Background
SA Health delivers comprehensive cancer care across South Australia, spanning prevention, early detection, treatment, and survivorship. To standardise chemotherapy processes, enhance patient safety, and support evidence-based dosing, SA Health implemented the Enterprise Chemotherapy Prescribing System (ECPS). This integrated system covers scheduling, prescribing, pharmacy verification, medication supply, and administration across 18 adult hospitals in both metropolitan and regional areas. The rollout commenced in June 2023 and concluded in December 2024.
Methods
The ECPS rollout followed a multi-phase implementation strategy, led by clinical and technical teams. Chemotherapy protocols were built into the system in line with the SA Health Approved Cancer Therapy Protocol Register. Stakeholders at each site were engaged to ensure protocols and workflows aligned with enterprise needs. Healthcare professionals received face-to-face training, supported by user guides and quick reference materials. Hypercare was delivered in two phases: the first focused on patient transition, pharmacy verification, and medication supply; the second phase, diary cutover, enabled chemotherapy treatments to begin within the system. Collaboration between clinical and technical teams supported timely issue resolution and minimised disruption to clinical workflows.
Impact on Practice
Between June 2023 and December 2024, 8,213 patients were treated using ECPS and 1,116 healthcare professionals were trained. The system has improved medication management and workflow efficiency across prescribing, scheduling, pharmacy, and nursing. Chemotherapy is now consistently delivered in accordance with approved protocols, supporting safer, more consistent care.
Discussion
Key lessons include strong stakeholder engagement, tailored training for sites, a structured hypercare model, and close coordination across teams. The ECPS deployment provides a scalable model for future digital health implementations.
Next steps include extending ECPS to paediatric services, integrating with other clinical systems, and establishing ongoing governance for protocol updates and user support. Continuous evaluation will guide future improvements and ensure sustainability.