Better digital connections could improve patient care across Australia
12 Oct 2026
At present, patient records do not always move easily between healthcare providers. Many organisations use separate systems that cannot exchange information properly. This can leave GPs without important details when patients return home from hospital.
Improving information sharing will take more than connecting computer systems. Healthcare providers must also agree on how information is recorded, what should be shared and how patient data can remain secure.
Work is already underway to address these issues. National standards based on Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR) are being developed to help different systems exchange health information in a consistent format. The RACGP is a foundation member of Sparked, a community working to advance this work.
There are also plans to improve digital connections across the health system. The Australian Government’s National Health Reform Strategy for 2026–31, released in September, includes measures to modernise digital health systems.
One priority is to improve the use of hospital discharge summaries and national healthcare identifiers. These measures could help information follow patients as they move between hospitals, GP clinics and other services.
The RACGP’s Advocacy Plan for 2026–30 also identifies better information sharing as a key goal. The college plans to advocate for an overarching body to oversee electronic clinical decision support and promote real-time access to digital patient information across healthcare.
However, progress also depends on changing outdated communication practices. Fax machines and posted letters are still used in some healthcare settings, even though digital tools offer other ways to exchange information.
Much of this paper correspondence is later scanned into electronic records, adding extra steps to the process. Moving towards digital communication could make information sharing more efficient.
Connecting Australia’s healthcare systems will require funding, cooperation and continued effort. Better technology and shared standards could help ensure clinicians have the information they need to provide safe and coordinated care.
Better digital connections could improve patient care across Australia
Source: RACGP.