South Australia Becomes the First Jurisdiction in the Nation to Activate Sunrise EHR Statewide Across all Public Hospitals and Health Services, Including in the Regions

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Altera Digital Health is proud to announce the successful statewide activation of the Sunrise™ electronic health record (EHR) and patient administration system (PAS) across all South Australian public hospitals. South Australia Health (SA Health) and Altera Digital Health are delighted that South Australia is the first state in Australia to activate a statewide EHR and PAS across all hospitals and health services in both metropolitan and rural areas. This milestone marks a major advancement in digital healthcare transformation, providing clinicians with a fully integrated, real-time patient record system that enhances efficiency, improves care coordination and optimizes patient outcomes.

The patient electronic health record used in South Australia is a state-based system which integrates EHRs and patient administration systems into a unified platform. This system ensures that clinicians across the state have real-time access to patient data, promoting coordinated, patient-centered care throughout South Australia’s public healthcare network.

The Sunrise EHR platform is now live across almost 100 sites throughout South Australia, ensuring that patients’ medical histories, treatment plans and clinical data are accessible across the state’s public health system. This initiative represents a significant step toward a connected and efficient healthcare network, enabling providers to deliver safer, more informed and timely care.

Transforming Healthcare in One of the World's Largest Healthcare Jurisdictions

South Australia is the fourth-largest state in Australia, covering 983,482 square kilometers—a landmass significantly larger than any European country. To put it in perspective, South Australia is:

• About 10 times the size of the UK
• About 4.5 times the size of Germany
• 3.5 times the size of Texas
• Larger than any U.S. state except for Alaska

Despite its vast geographical expanse, South Australia has a low population density of approximately 1.7 people per square kilometer, presenting unique challenges in delivering consistent, high-quality healthcare across remote, rural, and metropolitan areas. The activation of Sunrise EHR ensures that no matter where a patient receives care—whether in the heart of Adelaide or a regional hospital hundreds of kilometers away—their medical information is instantly available to clinicians.

Key Benefits of a Statewide EHR

The activation of Sunrise EHR eliminates paper-based processes and integrates real-time patient information, enabling healthcare professionals to make faster, data-driven clinical decisions.

• A single, continuous patient record across all SA public hospitals, ensuring seamless care transitions.
• Real-time access to clinical information, reducing duplication of tests and improving patient safety.
• Integrated workflows that streamline hospital operations and support better resource management.
• Enhanced communication between care teams, ensuring coordinated treatment and improved patient experiences.

A Milestone in South Australia’s Digital Health Strategy

This statewide activation aligns with South Australia’s long-term digital health strategy, which aims to modernize hospital systems and improve patient outcomes through advanced technology. By implementing Sunrise EHR, SA Health is future-proofing its healthcare infrastructure, ensuring that clinicians have the right information at the right time to deliver high-quality, patient-centric care.

Demonstrating System Utilization

The Sunrise EHR system is already making a significant impact across South Australia’s public health network:

• 1.5 million+ people have a Sunrise electronic health record, ensuring continuity of care across the state.
• Over 18 million inpatient, outpatient and emergency department (ED) encounters have been recorded in the system.
• More than 4,900 hospital beds across South Australia are managed within Sunrise.
• On average, 9,300+ concurrent users access the system at any given time, supporting real-time clinical decision-making.
• 921,687 patients have attended multiple Sunrise-enabled sites, demonstrating the system’s effectiveness in linking care across different locations.

Commitment to Innovation and Excellence

Altera Digital Health has been a part of South Australia’s digital healthcare journey, supporting the rollout of Sunrise EHR with dedicated implementation, training and support.

Todd Haebich, EVP, APAC at Altera Digital Health, shared, “The successful activation of Sunrise EHR across all SA public hospitals is a testament to our strong partnership with SA Health. By leveraging the power of a unified, real-time electronic health record, we are helping to drive meaningful improvements in patient care, operational efficiency and clinical collaboration throughout the state.”

Looking Ahead

With Sunrise EHR now fully deployed across South Australia’s public hospitals and health services, including in the regions, the focus will shift towards optimizing its use and expanding digital health initiatives to further enhance care delivery. SA Health and Altera Digital Health remain committed to leveraging healthcare technology to improve patient outcomes for all South Australians.

About Altera Digital Health

A global healthcare IT leader, Altera Digital Health develops and elevates technology to bring next-level healthcare within reach. Altera’s approach to our solutions is changing the way healthcare is delivered—we see the summit of what healthcare can be, but rather than total transformation, we’re focused on helping organisations take the steps they need to get there. Altera designs digital health services that lead healthcare to a higher place, while we guide those we partner with, all along the way. To learn more, visit www.alterahealth.com.