NT Health and the Department of Corporate and Digital Development (DCDD) have been collaborating on the rollout of Acacia, to provide a single, secure, Territory-wide electronic patient record across all NT Health services and facilities.
Acacia went live at Royal Darwin and Palmerston Hospital in October and November 2023. While it was introduced successfully across most areas, the use of Acacia in its current form at the Royal Darwin and Palmerston Hospital Emergency Department has presented significant obstacles for our clinicians in managing the volume and complexity of presentations as well as patient flow. This has been further exacerbated by staff shortages and other operational pressures.
The use of Acacia in the Royal Darwin and Palmerston Hospital Emergency Department will be temporarily rolled-back. The final timing of the changeover is being worked through carefully with senior clinicians and management within the hospitals but is expected to be in about two weeks' time, with further adjustments and improvements being made over the coming months.
Acacia will continue to be used across all other areas of Royal Darwin and Palmerston Hospital, as well as the Katherine Hospital and Gove District Hospital.
NT Health will continue to work with staff, the vendor and DCDD to develop a fit-for-purpose application, tailored to the busy Emergency Department of the Territory's largest hospital. These improvements will also assist Katherine Hospital and Gove District Hospital, and better prepare us for implementation in Alice Springs Hospital and Tennant Creek Hospital later this year.
Our patients can continue to be confident that they will receive safe, kind and responsive care while we make these adjustments and ensure a smooth transition between systems.
