Presumably in response to the release of the HISA Survey of NEHTA performance, earlier today, the Board Chair has released the following!
NEHTA welcomes debate on its role as peak e-health body - message from Uschi Schreiber, NEHTA Chair
7 August, 2007. The Board of the National E-Health Authority welcomes public debate about the important role NEHTA plays as the peak e-health body in Australia.
One of the objectives of the review of NEHTA commissioned by the Board and currently being conducted by Boston Consulting Group is to seek the widest possible input into determining the next steps for e-health in Australia.
The Board of NEHTA, composed of all the heads of health agencies in Australia, reaffirms the importance of NEHTA as a key driver of healthcare reform by accelerating the pace of the national e-health agenda.
There is widespread agreement across the health sector that the pursuit of e-health in a nationally coordinated strategy is crucial for Australia. Agreement about the importance of this national agenda is shared even by those individuals and organisations that may from time to time critique NEHTA’s work.
The current review of NEHTA was built into the organisation’s constitution when it was established two years ago and will assist the Board in framing the future evolution of e-health.
The outcome of the review being conducted by Boston Consulting Group will be an independent assessment of and status report on NEHTA’s progress to date. It will also make recommendations for the Board’s consideration of NEHTA’s future role and direction.
The Board of NEHTA welcomes the active engagement of interested parties during the course of the review and will take all views into account when Boston Consulting Group presents its recommendations in October.
Uschi Schreiber
Chair, NEHTA Board
In saying the BCG “seek the widest possible input into determining the next steps for e-health in Australia.” It is assumed some useful steps have been taken so far. The evidence would not really support that contention!
What this release shows is that the NEHTA Board is basically unable to appreciate how badly it has failed in serving the Australian e-Health Community in setting the directions and strategies to be followed by NEHTA. The e-Health community the Board is meant to be serving has labelled NEHTA a resounding failure but it keeps thinking that it is a good thing to “reaffirm the importance of NEHTA as a key driver of healthcare reform by accelerating the pace of the national e-health agenda.”
Then it goes on to say “There is widespread agreement across the health sector that the pursuit of e-health in a nationally coordinated strategy is crucial for Australia.” So why hasn’t NEHTA announced it is developing one? Could it be that NEHTA is not being led by its Board? I have been suggesting a plan is needed for the last 18 months and all I, and others, have got from NETHA is airy dismissals.
We also get "Agreement about the importance of this national agenda is shared even by those individuals and organisations that may from time to time critique NEHTA’s work." Sadly NEHTA Board has offered no national agenda anyone has been told about!
Last we get to the serious issue. The release says “The outcome of the review being conducted by Boston Consulting Group will be an independent assessment of and status report on NEHTA’s progress to date. It will also make recommendations for the Board’s consideration of NEHTA’s future role and direction”
Just why is the Board considering what should happen to it? It is fundamentally and existentially conflicted in doing that – and worse it doesn’t seem to get it!
NEHTA is a major problem, not a solution, and its Board is a very big part of that problem.
This release is a plea for the status quo when what is needed is root and branch change!
David.
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