Queensland Health has leveraged SAP cloud services to create a “digital passport” aimed at streamlining credential and training data for clinical staff. This digital health passport aligns with HEALTHQ32, the state government’s decade-long healthcare vision for Queensland. Despite the recent announcement of the vision in May, Queensland Health was already prepared with a staff digital passport for testing.
Carlo Terribile, Senior Director of Corporate Technology Services, explained that the agency adopted an unconventional approach by having SAP develop a “minimum viable product” on the SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) in a relatively short timeframe. The project was initiated in February-March, a proof-of-concept was delivered promptly, and the solution was technically live by early August.
The digital passport aims to enhance health worker mobility, enabling Queensland Health to rapidly allocate staff where needed for critical care services. The organization’s operations involve dispersed data and varied processes due to its 16 independent hospital and health service entities. Currently, assembling staff information for mobility takes time as it’s distributed across different sources.
Queensland Health and SAP worked collaboratively to ensure adaptable solution
Terribile emphasized that the digital passport aims to consolidate this data, providing authorized users with easy access for efficient staff relocations. Although SAP contributed to the solution design and assembly, a collaborative approach was taken with input from the business. This agile approach focused on user stories and ensured alignment with user acceptance.
While still awaiting full production use and feedback, Terribile anticipates further tranches of development to refine and expand the digital passport’s capabilities. The agency aims to assess whether the solution significantly enhances clinician mobility throughout Queensland Health.
Despite challenges in navigating contractual arrangements and addressing evolving privacy and data protection concerns in the cloud, Queensland Health and SAP worked collaboratively to ensure a functional and adaptable solution.
Terribile’s team in corporate technology services is now taking the reins for ongoing development, ensuring that the digital passport evolves to meet the agency’s specific needs.
