Provider Connect Australia making strides into healthcare connectivity
Published 4 April 2024
One year after launching, Provider Connect AustraliaTM (PCA) has taken a significant step forward to support Australia's allied health sector, with the Australian Podiatry Association (APodA) the first allied peak body to register for the business information service.
APodA joins healthcare technology company Foxo as the latest in a growing number of business partners using the free PCA service to streamline their relationships with healthcare providers and remove the administrative burden of maintaining critical information.
Australian Digital Health Agency Acting CEO Peter O'Halloran said he was pleased to welcome the organisations into the network as PCA reaches a significant milestone.
"Our initial focus has been on supporting GPs and pharmacies to register but they are not the only healthcare providers that face large amounts of paperwork whenever health professionals join or leave their employment," Mr O'Halloran said.
"APodA’s registration to the PCA network underscores this service's crucial role in ensuring the broader healthcare sector can benefit from the improved accuracy of provider and practitioner information, the reduced duplication and the streamlining of notifications that PCA offers."
PCA is a foundation program of the National Digital Health Strategy. The platform allows healthcare organisations to maintain accurate information about the services they provide and the practitioners who deliver them, in a single place.
APodA CEO Hilary Shelton said understanding the health policy landscape was essential for advancing the podiatry profession.
"We can make significant strides forward by recognising how digital initiatives like Provider Connect Australia can reshape this landscape. It presents the profession with a clear opportunity to revolutionise how podiatrists manage their administrative requirements, alleviating some of the challenges," Ms Shelton said.
Mani Sahihi, co-founder of healthcare communications company Foxo, said she was delighted to have an industry partnership with Provider Connect Australia.
"The enhanced accessibility provided directly via PCA to Foxo's community network plays a pivotal role in fostering external, real-time collaboration between healthcare disciplines including: primary, such as general practice and allied health; pharmacy; secondary care; and diagnostics. Almost 70 percent of the Australian healthcare and social assistance workforce is employed outside of the hospital environment and having a seamless, secure path of communication between these workforces and the hospital workforce is critical," Ms Sahihi said.
The number of healthcare services registered with PCA has almost doubled in the last six months, reaching 3,638 on 27 March 2024.
Learn more about how PCA works and its growing network of participating business partners.
Healthcare providers and allied health professionals like podiatrists can register for Provider Connect Australia via the Australian Digital Health Agency website.
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About the Australian Digital Health Agency
When it comes to improving the health of all Australians, the role of digital innovation and connection is a vital part of a modern, accessible healthcare system. Against the backdrop of COVID-19, digital health has seen exponential growth in relevance and importance, making it more pertinent than ever for all Australians and healthcare providers.
Better patient healthcare and health outcomes are possible when you have a health infrastructure that can be safely accessed, easily used and responsibly shared.
To achieve this, the National Digital Health Strategy is establishing the foundations for a sustainable health system that constantly improves. It underpins and guides work that is already happening between governments, healthcare providers, consumers, innovators and the technology industry.
For further information: www.digitalhealth.gov.au
The Australian Digital Health Agency is jointly funded by the Australian Government and all state and territory governments.