MediRecords partners with General Practice Registrars Australia

MediRecords partners with General Practice Registrars Australia to support the next generation of GPs and RGs

November 5, 2025

Media Release 

General Practice Registrars Australia welcomes MediRecords’ support for the next generation of GPs and RGs

General Practice Registrars Australia (GPRA) has announced a new partnership with MediRecords, offering GPRA members exclusive discounts and access to Australia’s leading cloud-based clinical and practice management software.

The collaboration will support the next generation of doctors as they build their careers and future-proof their practices with a digital platform that travels with them.

MediRecords enables GPs and Rural Generalists (RGs) to securely access patient records from anywhere – whether consulting in a clinic, delivering telehealth, working in aged care facilities, or in a remote community.

GPRA President Dr Chris Dickie said patients are increasingly wanting to access their care from GPs and RGs via a variety of pathways – including digital platforms. 

“The future is here, and the use of digital, safe and accessible platforms is just another way a doctor can keep in touch with their patient and vice versa, for the benefit of their health. While not replacing face-to-face care, the safe use of digital technologies is now a critical tool in the doctor’s service model. MediRecords recognises the unique needs of GPRA members as they embark on their professional journey.”

Dr Chris Dickie, GPRA President 

With MediRecords, GP and RG registrars and early-career doctors can gain familiarity with secure, cloud-based systems that support flexible models of care. As they progress in their careers and transition into roles with greater autonomy, they’ll have the capability to build their practices using digital tools that enhance the way they deliver patient care.

As a fully cloud-based platform, MediRecords eliminates the need for on-site servers, offering a scalable, mobile solution that supports today’s increasingly flexible models of healthcare delivery.

Its API connectivity also allows doctors to innovate and integrate with other digital health tools, creating opportunities to build dynamic, patient-centred businesses.

MediRecords CEO Matthew Galetto welcomed the partnership, noting the alignment between the two organisations.

“MediRecords has a growing client base of early career, entrepreneurial doctors who want flexibility in their careers. Our platform gives GPRA members the freedom to work how and where they want, while leveraging our API connectivity to build truly exciting new healthcare businesses. It’s a great fit, and we look forward to supporting GPRA members as they shape the future of general practice.”

Matthew Galetto, MediRecords Founder and CEO 

The partnership underscores a shared commitment to empowering the next generation of GPs with tools that meet modern healthcare demands, enabling mobility, connectivity, and innovation, while upholding standards of healthcare and quality general practice.

Learn more about the membership benefits

About GPRA

General Practice Registrars Australia (GPRA) is the national independent voice for future GPs in Australia (www.gpra.org.au)

Media Contact

MediRecords
Tim Pegler
[email protected]
0435 444 690

GPRA
Gavin Broomhead
[email protected]
0435 077 935

More from the Blog

What a difference the cloud makes – why GPs need to look up when seeking software

July 10th 2025

What a difference the cloud makes - why GPs need to look up when seeking software

This article was originally published by The Medical Republic and can be viewed in its original format here.


Matthew Galetto - Founder and CEO of MediRecords

 At the recent Wild Health Summit – Towards One Health System, MediRecords hosted a breakfast panel called, “What a Difference the Cloud Makes.” It was a chance to have a real conversation about where general practice IT is headed, and where it should be. 

One of our panellists, Peter O’Halloran, Chief Digital Officer at the Australian Digital Health Agency, was asked a simple question: 

“If you were setting up a general practice today, would you go cloud or on-premise?” 

His answer was unequivocal. Cloud technology is essential. 

 

The RACGP’s cloud guidance feels out of step 

That’s why it’s a bit jarring to read the RACGP’s own guidelines on cloud computing, which still lean heavily towards on-premise systems and paint the cloud as risky. 

From where we sit, as a healthcare cloud provider working with GPs every day, this doesn’t reflect reality. 

The idea that practices are better off managing their own servers, software, patches, backups, and security just doesn’t stack up in 2025. Most clinics don’t have dedicated IT staff, and even if they do, securing on-prem systems to the same standard as cloud platforms is near impossible. 

Cloud providers like MediRecords deliver: 

  • Continuous updates and security patches, 
  • Encryption by default (at rest and in transit), 
  • Secure, redundant backups, 
  • Access controls, audit logs, and role-based permissions, 
  • Always-on monitoring by specialised teams. 

These aren’t “nice-to-haves”. They’re standard and they’re built in. 

Cloud systems remove the need for older remote access tools like Citrix or RDP, making it easier for teams to connect and get work done. This simpler setup means faster performance, especially with tasks like printing, which are often slow or unreliable on Citrix and RDP due to delays and compatibility issues, with fewer security layers to manage. 

 

Meanwhile, the government Is Moving Full Steam Ahead on Cloud 

The disconnect is this: the Australian Government has made it clear that the future of digital health is cloud-first, secure, and interoperable. That’s not just a goal, it’s national policy. From the National Digital Health Strategy to ADHA’s recent messaging, it’s crystal clear. 

When asked about security, Mr O’Halloran said cloud technology companies are best equipped to provide these protections. 

Cyber-criminals are highly organised and sophisticated and well advanced of most Australian businesses, he said. 

“You’ve got no hope of trying to keep up to date and keep ahead of the bad guys,” he said. “Putting (your data) in the cloud, if you do it a safe way, it doesn’t guarantee you’re safe, but it gives you a heck of lot more chance.” 

He said the days of running server-based systems are over; “it’s simply not safe”. 

What about costs? 

Costs of switching to cloud technology can be largely offset by reductions in hardware and utility costs but Mr O’Halloran applied a different lens. “Quite frankly, in most cases, the cost of not (transitioning to the cloud) is far worse when something goes wrong.” 

