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Transforming healthcare delivery across the largest health jurisdiction in the world
Australia, September 2025 – Altera Digital Health is proud to announce the successful statewide implementation of Altera Opal, a dedicated healthcare Document Management Solution (DMS), marking a transformative milestone for healthcare delivery across the State’s vast and diverse regions.
The project, known as the Digital Medical Record (DMR) within WA Health, was rolled out to the last project site on 27 August 2025. The DMR project was led by the WA Department of Health and supported by delivery partners Health Support Services and Health Service Providers across the state.
Spanning more than 2.5 million square kilometres – the largest area in the world covered by a single health authority – WA Health serves a population of almost three million through more than 60,000 clinical and non-clinical staff. The sheer geographical scale, from remote Kimberley communities to metropolitan Perth, makes the implementation of a single, connected digital medical record an ambitious and unprecedented undertaking.
The sheer scale of the Opal system’s implementation and its impact on digitising healthcare is remarkable. As of July 2025, 44 million documents have been digitised successfully transitioning to structured, paperless documentation. A staggering 140 million documents have been made available in the DMR. This widespread adoption across WA Health is underscored by the system’s performance, supporting over 13,000 concurrent users during peak periods, which is a clear testament to its value and deep integration into clinical workflows.
“We are honoured to partner with WA Health on one of the most ambitious digital health transformations in the world,” said Todd Heabich, Executive Vice President, APAC, Altera Digital Health. “The scale of Western Australia presents unique challenges, but also an incredible opportunity to deliver equitable, high-quality care to every patient – whether they are in the heart of Perth or thousands of kilometres away in a remote community. The rollout was delivered in stages over the years, following a centrally led but locally tuned approach to ensure the unique needs of each health service and community are addressed. Opal will help empower clinicians with the information they need, when they need it, and help give patients a greater voice in their own healthcare journey.”
Opal is designed to streamline the creation, storage, management and retrieval of clinical documents, enabling paperless workflows that enhance financial, clinical and operational performance. Its intuitive, customisable design enables healthcare teams to capture, distribute and integrate data efficiently, supporting faster diagnoses and improved patient outcomes.
Key benefits of Opal for WA Health include:
- Transition from paper to digital – Captures documents within patient and visit context, interfacing with legacy repositories while retaining the familiar look of a paper folder.
- Single point of access – Delivers a shared, structured view of all patient documentation, with controlled permissions across multiple disciplines.
- Optimised efficiency and space – Reduces physical storage, environmental impact and record-retrieval times.
- Instant archival capabilities – Lowers maintenance costs and accelerates the move to a fully digital environment.
- Anywhere, anytime access – Provides secure, web-based access from desktops, mobile devices and bedside monitors, as well as remote clinician access.
- Improved patient safety and quality of care – Delivers comprehensive patient information for faster, more accurate diagnoses and clinical decision-making.
About Altera Digital Health
A global healthcare IT leader, Altera Digital Health develops and elevates technology to bring next-level healthcare within reach. Altera’s approach to our solutions is changing the way healthcare is delivered – we see the summit of what healthcare can be, but rather than total transformation, we’re focused on helping organisations take the steps they need to get there. Altera designs digital health services that lead healthcare to a higher place, while we guide those we partner with, all along the way. To learn more, visit https://apac.alterahealth.com/.
For more information contact: alteramediarelations@alterahealth.com.
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Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, in collaboration with Altera Digital Health and Healthcare Innovation Consortium (HIC), has completed a trailblazing benefits realisation review in tissue viability.
Breakthrough improvements have been delivered through the adoption of the Sunrise™ Electronic Patient Record (EPR) system, as part of the review to understand and optimise the impact of introducing the solution to the service.
The innovative review, led by independent digital health consultancy HIC, found Sunrise achieved significant advancements in care quality, patient safety and clinical efficiency by replacing fragmented, error-prone paper processes with streamlined, data-driven workflows. By leveraging the EPR system, the trust is better positioned to prevent pressure ulcers and enhance care pathways.
“This was a quality-driven initiative,” said Jackie Edwards, Chief Clinical Digital Engagement Officer at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. “Tissue viability is a key improvement priority for the trust. Effective prevention and management of skin and soft tissue health are absolutely vital to avoid complications, such as pressure ulcers. Complications can lead to extended hospital stays, increased morbidity and significant healthcare costs, especially for our most vulnerable patients.”
The system’s ability to centralise patient data, provide real-time access and automate critical alerts has unlocked real-time insights. Clinicians are enabled to respond faster, communicate more effectively across teams and make safer, more informed decisions.
