16 June 2022
Western Sydney residents living with chronic illness, are about to play a key role in a world-first international study supporting the delivery of improved outcomes in primary care.
WentWest, Western Sydney Primary Health Network (WSPHN) has been invited to participate in the Patient Reported Indicator Survey (PaRIS). PaRIS is an initiative of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) which is conducting the survey across more than 20 countries, including Australia.
In Australia, the survey is being funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and managed by the Australian Commission of Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC).
Since 2016, over 50,000 experiences of consumers receiving care were recorded by WentWest, primarily through its flagship Patient Centred Medical Home (PCMH) program. WentWest, in partnership with ACSQHC, wants to make this kind of collection of consumer experiences commonplace in Australia.
The PaRIS initiative offers the opportunity to use patient data at a global scale and influence Australian policy and practice. The project will collect de-identified data from consumers and health providers in Western Sydney as well as across the globe.
Launched in 2018, the PaRIS initiative aims to build international capacity to measure and compare care outcomes and experiences as reported by patients.
The project aims to create a standardised methodology and data set that can be used to accurately compare the health outcomes of patients across multiple countries where current data collection methods can vary radically.
“The PaRIS project is critical to health system reform in Australia and abroad as it enables health providers to learn from patient experiences here and overseas in a seamless, reliable, data-driven way,” WentWest CEO Ray Messom said.
“For the first time, it will allow researchers and decision-makers in different countries to have a common, international dialogue on patient care, boosting the global sharing of knowledge and the capability of Australian health professionals to improve the health of our communities.”
“Over many years we have developed strong relationships with our health partners in Western Sydney who will now play a crucial role in this study, commencing with a field trial of surveys targeting general practices and their patients,” Mr Messom explained.
“We are honoured to be a part of this innovative project and to play a role in improving primary health care for communities here and across the globe.”
Catherine Katz, Director Inter-Government Relations at the ACSQHC, commented, “We are excited to have WentWest join the PaRIS initiative. As a leader in the collection of consumer experience information and in driving health system reform, WentWest is an ideal partner in this collaboration. The ACSQHC’s purpose is to contribute to better health outcomes and experiences for all patients and consumers, and improved value and sustainability in the health system by leading and coordinating national improvements in the safety and quality of health care. We fully expect that learnings from the PaRIS project will result in better health outcomes for all.”
The PaRIS project will focus on patient experience data from those aged 45 years and older who suffer from one or more chronic illnesses. Data will also be collected about the types of services provided by the patient’s GP or other primary health care providers.
Dr Paul Nicolarakis, Chief Data Officer at WentWest, commented, “The routine, reliable and respectful collection of data from communities across the globe has the potential to generate new insights that inform and change the way we understand and manage chronic health conditions locally. We look forward to supporting this work and sharing its results with the diverse communities of Western Sydney.”
The PaRIS Field Trial commenced on 14 April 2022. Currently, eighteen general practices have been onboarded.