Dated advice 

When we asked the RACGP to consider updating their guidance that cloud technology may introduce “increased potential for data breaches”, we were told they’re happy with the current version. That’s disappointing, not for us as a vendor, but for the GPs who rely on accurate, forward-looking advice from their peak body. 

Time to call it like it is 

The truth is, we’re well past the point where this should be up for debate. Cloud isn’t a risk, it’s the solution to the risks we’ve seen time and time again with outdated, localised infrastructure. 

It’s safer. It’s more scalable. It is more user friendly for your workforce and supports better patient outcomes. And it’s what the rest of the health system is already moving towards. 

We owe it to our clinicians, and our patients, to move the conversation forward. 

 

About the author: 

Matt Galetto is the founder and CEO of MediRecords, Australia’s first true cloud practice management system and electronic health record. Matt has extensive experience in data analytics, healthcare, banking and hospitality technology. 

 This article was written by MediRecords CEO & Founder Matthew Galetto, and originally published by The Medical Republic. The original article can be viewed here.

More from the Blog

New Prescribing role for nurses: What you need to know
 

July 21st 2025

New prescribing role for nurses: What you need to know

More nurses will be able to prescribe pharmaceutical medicines from September in a move that aims to ease the pressure on GPs.

Not all registered nurses will be granted prescribing authority, and those who complete the required training and registration process are allowed to prescribe 2, 3, 4 and 8 medicines only within a “formal prescribing partnership” with an authorised prescriber, such as a doctor. 

The new Registration Standard, Endorsement for Scheduled Medicines – Designated Registered Nurse Prescriber, was approved by health ministers last December and is part of ongoing national health workforce reform aimed at:

  • Improving access to healthcare, particularly in rural and remote communities or other settings where there are doctor shortages.
  • Expanding the scope of practice for experienced registered nurses.
  • Reducing pressure on GPs and the broader healthcare system. 
 
“This is a landmark moment for Australian nursing,” said Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) Chair Ajunct Professor Veronica Casey. “We’re inviting the entire health community to join us on this journey.”

The standard was published last month to give stakeholders time to prepare for the change. 

Help for nurses to understand and meet the endorsement requirements can be found in the NMBA’s fact sheet and guidelines.

Help for Customers:

As these changes come into effect, MediRecords is ready to support your team. If you have registered nurses who will be endorsed to prescribe, their licences will need to be upgraded to enable prescribing functionality. This ensures appropriate access and compliance within MediRecords.

Your Customer Success Manager can walk you through the upgrade process, including any associated costs, and help ensure everything is in place before implementation begins in September. We’re here to make the transition simple and seamless. 

Frequently asked questions

The Registration standard: Endorsement for scheduled medicines – designated registered nurse prescriber can be found here on the NMBA website. 

A nurse practitioner has a master’s degree and can work independently to diagnose, treat, and prescribe. A designated RN prescriber has extra training and can prescribe, but only in partnership with a doctor or authorised prescriber. 

An RN must meet all requirements outlined in the official Registration Standard, including, but not limited to,  

  • Completing an NMBA-approved prescribing course (or equivalent study); 
  • Have at least 5,000 hours of clinical experience within the past six years; and,  
  • Hold general registration with no relevant conditions or undertakings. 

After gaining endorsement, the RN must work within a formal prescribing partnership (e.g. with a doctor) and complete a six-month clinical mentorship when they begin practising as a prescriber. See also the Guidelines for registered nurses applying for and with the endorsement – designated registered nurse prescriber on the NMBA website. 

Schedule 2, 3, 4 and 8 medicines, but only within a formal prescribing partnership with a doctor or authorised prescriber. 

We can help upgrade your clinical licences to include prescribing capabilities and integrate nurse prescribers into your workflows. 

To ease pressure on GPs, improve access to care (especially in rural/remote areas), and expand the scope of experienced nurses. 

Sources

Australian Nursing & Midwifery Federation 

Registered nurses’ prescribing powers expanded (RACGP)

NMBA’s Fact Sheet & Guidelines

New Standard to enable RN prescribing

More from the Blog

Health In Sight: April 2025
 
 

May 01, 2025

Health In Sight: April 2025

Here’s a fast fact on the Australian Federal Election: As of 30 April, more than 2.5 million Australians had applied for postal votes and more than 1.1 million had already submitted their ballots.

That’s a lot of people who won’t be queueing at polling booths or eating democracy sausages on May 3. 

Voting is, of course, compulsory in Australia but the high number of postal votes shows Aussies take democracy seriously. As we should. Because no matter which party claims victory after the ballots are counted, healthcare delivery is likely to be impacted across the nation. 

For those that haven’t been closely following policy announcements, here are key promises from the major players: 

Labor Government

The incumbent Albanese Government announced many of their healthcare policies in the recent Federal Budget but have doubled down on the power of the Medicare brand, essentially rebranding Healthdirect services as 1800MEDICARE,  ”a free, nationwide 24/7 health advice line and afterhours GP telehealth service”. Other commitments include: 

  • $7.9 billion to encourage medical practices to bulk bill more patients, with the goal of 90% of patients being bulk billed by 2030. 
  • $1 billion for free mental health care services 
  • Cheaper PBS medications with the maximum price per prescription falling from $31.60 to $25 in January 2026  
  • 50 additional Medicare Urgent Care Centres 
  • Investment in training programs to create more GPs, nurses and midwives. 
Coalition (Liberal and National Parties)

The Coalition have matched funding for several Labor healthcare policies – including $25 prescriptions – and have pledged: 