Feedback analysis highlighted key benefits, such as enhanced compliance with care protocols and quicker interventions for high-risk patients. As one clinician remarked, “The EPR system’s ability to centralise information has allowed for quicker interventions without needing to be physically present. It gives us a comprehensive view of patient risk factors.”
The review was grounded in extensive stakeholder engagement with ward staff, tissue viability nurses, governance teams, digital leads, medical consultants and senior nurse leaders through workshops, one-on-one interviews, and a trust-wide questionnaire. Their insights were combined with system data, process mapping, and real-world use cases to measure existing qualitative benefits, optimisation opportunities, baseline benefits for areas yet to go live and current challenges.
Overall, 96% of questionnaire respondents found the trust’s practices for managing tissue viability effective and 60% said it was easy to document and access patient information related to tissue viability using the EPR system.
Quick wins for immediate optimisation included the introduction of a tick-box indicator that flags when a wound image has been uploaded. This allows clinicians to quickly check whether visual documentation is up to date, streamlining access to wound images and ensuring relevant teams have the latest information available.
Looking ahead, the review identified opportunities for longer-term EPR enhancements, such as integrated clinical guidance for high Waterlow scores (tissue viability risk assessment tool), greater search capabilities and expanded options for surface selection in recording the SSKIN bundle assessment.
“This comprehensive programme gave us a fantastic opportunity to deep dive into a crucial patient safety issue and shape a meaningful, measurable digital solution,” added Jackie Edwards. “It supports the trust to deliver an implementation approach that is firmly guided by better outcomes and will provide the best possible springboard to deliver excellent care.”
The pioneering benefits review aligns closely with overcoming national EPR optimisation challenges. According to a research report published by the Health Foundation, when EPRs are used well they can unlock important care and productivity improvements. However, with England at a pivotal moment as the NHS moves closer to every trust having an EPR system, many are still navigating how to unlock their full potential.
Mark Hutchinson, Executive Vice President, Healthcare Strategy and Transformation, UK & EMEA, Altera Digital Health, said: “The next, and arguably most important, challenge is making sure EPR systems truly deliver. We are fully committed to ensuring their true potential is reached and Worcestershire Acute Hospital’s EPR benefits review is a brilliant example of what’s possible. It stands out as a national blueprint for EPR success. Not only for driving continuous improvement but also to promote strong staff engagement and a robust framework that can be applied to other system implementations across the trust.”
Hadleigh Stollar, CEO, Healthcare Innovation Consortium, said: “HIC was proud to support such a successful and collaborative project – this isn’t just about adopting digital health, it’s about shaping it. By leading with purpose and evidence, the trust has set a powerful example of how technology, when implemented thoughtfully and collaboratively, can drive real, measurable impact to patients and those caring for them. It has the potential to serve as a model for national digital health strategies and policy to drive better patient outcomes across the NHS.”
Media Contact:
Jodie Cheetham (on behalf of Altera Digital Health)
Jodie@silver-buck.com
07967 136010
About Altera Digital Health
Altera Digital Health is a global healthcare IT leader. With more than 30 years of experience, we develop technology to bring next-level healthcare within reach. Our approach to solutions provides a clinically driven roadmaps that help advance digital maturity across integrated care systems.
With more than 2,700 hospitals in more than 15 countries, our solutions support healthcare providers, governments and military institutions around the world. By keeping the human user at the centre of our design methodology, we are supporting caregivers in helping patients meet and exceed their wellness goals. Together, with our clients, we’re driving a new era of healthcare. To learn more, visit uk.alterahealth.com.
About Healthcare Innovation Consortium
HIC is a leading independent digital health consultancy that helps organisations design, implement, and scale healthtech solutions that improve patient outcomes and system efficiency. With a mission to put people at the heart of digital transformation, HIC works across the public and private sector to drive meaningful innovation.
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Bolton NHS Foundation Trust has extended the rollout of Sunrise™ Electronic Patient Record (EPR), powered by Altera Digital Health, to its community services. The go-live marks a major milestone in its digital transformation journey and in supporting care beyond the hospital by joining up patient records across acute and community settings.
This latest rollout highlights Bolton leaders’ ongoing dedication to their digital transformation journey, further building on the successful implementation of Altera’s EPR technology across emergency and inpatient care settings, via a single, integrated platform.
Clunky outdated paper processes coupled with fragmented communication have been replaced with new, streamlined digital workflows that enable services to be more efficient so teams can deliver safe, timely care.
