The Australian Department of Defence plans to revamp its health records with a five million dollar electronic system.

Defence has chosen global, service provider CSC for a five-year IT contract to develop and implement an electronic health (eHealth) information system.

After winning the contract through a tender process, CSC will deliver a centralised, web-accessible, military specific, primary care solution known as EMIS into the Defence’s IT environment.

The system will be known as the Joint eHealth Data and Information (JeHDI) system.

Along with selected partners, CSC will also provide application hosting, IT support services, organisational change, communication, training and project management.

Defence commander Joint Health, major general Paul Alexander said the JeHDI system will hep provide high-quality healthcare that supports ADF members within Australia.

“The JeHDI system will not only provide an eHealth record for all personnel, but also give the Department of Defence the ability to map health related trends of the ADF and derive financial reports on its healthcare costs,” he said.

JeHDI represents one of the first comprehensive eHealth record projects across Australia and will support the needs of modernising the Defence organisation.

Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, Warren Snowdon, said the web based system would simplify record management and provide immediate access to patients' medical records, while maintaining confidentiality and data integrity.

"This is a very exciting time for the ADF as they are taking a key national leadership role in the introduction of electronic health records throughout Australia and delivering a single electronic health system across the ADF," Mr Snowdon said in a statement.

CSC specialises in health systems integration, with large scale eHealth programs operating for many years in the UK, US and across Europe.
In Australia, CSC has been working with large, public sector health organisations to progress the eHealth agenda and to manage and plan for modernised eHealth programs.