Acacia health records system pulled from Royal Darwin, Palmerston EDs

Acacia, the government’s flagship Territory-wide electronic patient records system, will be suspended from use in the NTs two biggest emergency departments. Here’s what will happen next.

Acacia has been pulled from use in the emergency departments of Royal Darwin and Palmerston Regional hospitals. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

NT Health has formally suspended the use of its flagship $259m integrated electronic health records system, Acacia, in the Territory’s two busiest emergency departments.

The call was made because the system was causing “significant obstacles” for clinicians in the fast-paced environment.

Acacia, dubbed by the NT Government the biggest such project ever attempted in the Territory, entered use in the Royal Darwin and Palmerston Regional hospitals late last year.

Last month it was revealed significant bugs in the system were causing deep frustration within the two hospitals’ EDs.

At the time, NT Health foreshadowed that the departments could revert back to legacy systems, with Acacia shelved – reportedly for up to six months – while the creases were ironed out.

Now, the retreat has been confirmed.

“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,” a spokeswoman said.

Acacia has been pulled from use in the emergency departments of Royal Darwin and Palmerston Regional hospitals. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

“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.”

The spokeswoman confirmed Acacia would continue to be used in all other areas of Royal Darwin and Palmerston, as well as Katherine and Gove District hospitals, where it was rolled out previously.

“NT Health will continue to work with staff, the vendor and [the Department of Corporate and Digital Development] to develop a fit-for-purpose application, tailored to the busy emergency department of the Territory’s largest hospital,” she said.

“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.”