NT to spend $259m on integrated health system

The NT Government has added $73 million to the budget of its major integrated health systems overhaul, taking the total investment up to $259 million.

The Core Clinical Systems Renewal Program (CCSRP) is designed to deliver a single digital medical record for all residents of the territory. The program will consolidate the NT’s public health systems into a single ICT solution.

Residents will be able to access their health records via an online portal and manage their clinical appointments securely from their homes.

When it was announced in May last year, the project was already the largest ever ICT reform undertaken by the government with a budget of $185.9 million.

The project will be completed over five years. An open tender for a commercial health records system is currently in its final stages, with a winner expected to be announced this month.

“We have consulted extensively with our health providers, with over 600 clinicians from across the Territory providing input into the system requirements that were put to tender, so we are very confident that this will meet the needs of Territorians,” NT Minister for Health Natasha Fyles said.

Despite the increased costs, Fyles said it is vital that the government invests now in the project to avoid even higher costs associated with maintaining an obsolete system.

“We are going through a challenging economic period — everyone knows this and we have been very upfront about it. [But] there are times when we must take action and keep pace with upgraded technology. If we don’t, we risk future financial and health issues,” she said.

“We are investing for our future and ensuring critical services continue and improve delivery for better access for all Territorians.”

In 2014, the previous on-term Country Liberal Party minority government cancelled a project to deploy a whole-of-government asset management system commissioned by its predecessor, despite $70 million having already been spent on the project.

The then-government said the project — which was originally budgeted at just $7.2 million — was likely to cost a further $120 million to complete and had been plagued by mismanagement, poor work by contractor Fujitsu, and cost and schedule blowouts.

Image courtesy of Presidencia de la República Mexicana under CC

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