  • $9.4 billion for increasing bulk billing in general practice and mental health and ensuring “all Australians have affordable access to healthcare” 
  • Building GP workforce numbers with incentive payments, entitlements and training support 
  • Restoring Medicare-subsidised mental health sessions from 10 to 20 
  • $400 million for youth mental health services
  • Initiatives to get more healthcare workers to live and work in regional areas. 
Australian Greens

The Greens are advocating for universal, equitable, publicly funded free healthcare – including ambulances – for everyone. Other initiatives include: 

  • Free access to PBS approved medications 
  • Expand Medicare to cover dental care, mental health and diagnosis of ADHD and autism 
  • Medicinal cannabis products to be better researched and added to the PBS 
  • Federal Government to provide at least 50% of public hospital funding through a model that supports care innovation 
  • Advertising ban on alcohol, nicotine products and junk food. 

As Australia locks down its next Federal Government, the gears keep turning in the wider digital health world. Here are some of the developments we’ve been watching: 

The rise of virtual care

Hospitals globally are looking to care for more patients in their own homes, to allay rising costs of in-hospital care. The following articles look at initiatives to deliver chronic disease care in UK community settings and more virtual emergency care in Ireland. 

‘Technology must be part of move to more community care’ 

Five years of ED in the home takes pressure off hospitals – Pulse+IT 

Smarter wearables

Apple is working on AI-driven health coaching, and Apple Watches may be used to predict epileptic fits in the near future. 

https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/disruptors/apple-expands-healthcare-efforts/ 

EpiWatch wins FDA clearance for Apple Watch seizure management app | MobiHealthNews 

AI unchained

In one of the riskier AI initiatives we’ve seen, a US proposal is under consideration to use AI for autonomous prescribing. 

Proposed legislation paves the way for AI to prescribe drugs | MobiHealthNews 

Meanwhile Bill Gates has predicted AI will be the solution to medical workforce shortages around the planet. 

AI will end scarcity of medical expertise, Bill Gates says – Becker’s Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis 

Sources

https://www.healthservicesdaily.com.au/why-1800-medicare-is-bigger-than-many-think/27731 

Strengthening Medicare 

We will deliver quality healthcare – Liberal Party of Australia 

Health | Australian Greens 

Election 2025: See where Labor and the Coalition are promising to spend billions – ABC News 

Coalition given cold shoulder by nurses and midwives | Health Services Daily 

More from the Blog

Health In Sight: March 2025
 
 

March 27, 2025

Health In Sight: March 2025

Australia has a Federal Election on the horizon and healthcare is often at the heart of political campaigns.

It’s not so long ago the word ‘Mediscare’, with its connotations of a pay-your-own-way healthcare system, almost resulted in a change of government. With cost of living the most commonly cited pain point for Australians in 2025, the Albanese Labor Government has released its ‘future-shaping’ Federal Budget early, getting on the front foot about healthcare funding and consumer expenses for coming financial years.

Here is a selection of Federal Budget healthcare headlines:
1. Bulking up bulk billing

In news announced a week before the budget, $7.9 billion will be spent from November to encourage medical practices to bulk bill more patients, with the goal of 90% of patients being bulk billed by 2030.

2. Cutting costs of prescriptions

The maximum cost of Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) medications for consumers will drop from $31.60 per prescription to $25 in January 2026.

3. Spotlight on women's health

Aiming to “reverse decades of neglect to women’s health”, the budget allocates $792. 9 million to adding new contraceptive pills, menopause and endometriosis medications to the PBS, new bulk billing items for menopause and contraceptive consultations, new endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics, and a trial of pharmacy prescribing of contraceptives and ‘uncomplicated’ UTI treatments.

4. Extra urgent care

Another 50 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics have been funded, with the Labor Government claiming 4 in 5 Australians will live within a 20-minute drive of a UCC once all sites are operational. The UCCs appear popular with voters (but less so with GPs) and intended to reduce pressure on overcrowded public hospital emergency departments.

5. Booster shots for the workforce

The government says it has funded the biggest ever training program for GPs, with 2000 new GPs a year to be trained by 2028 and incentives created for young doctors to specialise in general practice. Scholarships have also been funded for nurses and midwives, and 60,000 aged care nurses will get a pay rise. Funding support for cash-strapped state and territory public hospitals has also been increased.

6. Digital delivery

An additional $46 million has been found for ‘digital mental health services’ (which we read as telehealth services). The ongoing overhaul of the My Health Record has also been given a top up to “drive a digitally connected healthcare system”, and electronic prescribing infrastructure will get a $5.7 million makeover.

 

These initiatives and others in aged care and indigenous health land at a time when Australians are getting older, sicker and having fewer babies. With much of this spending scheduled for after the election (predicted for May 2025), the voters may decide what gets spent in coming years.

Other government news

While we’re talking government, WA’s Premier Roger Cook (a former Health Minister) has taken the initiative of creating a Preventative Health portfolio tasked with reducing demand on hospitals long term. Meanwhile time-poor South Australian doctors are unlikely to have AI scribes coming to their rescue after reports the technology will be banned in public health settings.

And the UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, has announced the end of an era in British healthcare, with the stand-alone National Health Service England (NHSE) being absorbed back into the Department of Health and Social Care, to reduce duplication of costs and enhance purchasing powers.

