South Australia has flipped the switch on a fully digital hospital records system, making it the first state in the country to link all public hospitals and health services under one electronic medical record (EMR). The final rollout, covering Coober Pedy Hospital and Oodnadatta Health Service, marks the completion of a plan that began more than a decade ago, backed by an additional $31.1 million from the Malinauskas government in 2022 to ensure regional hospitals weren’t left behind.
This means patient records will no longer be shuffled between departments in manila folders or buried in storage rooms. Instead, all patient data is centralised, accessible in real-time, and shared across facilities. Whether someone is treated in Adelaide or a remote outpost, their medical history is just a click away for doctors and nurses.
The system, named Sunrise, is designed to replace paper-based records and speed up clinical decisions. Test results, diagnoses, and treatments are recorded in one place, allowing multiple clinicians to access and update them simultaneously. Transfers between regional and metropolitan hospitals are expected to be more efficient, as specialists can now review cases remotely before deciding whether a patient needs to be moved. When transfers do happen, there’s no risk of information getting lost along the way.
Security is a core feature of the platform, with only authorised personnel able to access records. Every edit and view is logged, ensuring transparency and accountability. The system has already been up and running in metro hospitals for years, but bringing it to 59 regional sites is a game-changer for patients outside city limits.
Coober Pedy Hospital, with its ten acute care beds and four aged care beds, and Oodnadatta Health Service, which serves the scattered communities of the outback, now have the same digital capabilities as their city counterparts. Both hospitals are part of the Eyre and Far North Local Health Network, where staff will no longer have to chase down paperwork or rely on fax machines for critical patient information.
Since the first activation of Sunrise at Noarlunga Health Service in 2013, the rollout has expanded steadily. Over the past two years, the push to digitise regional hospitals ramped up, culminating in this final switch-on. For healthcare workers, it’s a shift that brings immediate benefits.
Chris Picton, SA’s Health Minister, sees it as a major step forward for patients across the state. He says the system ensures regional hospitals are no longer operating in isolation, allowing for better coordination with metropolitan health services. Clinicians across different hospitals can now see patient histories at a glance, reducing delays and improving continuity of care.
Wendy Sutton, Director of Clinical Information Systems, highlights that the digital transition means a single, consistent record for every patient, spanning acute care and community services. She believes this is particularly important for those with complex medical needs who move between multiple facilities. Whether a patient is seen by a local GP, a specialist in Adelaide, or a nurse in a country hospital, their complete medical history is now available at every point of care.
Wayne Champion, CEO of the Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network, calls it one of the biggest transformations in South Australia’s health system. He points to improvements in safety, efficiency, and patient experience. For overworked metropolitan hospitals, the system allows them to see bed availability in regional centres in real time, making patient transfers smoother. Conversely, regional hospitals can track their patients after transfer and pull them back home when they’re ready for discharge, freeing up city beds.
Telehealth is another winner in this setup. Regional doctors can consult specialist notes and test results without waiting for physical files to arrive. This means faster diagnoses and treatment plans, especially for those in remote areas where access to specialists is limited.
Julie Marron, CEO of the Eyre and Far North Local Health Network, sees the benefits flowing directly to staff and patients. She notes that having instant access to patient records reduces duplication and administrative burden, allowing doctors and nurses to focus on patient care rather than paperwork.
This digitisation milestone places South Australia ahead of the curve nationally. While other states have moved towards EMRs in patches, SA is the first to have every public hospital and health service on the same system. The days of paper files piling up in storage rooms are officially over, and for patients, that means faster, safer, and more coordinated care.
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