The following was released by ArgusConnect today – March, 31, 2010
Over 11,000 users and a new Division of General Practice
In March ArgusConnect passed the milestone of more than 11,000 healthcare practitioners using Argus for secure exchange of clinical information.
We were also happy to welcome the Central West Gippsland Division of General Practice (CWGDGP) as the 63rd Division of General Practice to join the Argus Affinity program to promote secure messaging connectivity between health providers.
73% of Argus users are GPs and the rest made up of Specialists, Allied Health practitioners and a range of other healthcare organisations.
Even though the first flush of the eHealth PIP-driven installations has now passed, registrations of practices requesting Argus installation has continued unabated. In 2010, we are still experiencing new site requests at the consistent rate of just under three practices per day with almost equal proportion of these being GPs, Specialists and Allied Health practices.
The high ratio of Specialist and Allied Health practitioners is very gratifying as it confirms our experience that the use of secure messaging is maturing whereby each sector of healthcare is realising increasing benefits and efficiencies from messaging. There is also maturing of user recognition that all users need to contribute towards the expenses incurred in development, installation and support of the messaging solutions that deliver those benefits and efficiencies.
The hard yards in getting GPs, Specialists and Allied Health practitioners to adopt secure messaging and use it for the first time is being put in by companies such as ArgusConnect, Medical Objects, AllTalk and others. In our case we have greatly valued the assistance and contribution made by many dedicated staff in Argus Affinity GP Divisions/Networks across Australia who have not only encouraged take-up by their GPs but also promoted secure clinical communications with Specialists, Allied Health practitioners and hospitals in their areas.
This has been achieved in spite of the fact that across Australia only a very tiny proportion of total Government eHealth expenditure has found its way, largely indirectly, to the messaging vendor industry or to Divisions of General Practice to facilitate implementation of this basic eHealth foundation.
We believe that this all debunks the myth within some parts of eHealth governance that the 'secure messaging industry' is the stumbling block to progress in eHealth. Credit should be given where credit is due and NeHTA, the State Health Departments and the Federal Department of Health and Aging should better recognise and support the contribution made by the messaging vendor industry, the early adopter healthcare practitioners and the sponsor Divisions to pave the way such that those who propose eHealth reform can work in a compliant and more mature environment.
Media contact: Mr Ross Davey, CEO ArgusConnect
ph: 03 6335 2220
Obvious questions flow to mind, especially in the light of the apparent plan from NEHTA, recently made public on this blog, to aim to deliberately displace Argus everywhere.
See here:
Questions include:
"Who is really the bogie man? The messaging industry that has done so much or NEHTA that has delivered so little – at least so far?"
"Why are the State Health Departments trying to harm the present messaging industry with NEHTA and Standards as the 'cover'?"
I know, from discussions with most of the major secure messaging providers, that the alarm expressed by Argus in the way they are being treated is by no means a unique view. It is pretty much a totally shared view.
Everyone in the e-Health sector should be alarmed by this sort of oppressive behaviour from a government funded entity like NEHTA.
David.
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