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."

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

There is a Serious Throwing The Baby Out With the Bathwater Risk Here!

We have the Opposition Treasury Spokesman saying that he and Mr Abbott want to scrap the planned investment in e-Health.

See here:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/joe-hockey-takes-swing-at-e-health/story-e6frg6nf-1225868400495

Joe Hockey takes swing at e-Health scheme

  • Patricia Karvelas, Political correspondent
  • From: The Australian
  • May 19, 2010 12:00AM

JOE Hockey will today map out the Coalition's return to economic conservatism, promising to cut the Rudd government's controversial new e-Health scheme to save $467 million and announcing a review of the Trade Practices Act to help small business.

In a speech to the National Press Club, the opposition Treasury spokesman will announce that the review -- which he will describe as the most significant in decades -- will not be headed by Treasury secretary Ken Henry. That is an apparent swipe at the independence of the Treasury boss.

The "root and branch" review will be charged with easing burdens on small business and infrastructure projects through the laws defining business conduct.

And the Coalition will kill the e-Health scheme which was announced with the budget and which will cost $467m over the next two years.

Mr Hockey will argue that the initiative is fundamentally flawed.

And here:

http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/coalition-to-scrap-e-health-plans/story-e6frfku0-1225868528569

Coalition to scrap E-health plans

  • From: AAP
  • May 19, 2010 9:49AM

THE Coalition plans to reject Federal Government plans for a national electronic health database in its Budget response today.

Opposition treasury spokesman Joe Hockey later today will unveil the Coalition's detailed response to last week's Federal Budget at the National Press Club in Canberra.

It is expected to include a "root and branch" review of the Trade Practices Act to help ease the burdens on small business, and scrapping the E-health scheme, which was funded in the Budget.

The scheme would see patient records stored in one national database, available to different health professionals.

As far as we know they have no alternate approach or policy.

While it is true I am very critical of the current Government for the lack of any clarity on just what they plan to do with the money – I am even more critical of the Opposition approach of just canning the initiative with no better plan.

A pox on both their houses for now! We need e-Health investment that is properly disclosed and discussed, well considered, well targeted and well managed and led!

David.

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