health Pathology and eHealth NSW for a first pilot of Microsoft Azure, along with a range of other Microsoft technologies, in uploading encrypted pathology test results and clinical observations via 4G mobile network.
Last year saw more Australian healthcare providers, including Queensland-based non-profit Mater and Victoria-based BlueCross, adopting Microsoft cloud products, such as Azure, Dynamics 365, and Power Platform.
“By harnessing the power of cloud technology, Bethesda will be able to evolve how it engages consumers and patients in their care, to significantly improve outcomes for both patients and staff,”
Microsoft Australia’s Dr Woods.
“Velrada is delighted to be part of this Australian-first project, which we hope will be a model for others around Australia and beyond that are looking for new ways to improve the delivery of mental health services,”
Director Jennifer Evans.
