Quote Of The Year

Timeless Quotes - Sadly The Late Paul Shetler - "Its not Your Health Record it's a Government Record Of Your Health Information"

or

H. L. Mencken - "For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong."

Thursday, April 08, 2010

Victoria Makes A Counter Offer to The Commonwealth on Health Reform. Lots of E-Health!

The following was released today.

VICTORIA’S HEALTH PLAN PUTTING PATIENTS FIRST

From the Premier

Thursday, 08 April 2010

The Premier, John Brumby, today released Victoria’s health proposal - Putting Patients First – which outlines Victoria’s plan to drive an efficient, effective and accountable health system that delivers the best possible health care to patients, now and into the future.

Mr Brumby said Putting Patients First provided practical reforms that would continue to drive important improvements in the healthcare we deliver today and in the years to come.

“Our government understands how important it is for Victorian families to access the very best health services, regardless of where they live,” Mr Brumby said.

“That’s why we have increased funding to our health services by more than 130 per cent over the past 10 years to create Australia’s best and most responsive health system.

“However, the challenges of an ageing, growing population and the rise of chronic disease demand improvements to our health system now.

“Our health system needs more support from the Commonwealth Government now, in services and resources so we can treat more patients, sooner.

“With additional support from the Commonwealth now, we can ensure our local hospitals and health services remain flexible and responsive to the needs of their local communities.”

Key features of the Putting Patients First plan include:

  • Transparent and accountable financing – including an increase in the Commonwealth effort to match the states – a real 50-50 funding partnership for our hospitals. This would deliver an extra $1.2 billion for Victorian patients next year, which could be used to treat patients faster in emergency departments and operating theatres;
  • Real accountability – making sure Victorians know exactly who is responsible for the planning and delivery of health services - the Victorian Government;
  • Taking action to keep people well and out of hospital - investing in prevention programs such as the successful WorkHealth initiative to help people stay healthy, and avoid chronic illnesses which can result in unnecessary hospitalisation;
  • Investing in primary and aged care – for patients who would receive more appropriate care in a non-hospital setting such as a GP clinic or a residential aged care service, reducing pressure on public hospitals;
  • Improvements to the building blocks of our health care system – including improvements to the workforce, buildings and equipments, and innovation.

Mr Brumby said the plan outlined an alternative funding model to the one proposed by the Commonwealth – a 50-50 partnership starting today that would significantly increase access to services and deliver better healthcare for everyone.

Lots more follows:

The full release is here:

http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/newsroom/9991.html

The full report is available here:

http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/images/stories/media/Putting_Patients_First.pdf

The E-Health component is a real 'curate's egg' (Page 29)

New technology

Victoria supports the rollout of the National E-health Strategy and action to deliver individual electronic health records

To provide world-leading health care, Australia must put the patient at the centre of its services. The 21st century offers us new technologies that can be used to coordinate, integrate and improve the quality of health care, instead of treating people’s one-off health complaints. That’s why Victoria strongly supports the introduction of e-health, and in particular individual electronic health records (IEHR).

E-health means that when a person visits a doctor, hospital or other health care provider, vital information such as test results, prescriptions, hospital discharges, vaccinations and medical treatment can be electronically recorded and compiled into an IEHR. With the patient’s consent, this information can be shared between health care providers ensuring all relevant health professionals can access an accurate and up-to-date picture of the person’s needs, improving clinical decision-making, timeliness and patient outcomes.

E-health will result in:

· Improved access to services for patients living in rural and remote locations, and additional support for providers located in these regions;

· Increased safety through reducing avoidable medical errors and deterioration of chronic conditions caused by a lack of patient information; and

· Increased patient involvement by supporting self-management and informed decision-making.

A business case for IEHRs for every Australian is ready for consideration by COAG. Victoria strongly supports COAG endorsing the business case as part of the overall health reform package, and the Commonwealth funding it from the Health and Hospitals Fund, with additional support from States. Victoria strongly supports the rollout of the National E-Health Strategy and the adoption of IEHR, and is confident that the appropriate privacy measures are in place.

The really good bit is support for the National E-Health Strategy.

The really bad bit is giving an unreformed and unaccountable NEHTA a single extra cent.

I hope the good part is actually done – as that demands major NEHTA reform and that the E-Health Strategy approach is followed. IEHR’s are a very late idea in this – to follow sorting out all sorts of other things first.

I wonder do the Victorians really understand what they are asking for here?

Also a pity we still don’t know what the Rudd / Roxon team plan in this area.

David.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

There is not any validation of these statements in the plan: "E-health will result in:

· Improved access to services for patients living in rural and remote locations, and additional support for providers located in these regions;

· Increased safety through reducing avoidable medical errors and deterioration of chronic conditions caused by a lack of patient information; and

· Increased patient involvement by supporting self-management and informed decision-making."

In the UK, the patients do no use it, the cost has been prohibitive, the system is near bankruptcy, and hospital mayhem has been wrought. Where is the safety?