About

Recognising the benefits of increased collaboration and the technical advancements in data security and privacy, Primary Health Networks (PHNs) initiated the Primary Heath Insights development project. 

WA Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) was nominated as the lead agency to implement the program, including the design, platform build and transition to operations.  WAPHA’s tenure as the platform’s lead agency runs until 2023.

The development process has been a highly successful collaboration of the participating PHNs.

A wide range of stakeholders was engaged in the design and development stages including the Australian Medical Association, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the Rural Doctors Association of Australia, the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine, Consumers Health Forum of Australia and others. All of these organisations have expressed their support.

The $10 million development and implementation phase of the project was funded by the Australian Government Department of Health. As not for profit organisations, PHNs fund the operation of Primary Health Insights on a cost recovery basis, as well as investing in further development of the platform.

Development of the platform was completed in mid-2020 and, following a pilot phase, PHNs were progressively onboarded.  By April 2021 all participating PHNs were able to start using their secure areas to store data.  

Primary Health Insights is, and will remain, solely owned by all of the PHNs.  Designed, built and used by PHNs, Primary Health Insights operations are funded by its participants based on their use of its facilities and services.   The platform is governed by PHN representatives drawn from each jurisdiction of Australia. 

In mid-2022 it was agreed that the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) will become a Primary Health Insights participant. It will be required to meet the same data governance requirements as PHNs for the data held in its secure lock box.  For further information about the AIHW’s participation see Purpose and FAQs.

Further information about the role of PHNs can be found at  Department of Health. 

Details of the PHN Cooperative can be found here.