E-Health Excitement in the Apple Isle

Another day, yet another HealthConnect Newsletter – this time from HealthConnect Tasmania. The news provided however is a little less than earth shattering.

From page one we learn that the Project Director is to return from a secondment and that the acting director has left. We also learn, it seems, most of the support staff have day jobs elsewhere and are part time with the project at best.

Next we learn that the Canberra Office of HealthConnect is to manage all engagement with Health System Vendors and that all the senior people had a visit to Katherine in the Northern Territory to share experiences.

Additionally we learn that a project to record ambulance patient transport and clinical information is being recorded on toughened lap-tops rather than paper. This is grandly described as Electronic Patient Care Record Project (ePCR).

From page two we learn that some new projects are to be undertaken. They cover e-mail transfer of triage and discharge medication information and, for the hundredth time, an investigation of the use of a computer to assist in management of warfarin therapy.

We also learn that HealthConnect is alive and well, despite disappearing from the Federal Budget and having totally lost its way as far as Shared Electronic Records are concerned.

I was so overwhelmed by all this I responded to a Tasmanian colleague in the following terms after I was sent the newsletter.

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Hi You Lucky Tasmanian,

I am just thrilled about the wonderful progress being reported in e-health in Tasmania update from the HealthConnect team. Pity about mislaying their acting project director.

You must be really happy to be in a place where all the action is!

It is good to see e-mail is being used effectively and that for the 20th time someone is using a computer to manage warfarin therapy.

Seems we are probably only a decade (or two) away from the HealthConnect vision of real Shared Electronic Health Records. .but you do have to master the technology first I guess (using a PC, sending e-mail etc) before you can move on.

I look forward to the next instalment with ever growing anticipation and excitement.

Cheers

David.

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Frankly this newsletter is, just like the other recent HealthConnect newsletters from Canberra and South Australia, a hoax on the Australian people. Truth telling about the terminal fate of the original HealthConnect vision seems to be impossible for the creators of these deliberately deceptive documents. I have no idea why they can’t just tell the plain truth that every observer of the e-Health agenda knows to be true, and move on.

David