Canberra Health Services (CHS) has created a new chief information officer role to oversee its digital information systems.
Reporting to the chief financial officer and the executive branch manager, the CIO will be responsible for information systems operations, ICT projects plus non-clinical digital records.
The CIO will manage CHS' digital and business intelligence unit while providing strategic guidance to ensure the information systems meet the organisation's future needs.
CHS confirmed to iTnews that no one is presently acting in the role.
A spokesperson for CHS said CHS services includes the Canberra Hospital, the University of Canberra Hospital, Walk-in Centres, Community health centres including childhood, youth and women’s, dental, alcohol and drug services.
"The CIO will lead the digital and business intelligence business unit, providing strategic advice and bringing to the organisation an innovative approach that is sustainable for the long-term vision needed for data and information management.
"Currently, CHS is undergoing a massive modernisation program with the Canberra Hospital Expansion project, for which this role will be crucial as the infrastructure progresses to deliver more health services for the ACT and surrounding regions."
The spokesperson added it is "an exciting time to be working at Canberra Health Services as it expands and matures for a rapidly growing population."
CHS said in its most recent annual report that it is taking steps to broaden its digital offerings over the next three years under a four-pillar strategic plan encompassing work culture, further health services, specialist providers and personal health care.
“We will establish the foundations required to become an insight-driven organisation—one in which all team members have a clear understanding of performance drivers as well as opportunities to improve," the report states.
“This will include improving the quality, connectivity and utility of our data assets.
“We will build on our capabilities in business intelligence and clinical informatics to harness information and share learnings.”
Analytics will play a large role to enable an “intuitive and integrated digital health environment.”
CHS plans to integrate technology and systems to improve workflow and care both within and beyond the organisation.
Replacing system, equipment and infrastructure is a factor in the ACT Government and CHS highlighting the need to make significant upgrades and offer new facilities.
CHS appears to have its own systems, as well as some sourced from ACT Shared Services and the ACT Health Directorate’s digital services division.
The spokesperson added CHS was established in October 2018 when ACT Health was split into two separate ACT Government directorates, with CHS dedicated to operational health services and the ACT Health Directorate responsible for strategic direction, policy and planning.
