New Patient Health System for our Territory Hospitals

15 August 2022

The Territory Labor Government is ensuring Territory Hospitals have the best IT systems available to care for patients.   

Government has successfully rolled-out the first stage of its $259 million patient health record system ‘Acacia’ – which is the biggest project of its type ever undertaken in the NT.

Acacia is digital clinical care software based upon InterSystems’ TrakCareÒ that is now in use at Katherine Hospital.

Katherine Hospital is a major step towards the full implementation of the health investment which replaces six legacy clinical systems, and integrates a dozen more into a single digital ecosystem.

This project is delivering more than 100 jobs during its implementation, with InterSystems also supporting IT internships at Charles Darwin University through the project cycle.

Having a Territory-wide electronic patient record system allows continuing and consistent care, including for transient and often vulnerable Territorians living in remote communities.

Our hardworking doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals are able to access information on patient allergies, alerts and medications making treatment decisions faster and with less risk.

Introduced first into Katherine Hospital and within budget, the system is being rolled-out in phases to minimise the impact to frontline NT health workers and to protect patient safety.

Quotes from Chief Minister and Minister for Health, Natasha Fyles:

“The Territory Labor Government is making sure our health system is fresh, modern and sustainable; meaning we can provide the best patient care possible.

“We thank our nurses and doctors. This new system will mean a nurse in a remote clinic, or a doctor on the intensive care ward of a major hospital, can use Acacia which provides access to the same patient record in real time, allowing instant access to details about previous care provided in other clinical settings.

“Having a Territory-wide electronic patient record system will allow NT Health to better support our transient and most vulnerable Territorians.”

Quotes from Minister for Corporate and Digital Development, Ngaree Ah Kit:

“Territory Labor is delivering the best available services to all Territorians wherever they live, and ensuring that our frontline workers have access to leading technology.

“The successful transition to Acacia at Katherine Hospital is testament to the skill, commitment, collaboration and hard work of NT Health clinicians and the project team at the Department of Corporate and Digital Development to develop and deliver a system that will benefit all Territorians.

“This is the biggest project of its type ever undertaken in the NT, with more than 20 years of patient data from multiple systems and care settings being migrated to Acacia.”

Quotes from InterSystems Country Manager, Australia and New Zealand, Darren Jones:

“InterSystems is proud to support this once-in-a-generation initiative to fully digitise the Northern Territory’s public health system.

“Despite the impacts of the COVID pandemic, we are now seeing the results of everyone’s hard work and our long-term collaboration with NT Health and the Department of Corporate and Digital Development.”

Northern Territory Government