A new data extraction and clinical support tool for GPs is coming

Primary Sense is a population health management, clinical decision support and data extraction tool and will soon be available for use by general practices in the North Brisbane and Moreton Bay Region.

What does Primary Sense do for GPs?

Provided by Primary Health Networks (PHNs), Primary Sense delivers real time medical alerts and patient care prompts, supporting GPs to make more informed clinical decisions at the point-of-care.

Primary Sense analyses de-identified general practice data and runs it through algorithms, including the Johns Hopkins University ACG® System, to give GPs meaningful information in the form of near-real time reports, alerts or prompts that assist them to:

• provide patients with the right care at the right time
• identify high risk groups and links appropriate interventions e.g. vaccinations
• identify patients at risk of poor health outcomes or chronic diseases
• reduce potential adverse reactions to medication
• spend more time doing what they do best – caring for patients.

Primary Sense also provides general practices and Primary Health Networks with on-demand reporting to help with population health management and data driven improvement.

Primary Sense is supported by a robust clinical governance process and overseen by an Advisory Group that includes general practice, clinical specialist and primary healthcare industry peak body representation.

Who developed Primary Sense?

The original version of Primary Sense was developed by Gold Coast PHN in 2018 and used by various Gold Coast GPs since. Supported by Gold Coast PHN, WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) has led the development of Primary Sense 2.0, which is in the process of being adopted by 10 PHNs and rolled out to GPs from mid-2022.

WAPHA worked closely with general practices, universities, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners’ Standards and Quality Care Expert Committee members to develop Primary Sense 2.0.

Covering a period of five years, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) granted full authorisation of the latest version of Primary Sense in March 2022 – confirming the tool does not conflict with Australian competition law.

For more information visit www.primarysense.org.au