New reporting portal brings data into focus

WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA’s) focus on outcomes-based commissioning requires access to accurate and timely episode-of-care and other health outcome data from its commissioned service providers.

The collection of data however has always been a cumbersome process, often involving manual processing and data validation, with less than useful reporting available.

However, WAPHA has recently developed a new portal which has transformed the data collection and reporting process, condensing it from a six-week process down to less than 15 minutes.

The new Commissioned Services Reporting Portal (CSRP), which uses a Microsoft Power Apps portal solution, has been rolled out to a set of our commissioned services providers, WAPHA’s contracts team and data analysts via a pilot program which initially targets its chronic disease stream.

The CSRP, which launched in April, allows pilot participants to self-serve via Azure B2C, automating the end-to-end process of data submission and reporting both client surveys and episode summaries.

General Manager, Commissioned Services, Mark Cockayne, said the CSRP pilot, which was an integral part of the organisation’s commitment to digital and operational efficiencies, had already been met with overwhelmingly positive feedback.

“CSRP forms part of WAPHA’s ongoing commitment to digital transformation and best practice operations.  Ultimately, the way we collect and report on data is vital to how we shape our health system and our ability to achieve better health outcomes for the WA community – and is a critical enabler to implementation of our Performance Management Framework.”

“We knew we could drive efficiencies and flexibility in the way we were collecting data from our providers and realise better outcomes, insights and user experience.

“We consulted closely with several providers when designing the portal and the CSRP offers more flexibility in the way providers can record and report against the delivery of services and, regardless of the mode of submission, automated data quality checks are run against pre-defined rules ensuring the data is of a high quality before being used for reporting.

“Feedback on the pilot has been extremely positive, not only from our internal data and contracting teams but most importantly from our front-line providers and their respective boards. We are excited to continue implementation of this innovation across our remaining program areas to benefit all our providers, patients, and the wider WA Community.”

Amity Health is one of seven commissioned service providers participating in the pilot program. Amity Health Governance and Compliance Manager, Susie Reid, said the program is already demonstrating benefits with reduced time burden, ease of use and access to detailed data being key initial advantages.

“The CSRP is a welcomed innovation by WAPHA.  After just one reporting cycle, we are already able to see data trends emerging.

“The portal, importantly, removes the need for spreadsheets and duplication of data, which means less margin for error, more accurate data, and time savings.  It’s easy to use, has the potential, as it develops, to be highly intuitive and being a digital-based platform provides an opportunity for our team to enhance its digital skills.”

“We look forward to the CSRP being rolled out across all programs very soon.”

Find out more about the CSRP and Performance Management Framework.