Further reading:

Budget Paper No. 1

Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care: Budget 2025–26 Stakeholder pack

https://www.pulseit.news/australian-digital-health/australians-for-mental-health-welcomes-free-virtual-counselling-initiative/

Australians can wait at least 258 days for their first psychiatry appointment, our new study shows

Birth rate continues to decline | Australian Bureau of Statistics

WA sets new prevention benchmark with cabinet role | Health Services Daily

SA Health bans AI scribe use | Health Services Daily

Keir Starmer announces plan to abolish NHS England

More from the Blog

Health In Sight: February 2025
 
 

February 11, 2025

Health In Sight: February 2025

Developments to watch for in healthcare this year

Artificial Intelligence — whether you’re converted, concerned, conflicted or all of the above, there will be no avoiding it this year. All the technology pundits and prognosticators say 2025 will be the year A.I. technology takes root in healthcare and everywhere. 

Part of the push to introduce A.I. and other machine learning tech comes from the need to do more with less. Many governments have empty coffers, having spent big to save as many lives as possible during the coronavirus pandemic years. As treasurers resort to budgetary belt tightening, public hospitals are feeling the squeeze. 

The pandemic continues to affect global production and supply chains, too. There’s less stuff available and it costs more. Vital medicines and hospital supplies are among the items difficult to access. Workforce shortages are ongoing. 

The cost crunch is also hitting consumers and there are daily reminders that hip pocket pain is a key driver of election results. Apart from toppling governments, cost of living pressures has led to people either abandoning private health insurance or cutting back their cover. The domino effect here is putting private hospitals at risk. The 2024 Australian Private Hospitals Association conference was warned of imminent hospital closures, with private maternity hospitals potentially facing extinction. 

While the financial headwinds swirl, populations are aging, driving up demand for healthcare, and increasing wait times and costs. So, it’s little wonder healthcare is looking to smart technology to save the day.  

While the overall proportion of people surveyed who delayed or did not use health services when needed fell over the past year, this did not apply for people with long term health conditions, or people living in areas of most socio-economic disadvantage, who were more likely to forgo care.

Here are other factors likely to impact healthcare in 2025.
1. America the brave

The return of President Trump has global repercussions for healthcare. Halting foreign aid funding – temporarily or otherwise – has already resulted in a shortage of HIV medications in third world countries. President Trump has repealed legislation making medications cheaper for Americans, withdrawn the USA from the World Health Organization, and appointed a man with anti-vaccination (but pro-A.I.) views to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Change is coming. 

Significant gender gaps on service usage suggests Australian men do not prioritise their health, with women more likely to present at all the healthcare services listed in the survey. For example, 87.3% of women saw a GP in 2023-24, compared to 77.7% of men. Use of telehealth fell, with the data revealing women are significantly more likely to use telehealth services than men.

To read more of the Patient Experience survey results, go to Patient Experiences, 2023-24 financial year | Australian Bureau of Statistics.

2. A.I everywhere

President Trump has removed restrictions that he and his advisors perceived to be hindering rapid development of A.I. technology. Despite many calling for safety and ethical guardrails on machine learning tech, it looks like it’s full steam ahead in the USA. In healthcare, the enterprise medical records systems could be under threat from A.I-powered assistants and countless new use cases for A.I. pop up daily. A few that caught our eye recently include: 

  • cameras over hospital beds to trigger falls risks warning and calculate risk of bed sores, 
  • patient-worn A.I.-powered sensors that take observations and supplement staffing in a hospital ward making do with fewer nurses, and 
  • A.I. algorithms to detect patients who are likely to be frequent fliers at Emergency Departments and trigger intervention prevention programs. 

A.I. diagnostic tools are delivering increasingly accurate data in trials, but there’s justified caution about letting the machines serve as primary decision makers.   

The United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS) is also committing to AI technology, introducing a tech bundle called Humphrey after the character from Yes Minister, to increase NHS productivity, and make it easier for consumers to find and book appointments. Judging by the resources linked below, this approach will typify AI adoption in 2025 – deployment to reduce the administrative burden of repetitive tasks, reporting and, potentially, clinical coding. The catchphrase, “let doctors be doctors” is echoing through the halls of healthcare and resonating with time-poor clinicians complaining they spend more time on paperwork than patient care. 

This project is an example of focusing on opportunities to improve health equity, rather than just outcomes data. Cleveland’s Metro Health Institute for Hope recently posted on this issue, suggesting that asking communities how to change health outcomes may be more effective than monitoring distressing data. More detail on the Institute’s logic can be found here: Why health equity’s goal shouldn’t be outcomes

3. Virtually everywhere

The cost of keeping patients in hospital and aged care beds beds is rising so insurers, governments and healthcare companies are looking more closely at the price to keep patients in their own homes. Virtual care in the home, supported by virtual and mobile nurses, telehealth advisors and health coaches, (or South Korea’s A.I.-powered robot grandchild) is not a new concept. But the tide seems to have shifted, partly due to the competitive pricing of scalable, interoperable cloud technology supporting real time data exchange. Safe virtual care depends on finding the right patient, home and carer combinations, and the on-call ability to respond quickly to changes in health status – or patient anxiety levels. Scalability and success of this model of care will hinge on whether governments and funders can find cost-effective funding models that adequately compensate clinicians for their work.  

4. Bad actors

An increasingly digitised healthcare world attracts cyber-criminals like flies to a barbecue. Hospitals are increasingly seen as soft targets; its estimated ransomware attacks have cost US hospitals $21.9 billion in downtime since 2018. There’s also concern the introduction of A.I. systems may provide a wormhole for the crooks to tunnel through. Just as hospitals must consider ‘interactions’ between medications, they now have to look into how all their information technology systems interact and counteract cybercrime. 