Zoe Fitzsimmons, CXIO at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Our community users were especially excited to move away from paper and its associated inefficiencies. Now they are fully live on Sunrise EPR they have instant access to a patient’s up-to-date electronic record and can document directly into the record as a seamless entry from acute to community. Users are delighted with the efficiency gains they are making and are enjoying reinvesting the time back into direct care.”
The implementation also included going live across Outpatients to extend the reach and impact of the existing medication prescribing solution, and diagnostic orders and results for Radiology and Pathology.
The improved medication workflows are promoting adherence to regulatory guidelines, with the reduction of paper prescription forms, increased patient safety and a more comprehensive digital patient record. Overall, these unified clinical processes are unlocking improvements, including increasing time to care.
Zoe Fitzsimmons added: “This latest EPR go-live across Community and Outpatient is a significant milestone for Bolton’s digital strategy, which set out a vision for a seamless, end-to-end patient journey by sharing information with patients and across the health and social care system. Access to a single, up-to-date patient record has been transformative for the teams and enabled them to deliver safer, faster and more coordinated care. It’s a huge step towards a fully connected care experience for the people of Bolton, with more consistent care, regardless of the setting.”
The go-live was a true team event with a smooth and successful launch that saw teams across both care settings quickly adjusting to the improved processes. In just the first month of being live, 17,614 pathology and radiology requests were processed, demonstrating immediate impact to the services.
Early feedback from users has been overwhelmingly positive with users praising the system’s ease of use and the noticeable improvement in workflows and patient care. Jo Constantine, Team Leader of the Admission Avoidance Team at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Bringing electronic patient records into our community service has transformed care delivery. It has empowered our team with real-time information, helping them give faster, safer and more joined up care to people in their own homes.”
Patient safety was at the heart of the implementation. A significant portion of the implementation prior to going live focused on aligning new workflows with complex requirements and medication policies to ensure full compliance across community and outpatient services.
Mark Hutchinson, Executive Vice President, Altera Digital Health (UK & EMEA), commented: “The progress at Bolton is a testament to what can be achieved with Altera’s highly configurable and flexible EPR with a clear vision and a robust digital infrastructure. By extending the EPR across Community and Outpatients, Bolton has significantly improved care coordination and communication, enhancing both safety and efficiency.
“This is a powerful example of how our EPR platform enables continuous care across the entire healthcare setting, breaking down silos and creating a truly unified patient record. We’re proud to be supporting Bolton as it extends these capabilities and look forward to the next phase that will further enhance care pathways by enabling integration with primary care services.”
Media Contact:
Jodie Cheetham (on behalf of Altera Digital Health)
Jodie@silver-buck.com
07967 136010
About Altera Digital Health
Altera Digital Health is a global healthcare IT leader. With more than 30 years of experience, we develop technology to bring next-level healthcare within reach. Our approach to solutions provides a fast, flexible and clinically driven roadmap towards digital maturity across integrated care systems.
With more than 2,700 hospitals in more than 15 countries, our solutions support healthcare providers, governments and military institutions around the world. By keeping the human user at the centre of our design methodology, we are supporting caregivers and helping patients meet and exceed their wellness goals. Together, with our clients, we’re driving a new era of healthcare. To learn more, visit uk.alterahealth.com.
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Long-term acute care hospital on Sunrise EHR will also deploy Sunrise Health Record
NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — September 9, 2025 — Altera Digital Health, a global health IT leader, today announced that Hospital for Special Care (HFSC), a leading long-term acute care hospital, has renewed its contract for the Sunrise™ electronic health record (EHR) platform through 2032. As part of the partnership extension, HFSC will upgrade to the recently released Sunrise 25.1 to help streamline financial operations and better enable clinical users. HFSC will also be the first organization to adopt Sunrise Health Record™, Sunrise’s new intelligent faxing solution.
Serving New Britain, Hartford and Hebron, Conn., HFSC is the fourth-largest long-term acute care hospital in the U.S. and one of just two providing medical treatment for complex rehabilitation and chronic disease to both children and adults. HFSC has utilized the Sunrise platform, which is designed to meet the needs of mid-size hospitals and health systems, for more than a decade. With Sunrise 25.1, HFSC will gain access to approximately 700 updates and new features such as centralized billing tools, simplified denial and appeals tracking and automated provider-level adjustments to improve financial performance. Sunrise 25.1 also enables providers to focus more on patient care by delivering real-time insights, automating administrative tasks and simplifying clinical workflows.
