iHealth Care is the new approach to health communication in Queensland.

iHealth Care's aim is to improve communication between GPs, specialists, allied health professionals, pharmacists, hospitals and aged care facilities. There are two initial services - the iHealth Care Directory, which lists contact details for health providers in Queensland, and a free secure messaging service provided by Medical-Objects.

Together, these two iHealth Care services are connecting Queensland for better patient care.

iHealth Care Directory: A directory of health providers in Queensland

Providing better, safer, faster distribution of clinical healthcare information to GPs, specialists and allied health professionals.

What is the iHealth Care Directory?

The iHealth Care Directory (the Directory) is a listing of where GPs work in Queensland and how they can most effectively be contacted. The Directory will also include specialists and allied health professionals contact details. This will ultimately make the Directory a central and authoritative source of health providers' contact details to enable secure communication of patient information across Queensland.

What is the iHealth Care Directory used for?

The Directory's primary purpose is to transfer clinical patient information e.g. discharge summaries and specialist referrals from one health provider to another.The Directory also makes it possible to rapidly communicate public health alerts (e.g. outbreaks of communicable diseases, food poisoning etc) to health providers throughout Queensland. Since allied health professionals are increasingly called upon for team care arrangements with General Practice, the ability to share patient information for referrals, expert opinion or following courses of care is essential, so allied health professionals will also be included on the Directory.

Who has access to the iHealth Care Directory?

Any health related organisation or private practitioner delivering patient care who has a need to communicate with GPs, specialists or allied health professionals about their patients will have access to the Directory. The Directory will provide a single trusted source of health care professionals contact details working in private practice in Queensland. This will facilitate improved communication between Queensland's public hospitals, private hospitals and other doctors. This will ensure information is transferred to the correct health provider, using the preferred mode of communication and in rapid time so as not to cause unnecessary delays in patient care. All health professionals listed on the Directory are provided free access for the purpose of communicating patient information and to update their details online.

What are the benefits for doctors and allied health professionals and their patients?

• One directory for healthcare providers for referrals and secure communications;
• It will include providers' Medicare status and service provision details e.g. specialisations;
• The Directory is available via the web free of charge to all providers who consent to be listed on the Directory;
• Enables more appropriate referrals from GPs;
• Facilitates more timely and accurate distribution of patients' clinical information to doctors and allied health professionals e.g. Online Care Planning and Discharge Summaries;
• The Directory will save you time;
• Providers will only need to update their contact details once whenever they relocate to notify other health care providers;
• Enables public health alerts to reach all doctors efficiently;

How do I have my details included on the iHealth Care Directory?

All health professionals will need to opt in by completing Part A of the iHealth Care Consent Form. For copies of the Consent Form click on the Consent Form tab at the top of this page. A health professional can withdraw his/her consent at any time by contacting 1800 620 046.

Do I have to pay to be listed on the Directory?

No. iHealth Care is subsiding all costs associated with this service.

How do I update my details if they change?

Click on Log On at the top of this page and update your details online. This supplies the updated information to every other user of the Directory. Alternatively if you have consented to list on the Directory your local Division, can also update your details on your behalf when you notify them of changes. Any updates received from secondary sources (i.e. other than the health professionals themselves) will be verified by the iHealth Care Office, through a phone call directly to the health professionals.

How is access to the iHealth Care Directory controlled?

Electronic versions of the Directory are accessible to participating subscribers only. Access to the Directory is password protected and encrypted, preventing general public access. The use of the Directory by any person or organisation outside the terms of their agreement may result in termination of access to the Directory.

How is my personal information secured on the iHealth Care Directory?

When the iHealth Care Directory sends your contact details to other Directory users, the privacy of those details is protected by encryption at the same high degree of security as used by financial institutions. Please note that the Internet is a public medium and that General Practice Queensland cannot guarantee that encrypted information being sent via the Internet cannot be intercepted.

Where is my personal information being stored?

The iHealth Care Directory is stored on a secure hosted server within a professional ISP environment. This information can be reviewed or edited by you at any time, as stated in the How do I update my details? section of this information sheet. A Disaster Recovery Server is also located in a secure hosted location in Brisbane.

Who owns the iHealth Care Directory?

The iHealth Care Directory is an initiative of General Practice Queensland on behalf on the Queensland Divisions Network. The Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing have sponsored the iHealth Care Directory. The Directory is supported by the Divisions of General Practice in Queensland. For further information about the iHealth Care Directory, contact 1800 620 046.

For more information about the iHealth Care Secure Messaging Service click here.

Terms and Conditions

1. Information on the iHealth Care Directory (the Directory) can only be used for direct patient care. This is deemed as the purpose. It cannot be used for general mail outs or notifications.
2. Subscribers to the iHealth Care Directory will be restricted to Queensland-based health professionals or health organisations that need to access provider contact details for the purposes of direct patient care.
3. iHealth Care Directory information may be shared with Queensland Health for the purposes of transferring clinical information about patients, specifically for discharge summaries and referrals, and to update existing Queensland Health provider directories.
4. The subscriber is permitted to share the supplied username and password between staff within the above stated location (concurrent access is allowed)
5. The subscriber must ensure that all logged on online access and paper copies of passwords/logon details are maintained securely within the organisation and that the subscriber shall implement processes whereby passwords and usernames are kept confidential and whereby their use is restricted to the purpose.
6. iHealth Care reserves the right to withdraw a subscriber's access for breach of conditions, policy or procedure. This action must be taken by written notification to the practice.
7. iHealth Care does not warrant, guarantee or make any representation regarding the use, or the results of the use, of the Directory in terms of correctness, accuracy, reliability, functionality or otherwise.
8. iHealth Care or it employees will not be responsible for any loss, damage, cost or expense suffered or incurred by the subscriber as a result of or arising from the subscriber's failure to access the Directory or the quality of the data contained within.
9. The Directory contains a seed record to track inappropriate use as per purpose e.g. a fictitious doctor and location has been entered on the Directory.
10. The subscriber must advise iHealth Care immediately if there is reason to suspect that the Directory is being used contrary to the purpose.
11. iHealth Care will add an organisation's email address to a mailing list in order to keep subscribers informed of updates to the service.
12. A full privacy policy will has been made available to subscribers click here
13. The Directory can only be accessed through the Directory website www.ihcdirectory.com.au
14. The organisation agrees to advise the Directory of any data quality issues by contacting ihealthcare@gpqld.com.au
15. The data and intellectual property of the Directory and all printed versions at all times remain the property of iHealth Care.
16. The subscriber must not sub-license, assign, share, sell, rent, lease or otherwise transfer its right to use or access the Directory.