5. Consumer data

Like virtual care, wearable health monitoring technology isn’t a new idea, but it is getting smaller, smarter and less intrusive. Watches and rings now offer real time insights into stress levels, oxygen saturation, pain scores, sleep patterns, menstrual cycles, infection risks, and much more. With all this extra data available, the unwell and worried well will want it to be actionable and shareable with their health teams. Health records systems with true connectivity are increasingly important. 

6. Healthcare as a community

Greater connectivity of data – enabling predictive research from aggregated, anonymous ‘data lakes’, is increasingly realistic in 2025. But secure sharing of data requires co-operation and collaboration between humans. Software and technology vendors, government procurement teams and healthcare businesses can no longer keep their heads in the sand when it comes to adopting industry data standards and thereby future-proofing interoperability. The CSIRO-led Sparked community in Australia is an excellent example of getting this right.  

Community health is holistic – social issues such as homelessness, addictions, health literacy, family and domestic violence, and access to mental health care, all impact our primary and tertiary care systems. Being able to share timely information that enables earlier interventions and more appropriate care from multidisciplinary healthcare teams, is ever more important in an ecosystem of tight budgets and time poor clinicians. 

Can technology save the day? We’ll leave the last word with the CEO of the ever-innovative Mayo Clinic, who spoke at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Doctor Gianrico Farrugia is reported as saying the following: 

“I personally would not want to have my healthcare, in some specialties, without A.I. because I firmly believe I will get a better outcome… Shame on all of us, shame on government, if we cannot, at this moment in time, come together and create the pathways and the architecture to be able to do what we already know we can do: provide better outcomes for patients at a scale that was unimaginable a few years ago.” 

At MediRecords, we believe technology should empower healthcare professionals. That’s why we’re building AI-powered platform capabilities designed to optimise workflows, reduce administrative burdens, and make critical patient information more accessible. Contact our Sales Team to learn more about our expanding suite of AI features.

References

The US Halt In Foreign Aid ‘Could Mean Life Or Death For Millions’ 

How the US foreign aid freeze is intensifying humanitarian crises across the globe | CNN 

https://www.mobihealthnews.com/news/elon-musk-confirms-trump-agrees-shut-down-usaid 

Reevaluating And Realigning United States Foreign Aid – The White House 

President Trump orders US to exit World Health Organization 

https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/ai/trump-issues-order-to-remove-ai-barriers-4-things-to-know.html 

https://www.mobihealthnews.com/news/robert-f-kennedy-jr-touts-ai-address-problems-facing-rural-hospitals 

Health insurance: a horror week bodes ill | Health Services Daily 

Healthscope teeters one step closer to the brink | Health Services Daily 

UCSD explores AI cameras for hospital rooms 

Sibel Health to provide wireless monitoring to hospitals in Denmark | MobiHealthNews 

NHS using AI to predict frequent emergency service users 

Why Classic EMR Vendors Will Be Replaced by openEHR and AI Agents Architectures 

Providence CEO ‘totally blown away’ by OpenAI’s healthcare work 

Reducing clinicians’ administrative tasks with artificial intelligence | MobiHealthNews 

https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/ai/whats-next-for-healthcare-ai-in-2025.html 

https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/digital-health/what-are-health-systems-top-digital-priorities.html 

‘Humphrey’ AI tool launched to streamline NHS and public services 

AI Scribing in Healthcare: Why Some Hospitals Are Pulling Ahead 

Driving momentum in healthcare technology amid dramatic change | Wolters Kluwer 

Executives forecast AI’s place in healthcare in 2025, part one | MobiHealthNews 

Executives forecast AI’s place in healthcare in 2025, part two | MobiHealthNews 

How Kaiser Permanente quadrupled its advanced-care-at-home program 

Could virtual hospitals be the solution to the broken NHS? | Digital Health 

AI care robot doll from Korea eyes US entry in 2025 | MobiHealthNews 

https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/news-and-analysis/dont-cannibalize-virtual-nurses-nurse-leaders-say.html 

No Going Home. Hospital at Home is a Hype Machine 

https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/what-will-ai-do-telemedicine-2025-more-you-might-think 

The dark side of AI for hospitals 

Ransomware attacks cost healthcare $21.9B in downtime 

Two new smart rings unveiled at CES | MobiHealthNews 

QALO unveils new silicon smart ring | MobiHealthNews 

2024 predictions: Health tech suppliers on what’s in store 

7 Healthcare Trends That Will Transform Medicine In 2025 

8 must-have digital technologies for health systems in ’25 

‘Shame on all of us’ if we can’t get healthcare AI right: Mayo Clinic CEO 

More from the Blog

7 reasons to rethink technology decisions
 

January 29, 2025

7 reasons to rethink technology decisions

Tim Pegler

Tim Pegler

My household recently purchased an electric vehicle (EV) – a complete backflip on what we had intended. So, what happened to change our decision?

When it comes to choosing a car, I’m more worrier than warrior. Going electric seemed a bridge too far. Vehicle ‘range anxiety’, trip planning and recharging hassles were big barriers for me to overcome before getting on board EV technology. I’m also brand loyal and very hard to shift.

We were so close to buying a hybrid vehicle. We drove it and loved it. So, what changed? Here are seven factors that influenced our household decision:

1. Conversations with trusted users, ranging from brave and wacky early adopters to recent converts, changed our lens. Discussing pros, cons and compromises with actual users, backed by extensive reading and watching product reviews from balanced, independent sources, was influential.

2. Smart and safe tech: A significant injury has changed our household and how we experience accessibility, mobility and usability. The safety features bundle in the selected vehicle appears to be a usability gamechanger. 

