MHRC Community Health

COMMUNICARE

Communicare is an electronic form of patient case notes. This system is used by both Marthakal and Ngalkanbuy, and staff from both health services can access the case notes when they are seeing a client. This unique system has been established because people from the homelands often visit Galiwin’ku and visa versa. This allows health staff to be able to see a complete record of their health care which maximizes client safety and ensures consistent health care.

Each staff member, from both services, is bound by a confidentiality agreement.

Client information can be accessed by staff from either clinic at any time but should they do so an electronic tag is left in the case note to show who viewed the file and when. If there was no valid reason for this viewing the situation can be followed up by management staff.

Communicare uses a recall system to highlight when follow-up is needed. A recall from Marthakal does not show up on the Ngalkanbuy list and visa versa.

CLIENT CONSENT

Currently both Marthakal & Ngalkanbuy Health Services have a joint consent form that we are asking clients to respond to.

If a client does not want their information shared with Ngalkanbuy, if they are a Marthakal client, then Communicare can be set in such a way that this cannot happen. The same works for Ngalkanbuy Clients that do not want their information shared with Marthakal.

The same form also asks for your preferred provider. This question has been added because there is a group of people that often move between the homelands and Galiwin’ku and so do not fit within the 6 month definition. Those clients can opt for who they want to be their preferred provider, but that can still access both health services, depending on where they are at the time. When in Galiwin’ku they would go to Ngalkanbuy and when in the Homelands they would be seen by Marthakal.

OBJECTIVES

Marthakal Homelands Health service is committed to a wellness model of health service. Our focus is Yolgnu being healthier, living longer and having better lives. We practice prevention, early detection and appropriate intervention to maintain people in as optimal health as possible and acknowledge the inter-relationship between good health and the social determinants of health.

• To support Yolgnu culture and building stronger relationships
• To provide regular and ongoing access to health services in occupied homelands
• To promote self-determined and local community control and participation
• To undertake early detection and intervention of illness/health problems through regular health and environmental screening
• To provide and broker access to specialist services
• To facilitate the ongoing education/training of the individual, families, community and the health team within the service and at the homelands
• To work collaboratively with other services on a community development model to improve quality of life through education, employment, industry and community infrastructure.

CONTACT DETAILS

Marthakal Homelands Health Service   PMB 62  Galiwin’ku, Elcho Island, NT 0822  Lot 80 Riyalanura Rd  24 Hour Emergency (On-Call) : 1800 758 854 or triple zero (000)  Ph: 08 8970 5566  Fx: 08 8970 5111  E: health@marthakal.org  Health Service Manager  Sue Langdon

Our Hours of Service  Monday to Friday  0800 – 1630  Closed for Lunch Break  1200 - 1300