DoHA Messes Around Seeking Advice on E-Prescribing and Looses its Way!

DoHA sought some advice on an approach to e-prescribing – thought for over six months - and then just canned the whole thing! They had asked for, and received responses, in May, 2009

The following was just sent to those who tendered for the work:

Request for Tender 27210809 for the Development of an ePrescribing and Dispensing of Medicines Benefits Realisation and Implementation Plan

Thank you for responding to the Open Tender call for submissions for an eprescribing andDispensing of Medicines Benefits Realisation and Implementation Plan.

As you may be aware, the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission (NHHRC) released its Final Report 'A Healthier Future for All Australians' in June 2009. The recommendations of this report have materially affected the Department's anticipated workplan in the eprescribing and Dispensing arena.

In light of these developments, and considering the Government's health reform agenda, the Department has taken the decision to terminate the eprescribing and Dispensing of Medicines Benefits Realisation and Implementation Plan tender.

The governance arrangements for electronic medication management, including eprescribing and Dispensing, will now be addressed within the scope of the broader eHealth agenda.

I appreciate the time and effort that you put into your tender submission and sincerely apologise for any inconvenience the closure of this process may cause. Any future tender opportunities in this area will be posted to the Austender website at www.tendcrs.gov.au.

Should you wish to discuss this matter further, please feel free to contact MS Janine Bevan, Director, Clinical Communications Section, eHealth Branch.

Signed

Mr David Dennis

First Assistant Secretary (Acting)

Primary and Ambulatory Care Division

January, 2010

----- End Quote.

These guys are just hopeless. They ask people to do a great deal of work preparing a response for the typically complex tender – wait ages and then say to people sorry you did all this for nothing. Failing to mention, of course, it was their problem, not those who were bidding, for not knowing what to do and what they wanted.

Essentially DoHA has been blindsided by eRx and Medisecure and we have NEHTA / Standards Australia busily developing national Standards for something that has the feel of having slipped beyond their grasp. I happen to think this is a very bad outcome for Australian e-Health.

Just pathetic.

David.