I had always thought I had found a topic so obscure that there would be very little interest in adding to the space.
Seems I was wrong!
We now have Mr Charles Wright blogging away on matters e-Health as well.
See here for all the latest.
http://www.ehealthcentral.com.au/
Incidentally I also noticed there is more related blogging activity happening here:
http://www.thehealthhub.org.au/pg/mod/blog/everyone.php
It is a bit slow at present, but you never know when it might decide to kick along. Maybe a few more HISA people can contribute to kick it along.
I also hear the there are others thinking of joining the space – no names, no packdrill!
Welcome all!
David.
22 comments:
It's quite clear from the contents of your blog that you care little for the discipline and ethics of the profession of journalism, and such concepts as "truth", "fairness" and "respect for the rights of others", but I'm astonished that you should, with such insouciance, seek to sweep away the reputation that I have worked diligently to preserve over almost half a century of practice at the profession's highest level.
Your assertion that "the NEHTA-sponsored Charles Wright" is "saying all sorts of nice things about NEHTA, Mr Fleming and Ms Halton", is firstly a complete fabrication. I have done no such thing, as you must be aware.
Furthermore, your gratuitous comments that "he certainly knows where his ‘bread is buttered’" and that I am "definitely a 'glass half full' sort of guy with respect to expectations of how things are going at present" carries an unambiguous imputation that I am dishonest and lacking in professional integrity, and that the contents of my articles can be influenced by the exchange of currency.
As a member of the Australian Journalists Association, I am bound by a code of ethics that, among other things, commits me to the following:
"Do not allow advertising or other commercial considerations to undermine accuracy, fairness or independence."
Your comments amount to a public assertion that I have breached that professional code. They cannot but bring me into disrepute among members of my profession and the public.
In my opinion your post is a wilful perversion of fact that constitutes flagrant defamation.
The fact that the traditions of journalistic conduct that I try to uphold preclude me from routinely parading my opinion as fact; neglecting to seek comment or confirmation; consistently dismissing those who hold different opinions as incompetent or worse; and apparently revelling in what often seems to me irresponsible mischief-making might offend you, but in my view the contents of my blog constitute proof of my integrity, and not, as you have declared, the opposite.
It makes eHealthCentral a far more objective and reliable source than your own.
Your blog's so-called disclaimer that "all the commentary are personal views based on the best evidence available to me" does not, in my opinion, excuse you from making the effort actually to gather evidence, or to verify the validity of what you write, before you publish it. Nor does it protect you from the consequences of publishing material that unfairly damages the reputation of another.
I wrote in the "About" section of eHealthCentral, "I’m ... inspired by the admittedly tentative steps that legislators and dedicated professionals are taking to transform the Australian health industry through the application of information technology and telecommunications.
"I hope eHealth Central can help support their work, by informing practitioners and the public and by stimulating free and open debate on issues that I confess, at this point, are often bewilderingly complex.
"The other thing that excites me as a journalist watching the decline of traditional media is that sites like this can support the ethics and discipline of journalistic practice in a new medium. Although this site does accept sponsorship and advertising from select bodies, it does so on the strict understanding that those contributions in no way influence the reporting of issues or editorial opinion."
NEHTA fully understood and accepted and indeed completely supported that position before it became a sponsor.
Thanks Charles for your comments.
I will be happy to leave the readers of my blog to judge the quality of what I do.
You will be aware I accept no sponsorship and never have and while I am sure you are behaving ethically, morally and within the Code I think you will be aware that in most people's eyes receipt of sponsorship can affect what is said and written.
You will note I provided links to your blog to encourage people to read and decide for themselves.
As far as evidence I did have a close read of your blog and I formed the view you were, pretty enthusiastic about the Government initiatives, which is what I reported.
I certainly did not mean to imply in anyway any lack of professionalism or honesty on your part.
You will also note I have published you Comment in full to provide you with the maximum opportunity to rebut my comments.
David.
To avoid offense I have removed the sections Mr Wright was unhappy about from the blog. We don't want any 'blogger wars' to break out.
David.
I'm not sure Charles Wright knows what blogging is about. You don't need a journalism degree - anyone can do it.
True...blogging is not journalism. Good advertisement for eHealth Central though.
So it looks like Charles Wright has started a blog on e-health and NEHTA has chosen to sponser it.
From Charles Wright blog: NEHTA fully understood and accepted and indeed completely supported that position before it became a sponsor.
From NEHTA document:
E-health Blog
NEHTA is sponsoring an e-health blog that is being established and
managed by blogger Charles Wright. The purpose of the blog is to give
consumers with an interest in technology factual information about ehealth
and the HI Service and to combat other sources of
misinformation
Look at the tenses and remember this was part of a communications / spin plan we leaked a while ago.
