Well, it seems we now have Ms Nicola Roxon as the new Federal Health Minister. Also in the health frame is Justine Elliot as Minister for Ageing. Sadly, and worryingly, it seems Health has lost its Parliamentary Secretary. With all that Hospital reform Ms Roxon will be a busy lady!
Correction - 2:15pm 30/11/2007. Somehow I missed that in fact we do have a new Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing - Senator Jan McLucas from Queenland! The Australian and the SMH some how seemed to have missed the fact yesterday -What are the big things that should be on Ms Roxon’s E-Health to-do list.
First all the memberships of all advisory committees that have any involvement in E-Health should be reviewed and the practical outcomes achieved by each of these committee members be the key criterion to be applied to decide if their ongoing contribution is to be invited. Advice, if needed, can be obtained from a range of independent, academic and industry sources. The Health Information Society of Australia would be a particularly useful source of input as would the members and fellows of the Australian College of Health Informatics who are not directly affected.
I am strongly of the view that there is need for significant generational change in the composition of these committees if we are to move forward.
Second the report of the Boston Consulting Group reviewing NEHTA should be made public and comments sought from interested parties for a 30 day period and then decisions should be taken on how NEHTA, or its various necessary functions, should continue.
Third to avoid any possibility of political ‘blowback’ the Auditor General should be invited to review the value for money and delivery aspects of NEHTA’s performance.
Fourth the incoming minister should have the Department release all the evaluation reports of all the various e-Health Projects conducted under the previous Government so for the first time we will be able to be had some real learning as to what actually worked and what did not. The formal evaluations of the various HealthConnect trials are crucial in this respect.
Fifth the incoming minister should request a full update on the status of all Commonwealth / State co-operative e-Health projects and initiatives and determine how much more investment is appropriate in which of them.
Sixth the incoming minister should review the current e-Health policy platform from the April Labor National Conference and determine the overarching implementation priorities.
Seventh the incoming minister should determine a Interim National E-Health Governance Framework to operate and assist with the delivery of the last item on the list.
Last the incoming minister should commission and sponsor the National E-Health Strategy, Business Case, Implementation Plan and Benefits Management Plan.
Frankly getting all that done that would make a great first year e-Health Plan.
Ms Roxon needs to remember that inactivity is death – and can lead you to be saying you failed utterly after four years as former Health Minister Abbot said just a few short days ago.
“Mr Abbott told delegates "not to hold your breath" for more Coalition promises on rural, IT or indigenous health.
He said he was frustrated nothing had come out of the Government's investment in IT, and he wasn't handing over any more money until outcomes were guaranteed, an industry journal reported.
Mr Abbott's frustration is unlikely to exceed that of industry players who have watched e-health programs and spending stall under his leadership. Tellingly, the Coalition did not claim credit for any e-health initiative in its health policy after 11 years in office.”
See the full article here
Not that I have ever suggested the idea before but it might just be a really good idea to, when next there is a re-shuffle, to consider having a Parliamentary Secretary / Minister for Patient Safety, Healthcare Quality and E-Health. Wouldn’t that be a great idea!
Good luck to all the new appointees!
David.
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This little extra on the perils of over-promising I could not resist!
I just came upon this classic on the Departmental Web Site. As such pages are likely to vanish quickly – and I thought this one was quite apposite – I pass it on. Note the Date! (14/10/2005)
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/wcms/publishing.nsf/Content/factsheet-e-health.htm
Fact Sheets
e-Health: better information for better health
E-health is the collection, transfer and storage of health-related information such as patient medical histories or test results using computers and Internet technologies.
What is e-health?
Information and communications technology can be used to improve health services for the benefit of both consumers and health service providers such as doctors, by enabling more efficient management of vital health information.
E-health is the collection, transfer and storage of health-related information such as patient medical histories or test results using computers and Internet technologies.
What are the benefits of e-health?
More accurate and complete medical documentation and better communication among health care providers enables them to respond more quickly to patient needs, with less risk of mistakes. In an emergency, instant access to up-to-date patient information – for example allergies or current medications - can save lives.
The result is better care for patients, and greater efficiency and better informed decisions by doctors, pharmacists and nurses. Consumers will have access to more information about their health, so they can understand and help manage their own health care needs.
What is the Australian Government doing to advance e-health?
The central plank of national e-health will be a system known as HealthConnect, which is being jointly developed by the Australian Government and all states and territories.
HealthConnect is a major change management and e-infrastructure project which will link health information systems in hospitals, pharmacies, GP and specialist surgeries to enable secure access and instant availability of important medical information.
Over time, HealthConnect will also build up comprehensive patient medical histories which will be available on line to patients and, with patient consent, their doctors, at any place or time.
What will it cost?
The Australian Government has committed $128 million over four years to commence the national introduction of HealthConnect. State and territory governments are also contributing.
Around $50 million will be spent on subsidies to assist all general practices, Aboriginal health services and community pharmacies to adopt broadband Internet technology, to prepare them for HealthConnect and other uses (through the Broadband for Health initiative). Another $48.2 million will be spent to secure electronic links between health funds, hospitals and doctors.
How will HealthConnect affect consumers?
As HealthConnect develops, consumers will have the choice of storing their health information – conditions, treatments, medicines, and other relevant information –in a central repository. This summary record will be accessible only to health professionals authorised by the consumer. Consumers can also look up their own records, so they can make better informed decisions about their health care needs.
When will it start?
HealthConnect implementation began in 2005 in Tasmania, South Australia and the Katherine region of the Northern Territory. Other e-health projects which will link into the system will commence later this year in New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory.
Where can I get more information?
For more information, see the HealthConnect web site at www.healthconnect.gov.au.
Page last modified: 14 October, 2005
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I leave it as an exercise for the reader to consider the level of truth (or not) in this ‘Fact Sheet’.
We have been ‘a good and competent government’ Mr Abbott has been fond of saying recently – bah humbug say I!
I sure hope in two years time we won’t look back on a page like this and say ‘a pox on all their houses’, they all the same! Ms Roxon you ignore e-Health at your peril!
D.
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