“Altera has been a true partner through every phase of our EHR journey, demonstrating a commitment to transparency, responsiveness and alignment with our long-term goals,” said Stan Jankowski, Chief Information Officer, Hospital for Special Care. “Expanding our partnership reflects our confidence in both the Sunrise platform and team. This is more than a technology decision—it’s a strategic investment in infrastructure and resources that will support organizational stability and clinical excellence in the years to come.”
HFSC will be the first Sunrise client to reduce manual faxing inefficiencies and errors with Sunrise Health Record. The new solution embeds faxing within Sunrise’s health information management (HIM) deficiency management workflow, enabling users to send deficiency notices without switching between systems. Sunrise Health Record also offers automated inbound fax routing, single-click outbound faxing and real-time fax tracking to support critical communication, patient safety and regulatory compliance.
“We’re proud to continue supporting HFSC as this renewal sets the stage for collaboration and innovation into the next decade,” said Jay Adams, Executive Vice President for Sunrise, Altera Digital Health. “Sunrise 25.1 and new offerings like Sunrise Health Record give our clients the ability to keep pace with healthcare’s evolution while also supporting critical operations that drive growth and long-term stability.”
About Altera Digital Health
A global healthcare IT leader, Altera Digital Health develops and elevates technology to bring next-level healthcare within reach. Altera’s approach to our solutions is changing the way healthcare is delivered—we see the summit of what healthcare can be, but rather than total transformation, we’re focused on helping organizations take the steps they need to get there. Altera designs digital health services that lead healthcare to a higher place, while we guide those we partner with, all along the way. To learn more, visit www.alterahealth.com.
Media Contact
For Altera Digital Health
AlteraMediaRelations@alterahealth.com
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Australia, 20 August 2025 – CareSync Exchange powered by dbMotion is transforming health information sharing in Victoria. It securely delivers complete, timely, and accurate health information; complements existing systems by enabling the view and trending of discrete patient data; and enables seamless access to disparate patient records through local electronic medical records systems. CareSync Exchange supports connected care journeys for Victorians by ensuring secure sharing of clinical information across Victorian Public Health Services (VPHS).
Improving Healthcare through Effective Information Sharing
CareSync Exchange tackles the challenge of fragmented patient information by integrating health data from multiple systems, giving clinicians access to critical and accurate information for better decision-making. A vital part of Victoria’s Digital Health Roadmap, it enhances continuity of care by ensuring health information is accessible across providers.
Key Features and Benefits of CareSync Exchange
CareSync Exchange will significantly reduce the burden on patients to recall their medical history during interactions with multiple public health service providers. The system enables a patient’s treating clinician to access comprehensive clinical information, including:
- Patient details, such as demographics and emergency contacts.
- Inpatient, Emergency, and Outpatient hospital visits.
- Pathology results that can be compared and trended.
- Clinical documents including pathology reports and hospital discharge summaries.
Streamlined access supports a seamless patient experience, reduces duplicate tests, and fosters an integrated healthcare system to improve safety and outcomes.
Current Practices and the Need for Change
Traditionally, clinicians in the Victorian public health services relied on faxes, phone calls, emails, and even patients or their families to share medical histories—often leading to gaps, inefficiencies, and time taken away from direct patient care. CareSync Exchange helps overcome these challenges by providing real-time, comprehensive patient data, enabling clinicians to make more informed decisions and deliver higher-quality care.
Enhancing Patient and Clinician Experience
Todd Haebich, Executive Vice President of Altera Digital Health, APAC, emphasised the importance of accurate information at the point of care, stating, “Complete and accurate information at the point of care is essential to providing patients with the best possible clinical care. The project delivery teams at Altera and the Department are actively working with health services to implement CareSync Exchange powered by dbMotion across the state, and we are very proud that the first group of participating health services includes Austin Health, Eastern Health, Northern Health, Alfred Health, Monash Health, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, The Royal Children’s Hospital, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, and The Royal Women’s Hospital.
CareSync Exchange will improve the way health information is shared across Victoria, improving patient experience and enhancing clinicians’ ability to provide timely and safer care.”
About Altera Digital Health
A global healthcare IT leader, Altera Digital Health develops and elevates technology to bring next-level healthcare within reach. Altera’s approach to our solutions is changing the way healthcare is delivered – we see the summit of what healthcare can be, but rather than total transformation, we’re focused on helping organisations take the steps they need to get there. Altera designs digital health services that lead healthcare to a higher place, while we guide those we partner with, all along the way. To learn more, visit https://apac.alterahealth.com/.
For more information contact: alteramediarelations@alterahealth.com.