 3. Change management considerations: Many of us are time poor, set in our ways, and disinclined to change. I pessimistically overestimated the change process. But, as one existing user pointed out, “Tim, you already plug in devices every evening so what difference will another make?” To advice from a childhood bakery, I had to ‘Look at the doughnut and not the hole’. 

4. Soft sales technique: The salesperson answered our questions about product features, implementation and onboarding, respected our pre-research, didn’t argue against our confessed biases, and let the product sell itself in an unaccompanied test drive. At no point did we feel pressured or pursued. 

5. Alternatives have not advanced – enough: We tried the latest version of our incumbent vehicle. It was familiar and convenient, and we wanted it to win. There were noticeable improvements but going hybrid felt half-cooked. There would be fuel economy gains but we’d still be paying for servicing old tech, oil and petrol, and not eliminating emissions.     

6. Price: No product is perfect, so we looked at the big picture. In a tabular comparison of safety, product features, economy, run costs and price, we had a clear winner, much to our surprise. Cost comprises more than ticket price.

7. Sustainability: Our home largely runs on solar energy and we’re fortunate to be able to act on environmental concerns and minimise our consumption footprint. We watch the news and are acutely aware people like us have a responsibility to walk the walk, not just talk the talk

As someone with a technology sales role, I have been thinking about how I learn from this consumer experience and apply it to my work in 2025. 

I’ve seen the LinkedIn posts from tech buyers bemoaning people connecting, then pitching and spamming them ad nauseum. Fair enough. Cold calls are like lotto tickets; not many win.  

So in the aim of not hitting your inbox uninvited, here’s how I think my family’s car buying conversion aligns with MediRecords cloud technology: 

1.Trusted.  I encourage would-be buyers to check who has trusted MediRecords with their health records and practice management information. We’re trusted by the Defence Force and other major government clients. Just as importantly, we have loyal clients ranging from sole practitioners to mixed multidisciplinary clinics to large telehealth businesses. You’ll find them on LinkedIn, our website and elsewhere. 

2. Safe. MediRecords’ cloud technology is ISO 27001 and 9001 certified and HIPAA compliant for privacy, security and data safety. We are continually working to improve usability; there’s a big list of user-requested enhancements and innovations going live over the next few weeks. 

One of the key reasons doctors switch to our software is accessibility. You can securely access MediRecords anywhere, without struggling with remote desktop login systems. Cloud tech means no more IT drudgery scheduling updates and backups. And we’re leaders in interoperability — smart ways to exchange data safely. 

3. Outstanding change management. Our team is experienced in change management, with data migration experts and an excellent onboarding and training crew. But the real magic happens when the buyer is as excited as we are about doing business on next generation cloud technology, and the possibilities this creates. Change management is a partnership. 

4. Customer-centred. Our team do not engage in pressure selling. Like the EV dealer, we believe in our product. Our role is to understand your workplace needs and bugbears and then explore together how we can help make your work life easier. 

5. New tech. Traditional server technology still dominates the Australian medical software market, but some vendors are using hybrid technology to bridge the gap to cloud data. If you want the benefits of true cloud connectivity, it’s not the time to go halfway. Governments are on the record stating healthcare data needs to be accessible 24-7; cloud technology needs to be the present, not just the future. 

6. Priced to save you money. MediRecords pricing is competitive but even more so when you look at the big picture. The ability to slash spending on server technology and associated office and electricity costs, along with IT consultants who take you offline for countless software patches and security updates and bill you for storing massive backup files… there are big savings to be made here. 

7. Sustainable. There’s mounting evidence that cloud technology is more sustainable than server tech, thanks to reductions in hardware and energy requirements, and centralisation of data centres and security resources.*  

Like many other consumers, I don’t want to be harassed by sellers. I appreciate good information and timely, accurate responses to questions. I like to stay aware of technological developments so I can work with the best fit solution for the betterment of my family, colleagues, and planet. Selling in this environment is the challenge for sales professionals in 2025. 

My team is committed to goodwill, integrity and a willingness to walk away. We will approach you if we think we can help. If we can’t, thanks for your time and please let us know if things change. 

And yes, I’m self-aware. I’m now an ex-journalist, salesperson who drives an EV. No more dinner party invitations for me. 

 *References: 

Cloud Computing: Driving Environmental Sustainability in the Digital Age – ClimateYou 

Cloud-powered technologies for sustainability | McKinsey 

Cloud Computing Is Not the Energy Hog That Had Been Feared – The New York Times 

More from the Blog

Health in Sight: November 2024
 
 

November 25, 2024

Health in Sight: November 2024

MediRecords reads healthcare news from around the globe so we can be well informed on innovation, developments and decisions that may affect future delivery of care. Here are some of the items that stood out in the inbox recently.

Impatient experiences

A data dump from the Australian Bureau of Statistics has shown some Aussies are delaying or doing without healthcare because they can’t afford it. While two thirds of people surveyed (66.4%) could access their preferred GP when needed, 11% of people in disadvantaged areas had to forgo medication or delay it due to the costs involved. And one in five Australians delayed or did not see a mental health professional because they couldn’t afford it. Significant as it is, this data may underestimate the growing gap in access to care. The Patient Experience Survey only interviewed people aged 15 or older who were usual residents of private dwellings, with the effect that people experiencing homelessness, in temporary or public housing are unlikely to have been counted.

While the overall proportion of people surveyed who delayed or did not use health services when needed fell over the past year, this did not apply for people with long term health conditions, or people living in areas of most socio-economic disadvantage, who were more likely to forgo care.

