North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network (NWMPHN) is updating data management for general practices by transitioning from PenCS to Outcome Health’s Population Level Analysis and Reporting (POLAR) platform.
This change, effective from 1 July 2025, will streamline data extraction and sharing, ensuring better patient-centred care and quality improvement.
Practices registered for PIP QI and sharing data with us receive a quarterly PIP QI Incentive. To ensure this continues, it is important to follow some simple steps, outlined below, to make the switch to POLAR.
NWMPHN will cease to fund PEN CS licences at the end June.
Practices wishing to start data-sharing and qualify for the PIP QI Incentive payments can do so by contacting NWMPHN at primarycaredata@nwmphn.org.au or call 03 9347 1188.
Why do we collect data from general practices?
General practices collect and store patient data in clinical information systems. If they wish, they can share a de-identified version of this data with NWMPHN.
The information supplied is an important component of our population health planning, which informs how we design and commission services to meet community needs and bolster equitable access to health care.
It also contributes to our health needs assessments, which paint detailed pictures of health needs across the 13 local government areas in the NWMPHN catchment.
On a local level, collected data helps us provide tailored quality improvement support to each practice, based on its needs and patient population. Practices can also perform self-directed improvement activities using the clinical audit tool.
Why are we changing recording platforms?
General practices currently have access to a suite of data extraction and analysis tools designed to support quality improvement, service planning, and business development, all aimed at providing better patient-centred care.
Over the past year, NWMPHN has been reviewing data sharing options across the sector, so that it can efficiently meet the Commonwealth’s request for data sampling and provide practices with practical tools for their quality improvement needs.
POLAR is already used by several PHNs, practices and hospitals.
What do you have to do?
Eligible general practices (those participating in PIP QI incentive with NWMPHN) have to switch from PenCS to POLAR.
Initiating and completing the transition is easy and fast. Here’s what you need to do:
- Sign a new data sharing agreement.
- Install and onboard POLAR by 1 July 2025.
- Receive tailored support to minimise disruption.
Once the agreement is signed, NWMPHN will create a practice profile for you in POLAR and will contact you to arrange a time for remote installation.
- To make this as easy as possible your practice should nominate a POLAR authoriser and administrator. These could be the same person, likely your practice manager or owner. The administrator will be the only person with access to the practice financial information in MBS reports.
- The POLAR administrator can set up and manage user accounts for any staff member, and allow or restrict access to revenue information in individual reports.
Once you have booked an installation time Outcome Health will be in contact to confirm, and provide instructions.
POLAR is only installed on one server or computer within the general practice or cloud environment. The process takes about 15 minutes, including the first full data extraction. No restart to the server is required.
Key dates and milestones for transition activities
| Timeframe | Activity |
| Today to 30 June 2025 | Access to POLAR available. Installation, onboarding and data management can be booked. |
| 30 June 2025 | Final day for data submissions on PenCS. This is essential for your PIP QI compliance. |
| 1 July 2025 | NWMPHN-supplied PenCS licences expire. POLAR becomes NWMPHN’s data extraction tool. |
| July 2025 | POLAR general practice education and training activities begin. Check your email for updates. |
What support will your practice receive?
Your practice will receive tailored support from a dedicated NWMPHN relationship manager.
We can assist with the data sharing tool change to ensure minimal disruption.
Education and training will be provided to maximise the use of POLAR tools, along with access to resources, articles, quality improvement recipes, case studies, and reports.
Please see the following for more information:
Got questions? Contact NWMPHN at primarycaredata@nwmphn.org.au or call 03 9347 1188.
