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Australian Hospital Digital Transformation 2026 — ADHA, Digital Health & EHR Guide
Complete guide to Australian hospital digital transformation — ADHA (Australian Digital Health Agency) strategy, digital health roadmap, EHR implementation, My Health Record, telehealth, and digital transformation software.
ADHA drives Australia's digital health strategy. The National Digital Health Strategy targets My Health Record for all, secure messaging, e-prescribing, and telehealth. This guide covers Australian hospital digital transformation.
Digital Transformation Pillars
| Pillar | Description | ADHA Target |
|---|---|---|
| My Health Record | National EHR for all Australians | 100% coverage |
| Secure messaging | Encrypted messaging between providers | Universal adoption |
| E-prescribing | Electronic prescriptions | All prescriptions |
| Telehealth | Remote consultations | Permanent MBS items |
| Interoperability | Data sharing between systems | FHIR-based |
| Consumer tools | Patient apps and portals | All Australians |
| Workforce capability | Digital skills training | All healthcare workers |
| AI and analytics | AI CDS, predictive analytics | Safe, ethical adoption |
EHR Implementation Roadmap
- Assessment: Assess current systems, workflows, and readiness
- Vendor selection: Select EHR vendor (Cerner, Epic, Adrine, etc.)
- Planning: Develop implementation plan with timeline and budget
- Configuration: Configure EHR for Australian standards (MBS, ICD-10-AM, ACHI)
- Integration: Integrate with My Health Record, secure messaging, Medicare
- Training: Train all staff on EHR usage
- Go-live: Phased go-live (department by department)
- Optimisation: Continuous optimisation post-go-live
- Analytics: Build analytics and reporting on EHR data
State-Level Digital Strategies
| State | EHR System | Digital Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | Epic (some LHDs), Cerner (others) | eHealth NSW — digital health roadmap |
| Victoria | Cerner, Epic (varies by health service) | Safer Care Victoria — digital health |
| Queensland | Cerner (statewide — ieMR) | Clinical Excellence Queensland |
| WA | Cerner (statewide — WebPAS) | WA Health — digital strategy |
| SA | Epic (statewide) | SA Health — digital transformation |
| Tasmania | Cerner | Digital health programme |
| ACT | Cerner | ACT Health digital strategy |
| NT | Cerner | NT Health digital roadmap |
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is ADHA?
- ADHA (Australian Digital Health Agency) is the federal agency responsible for Australia's digital health strategy. ADHA manages: 1) My Health Record (national EHR), 2) Healthcare Identifiers Service, 3) Secure Messaging, 4) Digital health standards, 5. National Digital Health Strategy 2020-2025 (and beyond). ADHA drives digital transformation across Australian healthcare.
- What is Australia's National Digital Health Strategy?
- Australia's National Digital Health Strategy (2020-2025) targets: 1) My Health Record for all Australians, 2) Secure messaging between providers, 3. Digital prescriptions (e-prescribing), 4. Telehealth expansion, 5. Data interoperability, 6. Consumer digital health tools, 7. Workforce digital capability, 8. AI and analytics. The strategy is being updated for 2026-2030.
- What EHR systems do Australian hospitals use?
- Australian hospitals use various EHR systems: 1) Cerner (many public hospitals — QLD, WA, SA), 2) Epic (some hospitals — Sydney Local Health District), 3. Orion Health (some hospitals), 4. Best Practice (GP practices), 5. Medical Director (GP practices), 6. Adrine ($29/month — small to medium hospitals). State health departments typically standardise EHR across their hospitals.