Western Australia's Department of Health has released an invitation for expressions of interest for a statewide Electronic Medical Record (EMR) solution, marking a significant step in the state's healthcare digital transformation journey.

The ambitious procurement project calls for a "single configuration, statewide EMR solution with a Patient Administration System (PAS)" to modernize healthcare delivery across Western Australia's vast and geographically diverse health network.

The invitation document outlines WA Health's vision to implement a comprehensive electronic medical record system that will connect healthcare providers and patients across metropolitan, regional, and remote areas of the state. With submissions due by May 14, 2025, the project is expected to transform how healthcare is delivered to the state's three million residents.

"The people of WA expect the WA Health System to use technology to improve the safety, quality, equity, and sustainability of their health care," the invitation states. The EMR solution aims to address significant healthcare challenges including an aging population, increasing chronic disease prevalence, and healthcare worker shortages.

Currently, patient medical records are created within a single hospital and are serviced by a portfolio of applications and manual activities unique to each hospital. A mixture of features from localised and WA Health System-wide technology are used to register, record, and share clinical information.

The multiphase procurement process will include an initial expressions of interest phase, followed by a request for tender phase, product demonstrations, site visits, and an implementation planning study before final contract negotiations. The project anticipates an initial contract term of 10 years, with possible extensions totalling an additional 10 years.

WA Health has identified 10 key objectives for the EMR implementation, including delivering seamless care, providing transparent patient records, closing health equity gaps, optimizing safety and quality, and enabling a digitally empowered workforce.

The EMR program, which began in 2019, is part of a broader digital transformation initiative divided into two stages. Stage 1 focused on establishing digital capabilities through initiatives like the Digital Medical Record (DMR) and ICU EMR systems. The current procurement falls under Stage 2, which aims to implement core features of a contemporary EMR over a 10-year roadmap.

This digital transformation represents a critical investment in Western Australia's healthcare infrastructure, promising to improve patient outcomes while enhancing efficiency across the state's healthcare system. The successful implementation will enable healthcare providers to make better-informed decisions, reduce medical errors, and improve care coordination, particularly for patients in remote areas who often require multiple healthcare encounters across different facilities.

Respondents must demonstrate their ability to deliver a system capable of achieving Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model (EMRAM) stage 6 maturity, ensuring Western Australia's healthcare system meets international standards for digital healthcare excellence.

A non-mandatory briefing for interested parties will be held on April 11, 2025, at the Department of Health offices in Perth, with options to attend virtually.