Peninsula Health is set to roll out a first-of-its-kind digital system that gives patients a stronger voice in how they are treated, with researchers saying the approach could change hospital care across Victoria.
The “health passport” style tool, developed in partnership with Monash University’s National Centre for Healthy Ageing (NCHA), allows patients to record their values, needs and preferences in one place. That information is then made available to doctors, nurses and allied health staff throughout their hospital stay — and can be carried over to future admissions.
Tested locally, designed with patients
Trials at the recently renamed Peninsula University Hospital (formerly Frankston Hospital) and the Golf Links Road Rehabilitation Centre have already involved more than 1,000 patients. Instead of filling out paper forms that are rarely revisited, participants completed a short survey on their phone or an iPad with staff assistance. The questions ranged from mobility and communication requirements to personal preferences about comfort and daily routines.
According to Monash researchers, about three-quarters of patients in acute wards and nearly nine in ten in rehabilitation wards chose to take part. The project was co-designed with clinicians and consumers, including people living with disability and complex conditions, to ensure it reflected what actually mattered to patients.
Why it matters
Hospital admissions often mean repeating the same details to multiple staff, with important information easily lost. By storing patient preferences digitally and making them visible across departments, clinicians can tailor care more consistently and avoid misunderstandings.
Peninsula Health says staff feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with many reporting the system helps them plan care that respects the individual. Researchers also note that patients themselves value being active partners in decisions, rather than feeling like passive recipients.
A first for Victoria
While similar approaches have been tested overseas, no other Victorian hospital service has an electronic system that captures patient preferences in real time. Peninsula Health plans to embed the tool into every ward of its new multi-storey tower at Frankston, due to open next year. Each ward will have a staff member responsible for introducing patients to the tool and helping them complete their profile.
Looking ahead
The health passport is part of a wider research effort by the NCHA’s Living Labs program, which develops and trials health innovations in real-world settings. If successful, the model could be adopted more broadly across Victoria, making personalised care a routine part of the hospital experience rather than an exception.
Read: Transforming healthcare delivery through personalised patient care
This will only work if clinicians read it. A family member undergoing long term trauma care at another hospital is finding that clinical carers frequently do not read the electronic medical record resulting in either much repetition, missed medication, incorrect dosages, etc.