Maybe it was the other way around?
See here:
http://aushealthit.blogspot.com/2010/02/another-chance-to-read-nehta-health.html
David.
Touchy, eh? Is that why there are no comments on Charles' blog? Let's not upset the sponsors? Actually, doesnt look as though you can post a comment anonymously - you have to provide a name and email address (so they will know where to come and get you)
Look, the problem is NEHTA has had numerous opportunities to engage with people like David More. They could have had written and spoken dialogue. They could have tried to understand what the real problems were that David More and most of the health informatics industry were concerned about. They didn't. Instead they continued to blunder along in the misguided belief they knew it all and no-one was wiser than they. They stupidly and arrogantly allowed the situation to continue and fester for a very very long time. They ignored well versed organizations like Deloitte and many expert independent people.
It went on so long it became embarrassing and they knew not how to recover from the situation they created. In the end they came to believe the only way to 'fix' the problem was to enter into the blogging game with their own special spin merchant. How terribly, terribly wrong they were. As time progresses they will find they have created a situation which is even worse than what has gone before. It is still not too late to redress the situation. If they want to do so they should send an email to Dr More inviting some of the specialists referred to above to join in a round table 'chat' with the CEO and Board of NEHTA. It's a good first step.
Hi Charles/David
This is a bit of a storm in a teacup - I'm sure this could be resolved relatively amicably - all Charles needs to provide is the details of his extensive experience in:
Implementing eHealth solutions in a State Health Services environment
or
Implementing primary care eHealth solutions at the GP and allied health services level.
This would give the blog an enormously increased readership, I'm sure.
I look forward to reading his blog with interest
I am just an ordinary reader and read both blogs, both are useful, but I prefer David's blog. I feel at home here amongst the geeks and propeller heads. Freedom of speech, a bit of a laugh and some serious issues and discussion. Yes David can be a bit cheeky now and then, but we all understand him by now - he is experienced, wise and asks some of the difficult questions that we all want to ask. He doesn't mind if we get stuck into him and tell him he is wrong - he admits it when he gets it wrong and is open to constructive criticism or a bit of stirring without chucking a tantrum. He is a beacon of information, pointing to nehta too when there is something worth while to see there. Sorry Mr Wright, but David is my Mr Right!
Jim,
Or David M could do the same highlighting the ehealth projects he has delivered and the success he has had. Not all readers would know that either and the submission put forward by David did not list that either.
We may value the issues David puts forwards, some are on the mark, and others are off and can be seen as not being entirely objective so I don't see how its fair to provide criticism of someone else when you you arent as open either. Telling someone you have experience is not the same as demonstrating a proven deliverable.
Jim, perhaps David could provide details of his extensive experience also?
The contents of blog is the evidence of my experience in Health IT. I am happy to be judged on the number of things I have got right and wrong over the last 4 years!
David.
Charles Wright is known as atechnology journalist, but a quick Google search shows he is an absolute latecomer to the field of e-health - as late as this year when he hit on the wonderful idea of starting an e-health blog and NEHTA kindly offered to sponsor his efforts.
Charles appears to have written no actual stories on e-health - implementations or otherwise - at all. Perhaps he could put up some links on his site
Mmm - well maybe Charles will become the head of NEHTA one day. Peter Flemming's predecessor was a Financial Review journalist! Mmm.
I wish the guy luck! If he can find something positive to write about among the godawful mess NEHTA and DOHA have created we should all be grateful!
"Your blog's so-called disclaimer that "all the commentary are personal views based on the best evidence available to me" does not, in my opinion, excuse you from making the effort actually to gather evidence, or to verify the validity of what you write, before you publish it."
And the source of Mr Wright's independent journalism is - other people's work.
Two of the top stories are directly from healthtechwire (he does link to originals):
http://www.healthtechwire.com/The-Industry-s-News-unb.146+M5d749ce898b.0.html
http://www.healthtechwire.com/The-Industry-s-News-unb.146+M54d96a3adc5.0.html
And he refers to a story in the Fin Review and then adds to it by rehashing another published interview:
http://www.ehealthcentral.com.au/2010/03/dramatic-advice-from-us-ehealth-expert/
http://www.webmm.ahrq.gov/perspective.aspx?perspectiveID=59
Many thanks all for the research!
David.
What about http://www.ehealthcentral.com.au/2010/03/software-pioneer-welcomes-ehealth-moves/
Have you read that anywhere else?
And http://www.ehealthcentral.com.au/2010/02/take-a-tablet-or-possibly-an-iphone/
It's early days yet, and while it's great sport to kick something to death while it's still struggling to get off the ground, it might be interesting to see how it develops.
No Employees Have Technical Ability (NEHTA)
Did it really take you eight months to think of that? Good grief...
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