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The South West Alliance Of Rural Health

About SWARH

The South West Alliance of Rural Health (SWARH) is an innovative and collaborative consortium of public health agencies situated in the expansive South West region of Victoria. Spanning across approximately 60,000 square kilometres, SWARH seamlessly links a network of public hospitals and associated health services, creating a vital lifeline of care that extends from the western fringes of Melbourne to the borders of South Australia.

Our journey began in the latter part of 1997, when SWARH emerged as a pioneering response to the pressing need for technological advancement in the Acute Public Hospitals of the South West. Rooted in a visionary pursuit of progress, we embarked on a mission to reshape the healthcare landscape through the power of information technology.

Supported by the Department of Human Services and fuelled by a shared aspiration for enhanced patient care, SWARH has been privileged to receive resolute backing from the Chief Executive Officers and dedicated Hospital Boards. Their visionary leadership, though not steeped in technical intricacies, recognised a fundamental truth: our collective potential far exceeded the sum of individual endeavours. This realisation spurred a collaborative ethos that has redefined possibilities.

Last Modified: Tuesday, 05 September 2023

“Without the support of SWARH IT professionals working both on-site and externally at our health service, we could not provide the high level of patient centred service to our consumers”.— Great Ocean Road Health