Queensland Health Loses its CIO.

It seems there has been a major policy shift at Queensland Health. It now seems it is mandatory to have a clinician as the CIO to assist with the implementation of clinical systems.

Qld Health takes a turn for worse

Abstracted from The Australian Financial Review

Richard Ashby is the new acting CIO at the IT and telco division of Queensland Health. The appointment follows the sudden departure of Paul Summergreene, who had only stepped into the CIO role less than 12 months earlier. Under a restructuring, it is apparently a requirement for the office holder to also have a clinical background.

More here:

http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/Qld-communications-take-turn-for-worse-GRTSE?OpenDocument

The full details are here:

http://www.misaustralia.com/viewer.aspx?EDP://20080722000030050602&magsection=news-headlines-list&portal=_misnews&section=news&title=Qld+Health+take+turn+for+worse&source=/_xmlfeeds/mis/news/feed.xml

and here:

http://www.misaustralia.com/viewer.aspx?EDP://1216606621587&magsection=news-headlines-list&portal=_misnews&section=news&title=Qld+health+sacks+CIO&source=/_xmlfeeds/mis/news/feed.xml

This is not a bad idea, just as long as the individual appointed has both a strong clinical background, a strong understanding of how technology can be used to improve the health system, and the managerial skills to have the health sector come with him on the necessary journey of implementation and change. I hope Dr Ashby has all three!

Being a CIO for a State Health System is a real challenge! Sadly the incumbents often do not last long enough to get the job done.

David.

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