The survey shows GPs remain at the heart of Australian healthcare, with the proportion of people who saw a family doctor up slightly to 82.6% in 2023-24, from 82.3% in 2022-23. In contrast, only 53% saw a dental professional and 39% a medical specialist in 2023-24. Numbers of people seeing a GP for after hours care (5.2%) or urgent medical care (8.8%) were very low, while 15.3% of Australians visited a hospital emergency department in 2023-24. In outer regional, remote or very remote areas, (presumably with fewer GPs and options for after hours care,) 20.4% of people sought care at their local ED.

Significant gender gaps on service usage suggests Australian men do not prioritise their health, with women more likely to present at all the healthcare services listed in the survey. For example, 87.3% of women saw a GP in 2023-24, compared to 77.7% of men. Use of telehealth fell, with the data revealing women are significantly more likely to use telehealth services than men.

To read more of the Patient Experience survey results, go to Patient Experiences, 2023-24 financial year | Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Housing-health linkages

On the subject of doing without, a Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS) Health and Energy Hardship project has sounded the alarm that utility bills are no longer affordable for some households, resulting in people living without heating or cooling. VCOSS says energy hardship has demonstrable impacts on health and lists signs for healthcare professionals to watch for here: Health and Energy Hardship | VCOSS

This project is an example of focusing on opportunities to improve health equity, rather than just outcomes data. Cleveland’s Metro Health Institute for Hope recently posted on this issue, suggesting that asking communities how to change health outcomes may be more effective than monitoring distressing data. More detail on the Institute’s logic can be found here: Why health equity’s goal shouldn’t be outcomes

Cultural connections count

With Australian governments generally failing to achieve progress towards Closing the Gap targets for the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians (see Closing the Gap targets and outcomes | Closing the Gap), fresh approaches are clearly required. Recent University of New South Wales research may be a step in the right direction, with researchers finding that opportunities to practice culture on Country has a positive impact on “stress relief, inter-generational healing, and the journey to overcoming trauma, which in turn had a positive impact on … overall health and wellbeing.” Further details can be found here: The role of culture and connection in improving Aboriginal health :: Hospital + Healthcare

Season for change

The man who puts the flavour in demographic data, Bernard Salt, has added to the growing body of commentary suggesting the future of Australian Healthcare is in our own homes. Mr Salt told a Perth symposium that healthcare is about to be hit by the “baby boomer freight train” and “we will see the care sector redefined, re-imagined and repurposed” by this numerically and financially influential sector of our population. Health Services Daily reported the respected Mr Salt saying: “They will make it clear how their care should be delivered and the vast majority will want in-home care.” (Read more here: https://www.healthservicesdaily.com.au/future-of-care-is-in-the-home-salt/21895)

Spending to save

Whether you call them DNAs (Did not attend) or FTAs (failed to attend), a no show for a medical appointment means lost revenue and longer waitlists for patients who could have utilised the available timeslot. A partnership between Uber Health and Veteran Affairs in the US has made it easier for people to attend medical appointments by removing transportation as a reason for non-attendance. Veterans Health Administration report that 1.8 million appointments are missed annually due to transportation hurdles. Since inserting the Uber option, they say attendance has risen significantly, saving an estimated $196.7 million in missed appointments. (See VA finds medical transportation fix with Uber Health | TechTarget)

MediRecords at the coalface

As an access-anywhere cloud software system purpose-built for multidisciplinary care, MediRecords is used in a multitude of ways in Australian healthcare. These include use by paramedics; a remote mining camp; street, clinic and hospital care for people experiencing homelessness; Aboriginal health services; telehealth businesses; virtual emergency departments; alternative medication businesses and many more. Please reach out to us if you have a unique or innovative use of MediRecords you would like to showcase.

Tim Pegler

Senior Business Development Manager

More from the Blog

AI tools: What GPs think
 
 
 

October 22, 2024

AI tools: What GPs think

Most GPs believe innovation improves patient health outcomes, yet only eight per cent of them identify as innovators and 35 per cent as early adopters, a new report has found.

The RACGP’s Health of the Nation 2024 report revealed that while the majority of GPs regularly use digital technologies — such as electronic prescribing — only 13% felt well-informed about innovations within general practice.

The report, in its eighth year, surveyed 3006 practising GPs.

This year, GPs were asked about their perceptions, attitudes, and behaviours regarding innovation in general practice, including:

  • adopting new care delivery methods, such as telehealth;
  • improved communication between healthcare professionals, including interoperable health records; and, 
  • new mechanisms to enhance patient care, such as patient enrolment schemes like MyMedicare.

GPs identified funding incentives as the most significant enabler of innovation in general practice, with 60% highlighting this factor.

While one survey respondent enthused, “Innovation has significantly enhanced general practice, particularly through technology”, 83% of GPs reported that they rarely or never use artificial intelligence tools.

GPs were asked, ”What new innovative practices or methods do you believe should be adopted to positively impact the care you provide?” They said:

  • electronic health records, which improve care coordination and reduce errors
  •  telemedicine, which increases accessibility
  • AI-driven tools 
  • systems that talk to each other/improved interoperability
  • streamlined administrative systems that analyse business data
  • new models of care
  • multidisciplinary care
  • a health status dashboard for patients to see what is recommended for their age
  • remote monitoring, including wearable devices and health apps that empower patients to monitor their health

“Overall, these advancements save time, enhance accuracy, and enable more personalised healthcare, ultimately improving patient outcomes and the efficiency of general practice,” a GP summarised.

Regarding using AI scribe tools, one GP expressed increased job satisfaction after adopting the technology: “A happy GP is a good GP, and I’m even reconsidering my retirement plans.”

