SA Health's electronic medical record for patients, families and the community

SA Health’s statewide patient electronic medical record system, Sunrise EMR & PAS (Sunrise EMR), is in place at all public hospitals and healthcare facilities across metropolitan Adelaide and regional South Australia, contributing to improved health care.

What are the benefits of a patient electronic medical record?

Having one electronic medical record that can be accessed by clinicians as you move between public health services in South Australia can provide many benefits to patients (PDF 226KB).

Benefits include:

  • accurate and complete patient information at the point of care
  • more coordinated and connected care
  • improved safety and quality of care
  • privacy and security of patient medical information

See also the benefits infographic (PDF 397KB).

How do I get an electronic medical record?

If you receive treatment at a South Australian public hospital or healthcare service that uses Sunrise EMR, an electronic medical record will be created for you.

What happens to my medical paper record?

If a paper medical record existed for you, it is currently closed and stored in a secure area.

Healthcare providers use Sunrise EMR to manage and document your medical care and treatment. Healthcare providers can request to view closed paper records at any time, if needed, as they do now, when they need to recall archived medical records.

If you wish to review your paper medical record, you can contact the Freedom of Information Officer at the relevant South Australian hospital or health service.

Can I opt out?

Sunrise EMR is the primary patient administration and clinical documentation system in South Australia. The system is central to a clinician’s ability to provide you with more coordinated health care. For these reasons, it is not possible to opt out.

Is my medical information secure?

Yes. Patient confidentiality is built in to ensure your information remains private.

Sunrise EMR has multiple levels of security to ensure only healthcare providers with the appropriate training and credentials, to document your care, can view your record.

Unlike paper documentation, Sunrise EMR has security features that provide a transparent audit trail to the documentation of your medical history. For example, the system makes a record every time a patient’s medical information is accessed or viewed including any changes that were made and by whom.

Sunrise EMR and My Health Record

My Health Record is a nationally controlled and secure online summary of a patient’s health information. Patients with a My Health Record can control what information goes into it and can choose whether or not to share their health information with authorised doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare providers.

Unless you have chosen not to have My Health Record or not to share your My Health Record information with authorised healthcare providers, it may be accessed at Sunrise EMR healthcare sites by staff who are providing you with medical treatment, to ensure continuity of care. 

Discharge summaries from Sunrise are shared to a patient’s My Health Record unless you advise your doctor not to send on each visit.

The following list contains examples of key clinical documents that can be viewed in Sunrise EMR from an individual’s My Health Record where one exists:

  • Discharge (separation) summaries
  • Pathology and medical imaging reports
  • Prescription and pharmacy dispensing information
  • Letters from specialists
  • Advance Care Directives

For further information, visit the My Health Record website.

For more information