Central Data Update

This program allows a specific set of Clinical Item definitions to be centrally maintained and distributed to user sites by Communicare. These centrally maintained Clinical Item definitions are referred to as "central" items.

Communicare user sites retain the ability to maintain their own unique set of additional Clinical Item definitions. Reporting and auditing functions are included so that user sites can maintain their local, unique and unambiguous Clinical Item definitions when central Clinical Item definitions are added and updated.

The central items may be for one or more specific projects such as the Aboriginal Family Futures Project or may be used to maintain and distribute standard code sets such as ICPC or ICD-10. Recalls and generic protocols are also included so that central control may be exercised over recalls as well. This allows central distribution of immunisation schedules, for example.

This program should be run from the Communicare folder on the server. The central data database ( CENTRAL.fdb) must be copied from into the same directory as the Communicare database.

The program will run only on a Communicare server, and only if the user is an Administrator.
Note:
  • CENTRAL datasets have their own access groups. For any site users, including the administrator, to be able to use or even see the CENTRAL items, the users must be added to these groups.
  • To change the CENTRAL datasets, set the datasets required in the Datasets table on the System Parameters > System tab and run the centralupdate program to import the new data. Contact Communicare Support for further help.
  • If there is a conflict in a description between a CENTRAL item and a site item, the site item will generally be deleted if not in use, otherwise the site description will be changed by appending [1] (or 2 or 3, etc. ) to the end of the site description. These conflicts will be listed in the action window and the site description should be amended by the administrator as soon as possible to avoid confusion.

Datasets

In the Datasets table on the System Parameters > System tab, the following datasets are available:
  • Communicare Infrastructure - do not deselect this dataset. It is used by Communicare internally and many parts of Communicare depend on it.
  • ICPC-2 Plus - contains all supported ICPC-2 PLUS clinical terms and groupers.
  • Communicare Value Added - clinical item types not yet included in ICPC such as custom check-ups and EPC items. Required for antenatal care reporting.
  • Immunisation Age Based Reviews - defines regular immunisation reviews based on age.
  • Immunisation Vaccines - a list of vaccines by brand name. We distribute both ICPC-2 PLUS 'generic' immunisation types and Communicare 'brand' vaccine dataset. The latter dataset is fully coded with AIR codes to facilitate the electronic transmission of AIR details to AIR. We usually recommend that health services adopt the 'brand' dataset and disable all but a few of the 'generic' dataset. It is the health service's decision whether to record brand or generic names. In the case of influenza, ICPC-2 PLUS distributes both Immunisation;flu and Immunisation;influenza. They are analogous and either can be used. The Communicare dataset distributes Immunisation;Fluvax, Immunisation;Vaxigrip, etc. Immunisation;ADT is the ICPC-2 PLUS item and Immunisation;ADT vaccine is the Communicare item. Immunisation;Q fever is the ICPC-2 PLUS item and Immunisation;Q fever vaccine is the Communicare item. You will also see Immunisation;BCG, Immunisation;CDT and Immunisation;Triple antigen as both ICPC-2 PLUS and Communicare items. We strongly recommend using the Communicare 'brand' vaccine dataset.
  • Various program, project, local and national initiative datasets: For example:
    • ANFPP - participating health services will need to contact the Australian Nurse Family Partnership Program for details. Any required reports will be distributed directly by the ANFPP.
    • DATS - this dataset will be required for residential drug and alcohol services that need to submit data using the National Minumum Dataset. There are variations for NSW.
    • headspace - participating health services will need to export data using the headspace export program. Submission details will be provided by headspace.
    • HACC - these datasets (there is a separate dataset for Victoria) will satisfy data collection for HACC using the export reports. Submission details can be obtained from HACC. Note that EITHER the HACC OR the HACC (Victoria) dataset should be imported but not both.
    • HU5K - this program is a Northern Territory Government, Department of Health (DoH) initiative. This program incorporates a series of age specific child health checks which include growth assessment and the childhood vaccination schedule. AMSANT and DoH have jointly worked to make this program available through the Communicare system. For information relating to data and electronic health record system functionality, contact AMSANT. For queries relating to the Healthy Under 5 Kids program please contact NT DoH, Child & Youth Health Strategy Unit.
    • STRIVE - participating health services should import this dataset and request the accompanying reports. In addition, to facilitate the recognition of local laboratory codes used for some STI results, health services should request the import of the codes used by their specific STI pathology lab.
    • Tackling Smoking - participating health services should import this dataset and request the accompanying reports.
    • NT Child Health Check Initiative - this program has now ceased.