This appeared a few days ago.
NEHTA eHealth Scorecard
Created on Thursday, 05 September 2013
This scorecard shows progress in adoption of national eHealth programs across sectors. Uptake is shown for the PCEHR system, secure messaging, electronic prescriptions and dispense ratios, healthcare identifiers and the national authentication service for health. This scorecard does not present a complete picture of uptake of eHealth, as it is limited by the data available to NEHTA.
This scorecard shows progress in adoption of national eHealth programs across sectors. Uptake is shown for the PCEHR system, secure messaging, electronic prescriptions and dispense ratios, healthcare identifiers and the national authentication service for health. This scorecard does not present a complete picture of uptake of eHealth, as it is limited by the data available to NEHTA.
Most notably, the widespread implementation of electronic medical records in hospitals is not shown, nor is the volume of messages sent between hospitals and general practice, which have been some of the most substantial eHealth programs within States and Territories.
The release is found here:
Before discussing a few points that are made in the report I have to say there is one astonishing sentence found in the release. This is:
“This scorecard does not present a complete picture of uptake of eHealth, as it is limited by the data available to NEHTA.”
What on earth is this telling us. As I read it, it is saying we don’t actually know what is actually going on in the e-Health space. Surely if anyone is meant to know and to be reporting what is going on it should be NEHTA. Just what are they being paid for if it is not this as at least part of their role. This all goes back to the increasingly clear fact that NEHTA really is not being governed and led appropriately to meet Australia’s e-Health future.
As far as the contents we have the following.
Page 2.
“Meaningful use data is not yet available to NEHTA in relation to the PCEHR System, though a change request has been progressed through DOHA to expand the data available to NEHTA to allow this reporting to occur. It is expected that the next scorecard will contain more detailed information on use of the PCEHR System. In the meantime, we can report that 4,585 shared health summaries have been uploaded to the PCEHR System as at 31st July, an increase of 230% since 23rd May 2013. More detail about documents uploaded to the PCEHR System by providers can be found in figure 5 on page 5. In addition, figure 8 on page 5 illustrates that ePrescription volumes continue to rise significantly.
There has been no change in the rating of benefit realised. Data that would permit evaluation of the extent to which benefits have been realised is not currently available to NEHTA, though qualitative case studies are indicative of early improvements associated with use of the PCHER System and other eHealth solutions. “
So we have no real idea how much the PCEHR system is actually being used and if DoHA knows - as System Operator - it does not know!
By the way has anyone ever seen a definition of what NEHTA and DoHA think is ‘Meaningful Use’. This is well defined in the US - where the term came from - but in Australia I have seen nothing. Let us all know if you have.
Page 3 seems to be saying that Community Pharmacy has a long way to go at present.
Page 5 shows us that provider usage is still less than 5% of the possible providers.
Page 6 shows us how the paid push has ramped up the numbers of people who have registered for a PCEHR.
Page 7. On the consumer view.
“Meaningful use by consumers appears to remain at a low level, and detailed data is not yet available to NEHTA. The number of consumer portal accesses lags the total number of registrations, indicating that not all consumers are interacting with the PCEHR System after they have registered. By comparison, the frequency of accessing via the mobile gateway, which has been accessed 81,733 times since 12 May 2013, is very high relative to the number of CeHR apps that have been downloaded. This would seem to indicate that the mobile channel is capable of driving relatively high engagement. Lastly, 30,700 documents have been uploaded by consumers; see figure 14 on page 9 for more detail. “
Overall it is just a shocking report as it reveals two amazing things.
1. NEHTA and DoHA are simply not working together closely - why else would we have the comments above about not having information.
2. No one has worked out just what Health Outcomes (which is surely the purpose of the PCEHR) are to be measured.
This is just a mess!
David.
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