GP2GP

GP2GP is an approach to safe and secure electronic transfer of the full patient record between different practice management systems (PMS) when patients move between general practices.

It was developed with the overarching goal to reduce any potential loss of clinical information when patients change general practice, along with the reducing administrative burden that existed before an electronic solution existed.

GP2GP went live in 2011. Several hundred thousand records are transferred annually using GP2GP.

GP2GP was designed to transfer:

• clinical notes
• problem lists
• medications
• allergies
• lab results
• discharge letters
• recall tasks
• limited demographic information.

Accounting and appointment information is not included in the transfer.

GP2GP was not designed for the transfer of multiple patients (bulk transfers) or migration of a whole practice. Please contact your IT support provider and the appropriate PMS suppliers for support with this.

GP2GP was developed by an organisation called Patients First, in collaboration with PMS vendors and supported by secure messaging provider HealthLink. General Practice New Zealand (external link) (GPNZ) was the parent company of Patients First.

Control of GP2GP was transitioned to Manatū Hauora in 2021. During the health reforms, responsibility for GP2GP was then transferred from Manatū Hauora to Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora.

As part of the transition to Health NZ, management and support of the service has been incorporated into the Sector Digital Channels Integration team.

• Download the GP2GP package via Microsoft's NuGet and productionise the latest version. This ensures your customers have the latest GP2GP functionality.
  If you have any issues with this process, please contact Health NZ at DigitalPrimaryCareProgramme@TeWhatuOra.govt.nz 
• Please don’t modify the contents of the GP2GP package – send any feedback for enhancements to Health NZ at the above email.
• Download and maintain the latest version of HealthLink software (such as the HealthLink messaging client) to support confidential patient file transfers.
• Provide support and troubleshooting assistance to your customers for issues related to GP2GP transfers and ensure any problems are addressed promptly.
• Adhere to the security and privacy guidelines such as the Health Information Security Framework and the Health Information Privacy Code (external link) to ensure the integrity and safety of patient data during transfers.

There have been ongoing issues with GP2GP, leading to delays in care and increasing clinical risks. General practices are dedicating more time and resources to managing and verifying GP2GP transfers, as well as correcting errors.

Health New Zealand is currently investing in stablising the service, with operational model designed to maintain these improvements. We are looking at future options to modernise and ensure safe patient transfers.

This work aims to address the immediate short-term risks of the system and ensure GP2GP continues to provide a safe and reliable patient records transfer service.

The Health New Zealand GP2GP team has been collaborating closely with service users and technology suppliers to determine the stabilisation requirements. The primary issues identified include the 20MB limit on patient file transfer size, inconsistencies in data mapping between practice management systems (PMSs), and challenges in identifying diagnostic results.

Enhancements to GP2GP

• File Size Limit: 20MB file size limit has been raised by practices as an issue, as 20MB is insufficient for some patient files. We are working with HealthLink and PMS suppliers to increase this limit to 50MB.

• Version Consistency: It hasn't always been clear to PMS suppliers that misaligned versions of GP2GP are operating in their applications. The latest GP2GP version will be adopted by PMS suppliers so there is a consistent version across the applications. This is to support the safe, efficient and consistent transfer of patient records.

• Deployment via NuGet: GP2GP will be deployed using NuGet, an industry-standard method for deploying code as packages. This ensures changes cannot be made to the source code, resulting in a stable and consistent version of GP2GP across the sector. The use of Huddle will be decommissioned for GP2GP.

• Support for Healthcare Providers: There is help and support available for healthcare providers experiencing issues with the transfer of patient information via GP2GP.

Key milestones

To date, the following milestones have been achieved:

• NuGet server implemented, and PMS suppliers have now connected
• Latest GP2GP version is available to PMS suppliers for download
• HealthLink have successfully tested transfers of files up to 50MB size limit. The next step is to work in partnership with PMS suppliers and HealthLink to enable this feature.

Currently:

• Health New Zealand is working with PMS suppliers to implement the latest version of GP2GP and validate the new testing service (still in development).
• Datacom is developing a new testing service which aims to validate the PMS applications’ handling of Clinical Document Architecture (CDA) files for GP2GP.
• HealthLink is completing baseline testing of the current GP2GP deployments.

