Data sharing and governance
Why do primary health networks ask general practices to share patient data?
General practices collect and store patient data in clinical information systems. If they wish, general practices can choose to share a de-identified version of this data with their local primary health network (PHN). The collection of data is governed by a data sharing agreement signed by the practice.
PHNs use general practice data to plan and implement population health interventions.
We regularly gather, sift and analyse data on prevalent and emerging health needs to inform our planning for additional or improved services and future workforce requirements.
The use of data and evidence informs strategic and real-time investment decisions and the evaluation of programs and services. It also provides the knowledge we use to generate health service innovations and system reform across our region.
Practice data shared with PHNs may include but is not limited to information on patient demographics, characteristics, types of diagnoses and MBS items billed. All data is de-identified and is aggregated at the practice (not practitioner) level.
Benefits
There are three main outcomes of general practices opting in to data sharing with PHNs:
- Eligible practices can receive the Australian Government’s Practice Incentives Program Quality Improvement (PIP QI) Incentive payment by submitting the PIP Eligible Data Set to their local PHN. Practices may be eligible to receive up to $12,500 per quarter, depending on their size.
- PHNs can provide tailored quality improvement support to each individual practice, based on the needs of the practice and its patient population demonstrated by the data.
- PHNs use the de-identified data in population health planning, including regular health needs assessments submitted to the Australian Government, and for designing and commissioning services in response to the identified needs.
Data security
PHNs takes data and information security seriously. All PHN use of data is consistent with the RACGP’s guidance for the secondary use of general practice data. This means that:
- PHNs comply with data management best practice. We must comply with all applicable laws in relation to the collection, storage, access, use or disclosure of practice data.
- All practice data is de-identified so that it does not contain information that can be used to identify individuals.
- PHNs have developed data governance frameworks and processes to ensure the safe, accurate and consistent use of data.
To help us improve the protection of data and information NWMPHN has achieved ISO27001:2022 certification, an Australian and international information security, cyber security, and privacy standard.
NWMPHN also has a Data Governance Framework to ensure the safe, accurate and consistent use of data. The Framework defines roles, responsibilities, procedures and technology used to manage and protect information within NWMPHN.
These data privacy protections underpin the data sharing agreement that each practice must sign before sharing data with their local PHN. These agreements are in place so that practices can better understand what data they share, what PHNs do with the data, and how it is protected.
Data sharing agreements
Eligible practices can receive the Practice Incentives Program Quality Improvement (PIP QI) Incentive payment by submitting the PIP Eligible Data Set to NWMPHN. Using this data, we create and email a custom PIP QI data report to each practice every quarter.
PHNs use data sharing agreement so that practices can better understand what data is shared, what PHNs do with the data and how it is protected.
The agreements differ slightly between PHNs, due to the differences in data extraction software and processes in each PHN. However, the principles of the agreements are consistent among Victorian PHNs:
- Practices can choose whether or not to share data, and whether they share the PIP Eligible Data Set or their full data set.
- Practices can submit data using the PHN’s preferred data capture software or by an alternate method.
- All data is de-identified.
- Practices do not incur a cost to share data with their PHN.
View this document (.pdf) for data sharing options with NWMPHN.
The agreement covers ownership and use of data, obligations for practices and NWMPHN, liability and confidentiality. It also includes a new End User Licence Agreement for practices using CAT Plus software. NWMPHN offers this software to eligible practices in our region at no cost.
Practices with questions about the type of data they are sharing with their local PHN can contact primarycare@nwmphn.org.au or phone (03) 9347 1188.
