Question Time

Sunrise Electronic Medical Record

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Leader of the Opposition) (14:24): My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing regarding medication doses.

1. Minister, can you assure the chamber that there is no risk to South Australians after a reported dosing error where the Sunrise medical system has reportedly issued doses 10 times higher, so that 10 milligram doses have become 100 milligrams doses?

2. Can the minister outline to the chamber which hospitals are affected?

3. Can the minister outline if patients affected have been informed?

4. Can the minister outline to the chamber how long this error has been in operation?

The Hon. S.G. WADE (Minister for Health and Wellbeing) (14:25): I thank the honourable member for the question. SA Health is aware of an issue that is intermittently impacting medication order dosing in the Sunrise electronic medical record. I am advised that as soon as SA Health became aware of the intermittent issue all sites using the Sunrise system were notified and implemented risk mitigation strategies or business continuity plans.

Additional prescription reviews by medical officers, nursing and midwifery and pharmacists are in place while the root cause of the intermittent issue is investigated. An additional alert has been added to the medication ordering screen. I am advised that we are not aware of any adverse clinical outcomes at this time.

In relation to the honourable member's question in relation to which hospitals are affected, I am advised that the only hospitals affected are those that are using Sunrise EMR for clinical use, those being The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, the Royal Adelaide Hospital, Noarlunga, Mount Gambier and Port Augusta. Some other sites connected to Sunrise EMR are view-only access.

In relation to the honourable member's questions in terms of whether any adversely affected patients have been informed, as I said I am advised that we are not aware of any adverse clinical outcomes at this time.