Future:

• Latest version of GP2GP deployed into PMS applications.
• HealthLink to allow for the transfer of up to 50MB files across its network. HealthLink, Health NZ and the PMS suppliers will need to work collaboratively on implementing this new feature across the PMS applications before it can be used by practices.
• Joint testing of message size limits and error logging enhancements to GP2GP completed. 
• New GP2GP version with 50MB and logging enhancements deployed.
• Post stabilisation activities, Health NZ will work collaboratively with technology suppliers such as HealthLink and PMS vendors about the future modernisation of the GP2GP service.

Implementing these activities to stabilise GP2GP aims to reduce clinical risks from missing, incorrect, or incomplete patient data. It should also reduce administrative time for general practices, as staff will no longer need to spend time checking file transfers and fixing errors.

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is in negotiations with PMS suppliers (MedTech, Valentia, MyPractice and IntraHealth) to enter into new statements of work to support the GP2GP stabilisation work.

It is anticipated that PMS suppliers will prioritise implementing the latest version of GP2GP into their applications, once these agreements are finalised. Following this, they would work with us on implementing further stabilisation activities.

HealthLink will soon enable a feature which will allow larger files, up to 50MB, to be transferred over their network. HealthLink, Health NZ and the PMS suppliers will need to work collaboratively on implementing this new feature before it can be used by practices. Allowing larger files to be transferred between PMS systems will reduce the need for practice staff to manually break up files for a patient transfer.

When the GP2GP stabilisation activities are completed across the PMS applications, practices will start seeing improved reliability and safety – . fewer data inconsistencies and errors, less need for manual intervention in managing file sizes, and regular testing to ensure ongoing stability of the GP2GP service. This requires a team effort from Health NZ, PMS suppliers and HealthLink. 

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is now ready to start work with practice management system (PMS) suppliers to begin testing and implementation of the latest version of GP2GP. GP2GP is a component of a PMS that enables patient records to be electronically transferred from one PMS to another. Over the coming months, Health NZ will support PMS suppliers to adopt the latest GP2GP version.

Having a consistent version of GP2GP in production across the sector is expected to help reduce errors that can occur when sending patient files via GP2GP between different PMS applications. There have been issues with the service that have been frustrating for primary care, causing delays in care and introducing clinical risk. Another challenge with GP2GP has been the 20mb file size limit, which is insufficient for some patient files. HealthLink* is completing testing of an increased file size limit, to 50mb, with the different PMSs. Following successful testing, HealthLink will enable 50mb files to be transferred via Connected Health. This means the infrastructure will be in place for larger files to be sent via HealthLink, and Health NZ can begin work with PMS suppliers on testing and implementing this change.

Practices having issues with messages being sent over HealthLink may not be using the most up-to-date HealthLink version. Please contact the HealthLink helpdesk to check you have the latest version.

*HealthLink is a messaging system used to send information between GPs, via Connected Health.

• View the User Guides for GP2GP for each PMS (see below under 'User Guides').
• If your issue is hardware specific, or you need help with bulk transfers, please contact your IT support provider.
• If you are experiencing issues with a GP2GP transfer, please raise a ticket with your PMS Supplier. This step must be completed before proceeding with the following step (if necessary).
• If the issue persists after trying the methods mentioned above, please contact the Health New Zealand Contact Centre. This can be done by either:
  • emailing onlinehelpdesk@health.govt.nz. Please include all relevant information and attach a screenshot of the issue if possible.
  • calling 0800 855 066. Choose option ‘2’ for systems support, and then ‘1’ to report your issue.

Information to include, or have ready when seeking support from Health New Zealand for a GP2GP transfer issue:

• Your practice name and contact details.
• The name of the PMS application that you are using.
• If you are experiencing the issue whilst importing or exporting for GP2GP.
• If relevant, the PMS application that a GP2GP transfer is coming from or going to.
• Any other information relating to the issue, including confirmation that you have raised a ticket with your PMS supplier.

If you are ever providing screenshots in email, please be careful not to include any patient information.

How to use GP2GP Export and Import | Medtech Evolution (external link) (YouTube)

User Guide - GP2GP Medtech Evolution - June2023 (PDF, 457 KB) (external link)

User Guide – Medtech32 (external link) (PDF, 2.2MB)

Access GP2GP Help Content through indici (external link) (PDF, 108KB)

Instructions for using GP2GP are here (external link) on the MyPractice website.

Profile User Manual (PDF, 675 KB) (external link)