This dropped into view today.
Friday, January 22, 2010
'es mad about e health.
I got emailed an article in Computerworld this week, which seem
This article seems to be based on the rants of one individual who is blogging his way into retirement. The fact that one of the main objectives of this person's blog is to "provide commentary on what seems to have become the lamentable state of e-Health in Australia" and "to foster improvement" is hilarious. Obviously there will be a negative perspective of a topic irrespective of any merits of benefits there might be.
The blogger seems to be aiming target at NeHTA, as he has failed to recognise the challenges of being handed a poisoned chalice. Having been involved a little at NeHTA, it was easy to see that while every effort is being made to define pragmatic Australian standards for e-health information systems, numerous other parties will directly influence the likelihood of success. One instance that springs to mind was NeHTA had developed a simple directory service to identify nodes on the network. It was put forward as an Australian standard, but one vendor who had a hugely complex and excessively featured commercial non-standard product, vetoed the standard, forcing the market place to use it.
Lots more here:
http://rowlyemmett.blogspot.com/2010/01/es-mad-about-e-health.html
What to make of this?
Does he mention all the educational stuff I post?
Does he mention all the positive suggestions I make for improved leadership and governance etc.
Does he actually understand that lack of key stakeholder involvement is a death blow?
What ‘poisoned chalice’ cannot be sorted out after an organisation has been operational for 5+ years with competent management?
Has he actually read an understood more than the most recent 20 posts and the heading?
Anyone have a clue what this actually means?
“Dr More also seems unaware that as well as defining technical implementations, operational standards are also being defined to ensure the technical implementations are not compromised by poor work practices. Certainly, some areas in NeHTA (although I can't speak for all) recognise that no matter how well the system is designed, if the configuration, operational practices, support processes and policies are weak, the technical systems will be vulnerable.”
I sure don’t. Sounds to me like a consultant trying to sell something..but what would I know? (A very great deal as it happens is the answer).
When his has a blog with 50 sensible e-health posts I am sure we will all take him more seriously!
A worthy rant. I suggest readers make up their own mind if the “Procrastinator” has a clue. He has been on Blogger since 2002 and has never posted on e-Health and has only averaged 7 or 8 posts a year. Clearly travel to Fiji, testing stuff and not e-Health is the passion here!
And to the much broader point. Does this blogger think we are (in OZ) doing OK in e-Health and what is he doing to improve it – given he says I am doing nothing?
We all await a decent and coherent response!
David.
Note: The first paragraph of the post is messed up..not sure why.
D.
9 comments:
Don't worry David - according to Google, that guy Rowly Emmett is just a de-bugger! We keep our software testers in the back room, and don't let the out. See http://www.kjross.com.au/page/About_Us/Consultant_Biographies/Gold_Coast/Rowly_Emmett/. But one wonders what he is on about - not even his field. Perhaps he has nothing better to do than try to find something to big-note himself about on the net. He caims to be a surfer (but I don't think he can stand up yet!). What a silly de-bugger he is!
Let's face it 'e's mad'. He wants to be noticed. He probably feels inadequate. He would make good shark bait.
"What poisoned chalice cannot be sorted out after an organisation has been operational for 5+ years with competent management"
Hmm, Cityrail, Sydney Ferries, NSW Health, RTA, the list goes on...they have all been around for ages and have struggled to deliver anything they promise. NeHTA has its faults from what I have seen, but spare a thought about where the direction is coming from and whom they need to work with to deliver the service. If that isnt a poisoned chalice , I dont know what is.
Yes, but you don't need to press on obstinately in the wrong direction when it is repeatedly pointed out to you!
The organisations you mention do however set a benchmark for incompetent management - and that was my point - decent management learns and adapts and quite quickly!
David.
So this uniformed, bignoting idiot Rowly Emmett works for K J Ross.
K J Ross lists NEHTA as one of their clients on their website http://www.kjross.com.au/page/About_Us/Our_Client_List/
NEHTA infuriates me with their incompetence, but what infuriates me even more is self-serving consultancies pandering to them.
David, your contributions to eHealth in Australia are phenomenal - don't worry about a self-serving, ignorant dweeb.
To quote from my comments:
"Sounds to me like a consultant trying to sell something..but what would I know?"
Worse than that this nitwit does not disclose the link. Case closed and thanks for the research.
We have a nitwit loose!
David.
David, I have found your blog of enormous value over the years. It contains a valuable commentary on the limited and patchy progress in eHealth achieved to date in Australia. Please keep it up.
Unfortunately, this does leave you open to commentary by others with their own agenda.
For what it's worth - I think Oscar Wilde said it best. “The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.”
I'm glad there is some discussion around this. It is bizarre how personal some people have made it, but my point still stands. NeHTA certainly has some issues in the sense that as a quasi government organisation; they have a tendency to get lost up their own bureaucracy, but there are many there who are trying to move the organisation away from a purely academic and largely unproductive entity into something more.
My point is that merely bagging it without offering useful suggestions continues to stunt the progress of eHealth in Australia. I believe you Dr More have operated as a consultant at NeHTA and without delving into the reasons why, we know that sometimes our opinion is valued by the client, and sometimes, without any particular reason it is rejected.
Having had some of my ideas and processes around quality and risk assessment (oh sorry, I forgot, Im just a de-bugger ;) both introduced and dropped whilst at NeHTA, it would be easy for me to question the decision making ability of the customer, but I have to remember that is their prerogative, and it isn't my place to criticise them for it.
The biggest challenge I see is the different agendas each organisation brings to the table. With health jurisdictions, Medicare, Vendors and vendor bodies, and NeHTA, I question if the majority are putting patient safety and security at the forefront of their mind. Too many people in the eHealth space place self interest and image in front of what could truly benefit patients and health providers.
I admit, I'm overly idealist, naive, and uninformed, but I'm rather passionate about not wasting time money, even if I'm making the most of it, from the opportunity to improve health care in this country.
I honestly think the Australian health care system is well placed to succeed with implementing eHealth systems. The thing that will kill progress is the politics.
By the way, I highly recommend Fiji, the Cook Islands and India as travel destinations. Photos to follow.
Finally, I'm not looking to talk myself up, or sell the services of the company I work for; that would be evident from my blog being across a variety of topics. As I read a number of articles around health I was amazed at the negative slant on where eHealth is in Australia. Such a public angle begs for debate, and I thank you for the opportunity.
Good luck. Rowly
As I said at the time Rowly, read the blog. There are lots of suggestions and ideas about how e-Health should be done.
"Having had some of my ideas and processes around quality and risk assessment both introduced and dropped whilst at NeHTA, it would be easy for me to question the decision making ability of the customer, but I have to remember that is their prerogative, and it isn't my place to criticise them for it."
By the way when you have real expertise in an area there is good reason to try and stop dysfunctional organisations from doing harm to all of us!
David.
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