The Pathology Informatics Working Party (PIWP) was established in 2003 to develop a policy to assist in the implementation of health informatics for pathology. The Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) funded its first year of operation, and the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) funded its second year of operation. The Information and Communications Division within DoHA subsequently took over all e-Health activities.
to develop a discussion paper on the role of informatics and the pathologist in patient care
to represent the RCPA on various committees
to participate in the activities of HealthConnect through various projects being carried out by Federal and State Health Departments.
These objectives were either achieved or in the final stage of completion when the report was tabled. The PIWP also submitted a Laboratory Decision Support System proposal which was unsuccessful. The RCPA subsequently developed an electronic updated version of the Manual of the Use and Interpretation of Pathology Tests (see Follow On Initiatives and Projects below).
Outcomes
PIWP was promoted in various ways.
A discussion paper on the role of informatics and the pathologist in patient care was in development and due to be completed by the new working party when it was constituted.
Informatics training was to be integrated into the trainees’ specialty curriculum although topics of interest to all trainees will be presented to the group.
The Chain of Information Custody for the Pathology Request-Test-Report Cycle in Australia (Guidelines for Pathology Requesters and Pathology Providers) report was nearing completion by the RCPA. This report was funded by the Quality Use of Pathology Program (QUPP) but not endorsed by the Quality Use of Pathology Committee (QUPC) as they noted it required further refinement.
Findings
Informatics and electronic health records are an important and integral part of the future of the Australian healthcare system.
New approaches to technology will be more readily accepted by a profession if they are introduced as an adjunct to existing professional practice rather than as a new and unfamiliar discipline with its own philosophy and language.
Incorporating an appropriate level of informatics skill and expertise into the practice of pathology will be facilitated if the contribution of informatics is couched in terms of existing pathology practice.
Follow on Initiatives and Projects
on page 16 to update its content and make it available via the RCPA website in a format facilitating searching, downloading and incorporation into other software
The Chain of Information Custody for the Pathology Request-Test-Report Cycle in Australia (Guidelines for Pathology Requesters and Pathology Providers) report on page 71.
Development of on On-line Maintenance System for the Australian Pathology Request and Result Code Sets (2003)
Description
This project sought to develop an on-line maintenance system for pathology request and result code sets. It followed work by Standards Australia to provide a common set of request codes for use by software manufacturers in building systems for the electronic ordering of pathology.
Grant Recipient
University of Sydney
Aims and Objectives
to review the code set produced by Standards Australia
to update references to the Pathology Services Table (PST) to allow the code set to be incorporated into the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS)
to build an online facility to cater for multiple purposes
to undertake additional work to accommodate pathology result codes.
Secondary objectives were:
to provide a reference terminology for the coding of pathology requests for research
to provide a maintained list of “abbreviations” to be used on pathology accounts to meet the requirement of the Australian Health Insurance Act in the identification of the billed procedure.
These aims and objectives were achieved by this project.
Outcomes
Phase 1 - Conduct a desktop audit to check each code entry in the table set out in the Standards Australia Report against its reference in the Pathology Services Table.
Phase 2 – Develop an on-line maintenance system for the Pathology Request Code set.
Phase 3 – Conduct additional work to the on-line maintenance system.
Phase 4 - Commence hosting the On-line Maintenance Systems (developed in phases two and three of the project) by the University of Wollongong.
The On-line Maintenance System for the Report Code Set was demonstrated and handed over to Standards Australia IT-14-6-5 for their use in commencing with the maintenance of the for their use to begin the maintenance of AUSPRP the Australian Pathology Report Code set on 7 November 2003.
Recommendations
Encourage implementation of the lists by pathology practices and the medical software industry.
Ensure the use of the code sets in Government projects such as HealthConnect.
There was more difficulty in getting adequate test code lists than building the web site.
Follow on Initiatives and Projects
Integration with National E-Health Transition Authority (NeHTA) work program.
Version 1.04 of the Request Code set was incorporated into the update of the AS4700.2 Implementation of Health Level Seven (HL7), Version 2.3.1 Part 2: Pathology orders and results.
