Murray HealthPathways is a free, online resource for GPs and health professionals.

It details best practice health care and referral pathways to specialists and hospitals.

Dr Ewa Piejko said having that information easily accessible, and in one place, would save GPs such as herself a lot of time. 

“It will tell you how and where to refer a patient and what’s needed for that referral,” the Murray Primary Health Network medical advisor said.

“Given the enormous scope of our clinical practice, it is impossible to keep up with up-to-date evidence-based guidelines for all potential presentations.

“With ever-changing health systems and movement of practitioners, it is a challenge to stay abreast of ever-changing referral options, even in country towns.”

Dr Piejko said the tool would also increase a GP’s confidence in having followed best practice health care, and encourage further collaboration.

Murray HealthPathways launched on Wednesday with more than 50 local pathways on the portal, and more than 80 in development. 

Murray PHN, which developed the tool, estimated it would give GPs and health professionals access to an estimated 900 clinical and resource pathways in future.

More than 65 health professionals have been involved in developing the existing pathways, and clinicians are being encouraged to suggest new pathways and provide feedback. 

“Murray HealthPathways gives us a tangible way to address the fragmentation of our health systems,” Murray PHN chief executive officer Matt Jones said. 

“By bringing the health sectors together, we hope to strengthen the collaborative relationships between our organisations and work towards a more connected system that improves patient outcomes.”

Murray PHN is hopeful the new web portal will improve standards of care, minimise variations in treatment, and reduce unnecessary hospital visits. 

More than 71,000 hospital bed days a year in the Murray PHN region are estimated to be unnecessary. 

The 100,000 square kilometre region includes the cities of Albury, Mildura, Shepparton and Bendigo and is home to more than 593,000 people.