Loading...

The race to trace and save lives

Client: Department of Health, Tasmania

In 2019, the world was turned upside down by an unprecedented global pandemic that would change the way we live. 

Even in Tasmania, where we are relatively isolated from the rest of the world, we felt the impacts of COVID-19. In March 2020, then-Premier Peter Gutwein declared a State of Emergency and a Public Health Emergency for Tasmania, activating significant control measures to help stop the spread of COVID-19, including mandatory testing and isolation requirements. 

The Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) was stood up to manage the public health aspects of Tasmania’s COVID-19 response. It rapidly became clear that traditional systems and processes would struggle to cope with the unprecedented nature of the virus, the sheer volume of cases, and the dynamic and rapidly changing environment.

Public Health needed to quickly develop and implement new teams, processes, and systems that were sufficiently scalable and adaptable to the changing environment, accessible by all Tasmanians and visitors, and easy to understand and operate by the increasing number of staff who came on board.

But where to find the experienced resources to help implement this significant change and support the system and process development? That’s where GSD came in.

Getting to know the unknown

At GSD, we’re committed to getting inside a project to better understand it and the people and change impacts that come with it. With this project, we needed to do this while also hitting the ground running: lives were on the line.

We embedded ourselves in the project team, sitting alongside nurses and epidemiologists, so we had the health experts on hand. We also had a close working relationship with the technology vendor, ensuring this was a business-led, not vendor-led, solution. And then we needed to roll it out.

ystems and processes for automated receipt of laboratory-confirmed cases, public self-reporting systems, an intuitive track and trace system, bulk communications, hotel isolation and COVID@home referrals, and a case and outbreak management system were up and running in the shortest time possible, with reviews, iterations reviews and adjustments to meet the changing needs of PHEOC and the community.

The rapid stand-up and onboarding of an emergency workforce was also critical, particularly in times of peak activity, so we helped design the systems and processes to support this. 

A lasting impact

The Tasmanian COVID response projects have been recognised for enabling the critical work of both the Communicable Disease Prevention Unit (CDPU) and the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) through the delivery of fit-for-purpose systems, processes and change programs. Supported by these projects, PHEOC and CDPU were able to deliver meaningful and timely support to the Tasmanian community when it needed it the most.

Health outcomes for Tasmanians included:

  • Improved response times to cases.
  • Reduced risks of infection due to improved isolation and quarantine arrangements (more rapidly initiated, improved options, improved monitoring).
  • Improved quality of life during care (COVID@home)
  • Reduced load on the health system (COVID@home, improved case and outbreak management).

GSD contributed to the following deliverables:

  • Case and outbreak management system (Tasmanian Notifiable Disease Serveillance System)
  • Bespoke track and trace system (COVID Admin Portal)
  • Integrations: case management, track and trace, communications, laboratory management system
  • Public self-reporting site
  • Business processes:
    • Track and trace
    • COVID@home
    • Hotel Quarantine Referral
    • External team integrations.
  • Training: online training courses and group training sessions, user guides, quick reference guides and cheat sheets.

The Department of Health has since been recognised for the success of these programs at the 2022 TasICT Awards, where it won the Best Application of ICT category.

At GSD we’re hugely proud of the work we were able to do to help the Tasmanian health system and the community in a time of unprecedented need.

Let's get started.

Ready to transform your business?
Reach out to us below!
Footer Contact Form
info@gsdadvisors.com.au
Level 3, 111 Macquarie St
Hobart TAS 7000
Connect with us on LinkedIn
GSD acknowledges the palawa (Tasmanian Aboriginal community) as the original owners and custodians of lutruwita (Tasmania). We acknowledge the palawa have maintained their spiritual and cultural connection to the land and water, and we pay respect to Elders past and present.
Copyright © 2025 GSD Advisors
Protected by reCAPTCHA Privacy. Terms.