Tas govt connects healthcare and education with new IT system

The Tasmanian government Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has jumped in to tackle the issue of ensuring that health-care students get proper practical experience placements by asking the IT industry to develop an information system to match students and health providers together.

DHHS previously created a Clinical Education and Training Framework through which to guide all clinical education placements. Due to the demand for placements and the need for health providers to also coordinate with educational institutions, the Tasmanian government has gone to tender for a "Clinical Education and Training Information System," which will be used throughout the state. This will build further on the framework already established by DHHS.

The awarded contract is expected to commence in March, with the successful applicant expected to put together their project implementation plan and commence development in the same month. DHHS' anticipated timetable for the project indicates that by July or August, a pilot of the new system should be in progress, with the final implementation of the system scheduled for October or November.

The successful applicant will also be responsible for training staff, developing all documentation and rollout plans, testing, and the evaluation of the pilot rollout.

DHHS has already created a series of use cases that tender makers will need to build equivalent systems for, to ensure that they are in line with the department's framework. These have been designed at a high level, with the successful applicant welcome to provide their own input into the process — but they must demonstrate that any alternative that they propose meets all of DHHS' requirements.