Provider Connect Australia ^TM (also known as PCA™) is a free initiative of the Australian Digital Health Agency (the Agency) that allows you to update your business information and choose to automatically send those updates to your connected business partners such as:

• Healthcare directories, booking and review services
• Primary Health Networks
• Professional bodies and associations
• Public health services
• Secure messaging and information exchanges

As a key change enabler of the National Digital Health Strategy, PCA™ provides a secure, fit for purpose, and connected digital solution designed to remove the administrative burden of running a healthcare provider organisation.

Long term, PCA™ will save time, reduce human error, and remove the hassle of filling out multiple forms.

One year after its launch, PCA™ continues to make significant strides in supporting Australia's healthcare landscape. Earlier this year the Australian Podiatry Association (APodA) became the first peak body to register for PCA™, marking a milestone achievement for the service. Joining healthcare technology company Foxo, APodA's registration underscores the crucial role of PCA™ in streamlining relationships between healthcare providers and removing administrative burdens. With PCA™, maintaining accurate information about services and practitioners becomes more efficient, reducing paperwork and improving overall accuracy.

According to Australian Digital Health Agency Acting CEO Peter O'Halloran, the inclusion of APodA highlights the broader impact of PCA™: "Our initial focus has been on supporting GPs and pharmacies to register, but they are not the only healthcare providers that face large amounts of paperwork whenever health professionals join or leave their employment."

For those that are looking to connect with preventative and wellness healthcare providers, Health Hunter has recently onboarded to PCA™ as a business partner. As a digital health platform their mission is to “connect patients with a network of leading preventative health and chronic illness providers, apps, and services - including the ability to search by specific health concern (i.e. autoimmune disorders, mental health, endometriosis, gut issues). These are doctors, specialists, or allied health practitioners that have particular expertise in these areas, who are committed to helping you proactively manage your health and wellbeing".

How to Register and Stay Informed

You can self-register with PCA™ in your own time. Visit digitalhealth.gov.au/pca to learn more about:

• How it works
• How to register
• Its growing network of participating business partners.

The Agency also offers a dedicated support team that can assist you with registering for PCA^TM, they can be contacted on (02) 6223 0741, option 3 or via email MyHealthRecordConnections@digitalhealth.gov.au

Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) has recruited 20 North Queensland organisations to take part in the national roll-out of the Provider Connect Australia (PCA) pilot program, which will automatically update healthcare organisations’ information from one place. 

The portal, previously known as the Service Registration Assistant (SRA), will allow healthcare organisations and their business partners access to up-to-date information. 

The PCA portal aims to streamline the process for healthcare organisations to keep contact details such as provider numbers and secure messaging addresses up to date. It will also reduce the burden of practice managers needing to complete the same details across many different platforms. 

Healthcare providers can automatically update all the participating directories that list their services, including national Health Services Directory (NHSD), specialists’ directories, messaging directories, pathology, and radiology services. 

Any healthcare organisation can become a business partner, and those business partners can only access data which is shared with them by the publishing organisation. 

Business partners can include: 

• Medicare, private health insurers, workplace and accident insurers 

• National Health Service Directory 

• clinical pathway services 

• online booking systems 

• diagnostic services 

• public and private hospitals 

• Primary Health Networks 

This is a pilot program that will be used to road test it as a solution. NQPHN is currently working with 20 North Queensland organisations to collect vital feedback and insights to inform the national rollout. 

PCA is a free service provided by the Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA). 

Healthcare organisations with enquiries can email digitalhealth@nqphn.com.au.