Founder and CEO of MediRecords Matthew Galetto commented that the report’s chapter on innovation “notably omits discussion of cloud and related technologies as a key enabler of digital innovation in primary care practices”.

“The report also lacks mention of the government’s initiative to promote real-time information sharing using FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) standards, which are essential for interoperability and seamless patient care,” Mr Galetto said.

“FHIR is also a key enabler of digital innovation.”

MediRecords is a leading digital innovator in healthcare, delivering cloud-based solutions built to FHIR standards across a diverse range of medical environments, from primary to tertiary care. Its recent integration of Heidi AI Scribe, an advanced AI tool powered by Heidi Health that streamlines clinical documentation, reinforces MediRecords’ commitment to digital innovation. Learn more about the partnership between Heidi Health and MediRecords here.

Experience Heidi AI Scribe in MediRecords

Reduce administrative burden and focus more on patient care with Heidi Health's AI-powered scribe tool, integrated seamlessly with MediRecords clinical dashboard.

Learn more here

More from the Blog

Aussies’ Sexual Health Trends: Insights for Sexual Health Month
 

September 20, 2024

Aussies’ Sexual Health Trends: Insights for Sexual Health Month

Sexual Health Month provides a timely opportunity to survey some of the recent research in the field of sexual and reproductive health — and report some news from the coalface.

Travellers

Travelling Aussies are mostly proactive about their sexual health before departure when they see a travel-medicine doctor or nurse, with 72% of those in the study requesting STI testing pre-departure.

Over 60s

A survey of 1840 people aged over 60 found patients want GPs to initiate sexual health conversations as part of routine care. It also found that barriers included patient embarrassment, uncertainty about finding solutions, and ageism. 

James Sneddon, co-founder of Stigma Health, said that while the largest age group accessing STI testing via his service is 20-30, the next biggest bracket is those aged 60-70, “with an influx of those who are pushing 80”.

Prostate cancer

Information on complications with sexual function following prostate surgery are the most commonly unmet need among men with prostate cancer, a study found. The researchers recommended sexual well-being discussions as standard care for all prostate cancer patients.

Women’s health

A special edition of the Australian Journal of Primary Health dedicated to optimising women’s sexual and reproductive health in primary care highlighted that:

  • There is a high level of unmet need for effective contraception in Australia and access barriers including the availability of services. 
  • The limited number of GPs who insert intrauterine devices presents a significant barrier to access.
  • Access to abortion care in Australia is inequitable, especially outside cities, and few publicly-funded abortion options are available in most states.
  • There is an urgent need for transparency around public abortion service availability and government commitment to expanding abortion care.
  • Most women did not receive in-depth contraceptive counselling antenatally or postnatally, but would have found this useful.
  • Women surveyed about over-the-counter access to the oral contraceptive pill were in favour, especially for repeat prescriptions.

Awkward

For sexual health month, the key message from Mr Sneddon is:  “Get awkward. Have a conversation with your mates or your partner about getting tested; the majority of STIs have no symptoms.” Among Aussies tested via Stigma Health, there has been a recent surge in Chlamydia numbers; it is 33% higher than the 5-year mean, Mr Sneddon said.

 

Further reading:

Ahmed, Z., Gu, Y., Sinha, K., Mutowo, M., Gauld, N., & Parkinson, B. (2024). A qualitative exploration of the over-the-counter availability of oral contraceptive pills in Australia. PloS one, 19(6), e0305085.

Bourchier, L., Temple-Smith, M., Hocking, J. S., & Malta, S. (2024). Older patients want to talk about sexual health in Australian primary care. Australian Journal of Primary Health, 30(4).

Charlick, M., Tiruye, T., Ettridge, K., O’Callaghan, M., Sara, S., Jay, A., & Beckmann, K. (2024). Prostate Cancer Related Sexual Dysfunction and Barriers to Help Seeking: A Scoping Review. Psycho‐Oncology, 33(8), e9303.

Dev, T., Buckingham, P., & Mazza, D. (2023). Women’s perspectives of direct pharmacy access to oral contraception. Australian Journal of Primary Health.

Haas, M., Church, J., Street, D. J., Bateson, D., & Mazza, D. (2023). How can we encourage the provision of early medical abortion in primary care? Results of a best-worst scaling survey. Australian Journal of Primary Health, 29(3), 252–259

Li, C. K., Botfield, J., Amos, N., Mazza, D. (2023) Women’s experiences of, and preferences for, postpartum contraception counselling. Australian Journal of Primary Health 29(3), 229-234.

Mazza, D., & Botfield, J. R. (2023). The role of primary care in optimising women’s sexual and reproductive health. Australian Journal of Primary Health, 29(i–iii).

Power, A., Tuteja, A., Mascarenhas, L., & Temple-Smith, M. (2023). A qualitative exploration of obtaining informed consent in medical consultations with Burma-born women. Australian Journal of Primary Health, 29(3), 284–291.

Srinivasan, S., Botfield, J. R., & Mazza, D. (2023). Utilising Health Pathways to understand the availability of public abortion in Australia. Australian Journal of Primary Health, 29(3), 260–267

Warzywoda, S., Fowler, J. A., Debattista, J., Mills, D. J., Furuya-Kanamori, L., Durham, J., … & Dean, J. A. (2024). The provision of sexual and reproductive health information and services to travellers: an exploratory survey of Australian travel medicine clinicians. Sexual Health, 21(1).

Stigma Health eliminates embarrassment by removing the need for in-person clinical consultations and allowing consumers to get a non-confrontational STI-test pathology referral online then take it to any of the 10,000 pathology collection centres Australia-wide.

 

More from the Blog