Now it is December it seems like a good time to assess how NEHTA is going against its June 2009 promises in the ‘Year of Delivery’. Here is what was expected:
Senate Community Affairs Committee
ANSWERS TO ESTIMATES QUESTIONS ON NOTICE
HEALTH AND AGEING PORTFOLIO
Budget Estimates 2009-2010, 4 June 2009
Topic: e-HEALTH – NEHTA WORK DUE BY END OF 2009
Hansard Page: CA 70
Senator Boyce asked:
Provide an indication of what work NEHTA is due to complete and to implement this (calendar) year.
Answer:
The work that National E-health Transition Authority (NEHTA) is expected to complete and implement for the remainder of this calendar year includes:
NEHTA outcomes expected to be completed and implemented between 4 June 2009 and 31 December 2009
Month: June
Initiative
Clinical terminology
Explanation: (Standardising key Clinical information)
Outcome
Australian Medicines Terminology (AMT) will contain 99% of Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) registrable products including all medicines, dressings, nutritional supplements and diagnostic agents listed under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
Month: July
Initiative
Discharge summaries
Explanation: (Electronic exchange of patient reports between hospitals and the primary care sector)
Outcome
A nationally endorsed electronic discharge summary will be released.
Month: July
Initiative
Conformance, compliance and accreditation
Explanation: (Ensuring that software complies with Australian Standards and NEHTA specifications)
Outcome
A document describing how a national certification authority for eHealth related software will function will be completed during July.
Month: November
Initiative
Clinical terminology
Explanation: (Standardising key Clinical information)
Outcome
First consolidated version of SNOMED CT for Australia will be completed during November. It will incorporate an Australian Language Reference Set, allowing development of Australian preferred terms.
Month: December
Initiative
Secure messaging
Explanation: (World standard secure transfer of health information)
Outcome
A lead implementation project with the Northern Territory Department of Health and Families will use NEHTA secure messaging specifications to develop a Web Services Messaging Application platform for the transfer of clinical information from participating healthcare providers. This will use selected medical software to eHealthNT’s existing Shared Electronic Health Record (SEHR) repository.
Month: December
Initiative
Unique healthcare identification (UHI)
Explanation: (Unique identification of any healthcare provider, organisation or consumer)
Outcome
The individual healthcare identifier (IHI) and healthcare provider identifiers for individuals and organisations will be designed, developed and delivered as per the contract arrangement with Medicare Australia. (noting that legislation is expected in mid 2010 to allow IHIs to be issued)
Month: December
Initiative
Supply chain
Explanation: (Unique identification of healthcare products such as medicines and medical devices through a national product catalogue)
Outcome
Fifty leading health product vendors will have their products on NEHTA’s National Product Catalogue.
Month: December
Initiative
Referrals
Explanation: (Exchange of relevant patient healthcare information between healthcare providers)
Outcome
First release of a nationally endorsed electronic GP referral.
Month: December
Initiative
Electronic transfer of prescriptions
Explanation: (Electronic Medication Management)
Outcome
Release of specifications to support the trial exchange of electronic prescriptions between GPs and community pharmacies.
Month: December
Initiative
E-health engagement and communications
Explanation: (Stakeholder Engagement)
Outcome
Launch of the first national e-health web portal.
Month: December
Clinical terminology
Explanation: (Standardising key Clinical information)
Outcome
Release of a live technical demonstration to show the healthcare community the benefits of SNOMED CT and Australian Medicines Terminology (AMT).
---- End Answer.
Unless I have missed a lot of announcements it seems that December will indeed be very busy.
I leave it as an exercise for the reader to assess just how much of this has actually happened. For one the compliance and conformance documentation due in July, seems to be missing in action – but of course I could have missed it. I am sure someone will let me know if that is the case.
I wonder what the national e-Health web portal will do?
David.
6 comments:
Well at least we know what they committed to deliver. And this, a commitment to the Senate Estimates Committee.
So, my question is WHAT EXACTLY ON THE LIST HAS BEEN DELIVERED?
Could you please correct the grammar/typos in the third stated objective at the top of your page?! Thanks!
Done - I think!
David.
Senator Boyce is to be applauded. Thank you for getting this out on to the public agenda.
Now that the commitment has been locked down by NEHTA the next lot of questions that should be asked for each of the above Initiatives/Commitments is:
What is the status quo of each as at December 2009?
What has been delivered under each 'initiative?
What remains to be done under each initiative?
When will the 'what remains to be done' be delivered for each initiative?
This information should be made available forthwith.
As a reader, I am not familiar with all the areas NEHTA is working in. Being involved in some of these areas I know NEHTA has delivered. For instance, Health Identifiers have been delivered, AMT has been delivered, Prescriptions draft has been delivered. They may not have done everything, but they have delivered some of the items.
I suggest that you leaving it for the reader is misdirection. If you are going to continue in your pursuit of NEHTA you need to acknowledge when they do deliver.
Even though many items require more work, NEHTA is delivering.
Thanks for that I am sure we are all re-assured. I have yet, however, to see a NEHTA specified identifier in use or a NEHTA specified prescription transmitted however. Seems my view of what delivery means is different from yours!
Delivering a series of .pdf files does not actually heal the sick or improve the lives of anyone - which is what - at the end of the day - NEHTA is meant to be facilitating or hadn't you noticed?
David.
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