There is an amazing editorial in the just released Medical journal of Australia. It is a MUST read for all those interested in Australian e-Health.
Read it here:
http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/193_02_190710/van10637_fm.html
The key to what it is being said is here:
“Since its inception in July 2005, NEHTA has been spending just under $164 000 a day.7 It is yet to deliver any e-health outcomes beyond a 2009–2012 strategic plan and the development of a national health care identifier system that was recently ratified by the Australian Government.10
In May this year, the federal government allocated NEHTA a further $466.7 million over 2 years, ostensibly to fund development of core national standards and tools that can provide all Australians with access to a personally controlled electronic heath record from 2012–13. The federal government will thus spend $639 315 each day on the implementation of personally controlled electronic health records.7 Despite this, vigorous debate is ongoing as to who will actually control the records! Confusion reigns.
It must be remembered that the realisation of e-health infrastructure in Australia is underpinned by taxpayers. Whether it will ever produce a functional electronic communication and record system, which actually improves health care delivery, is the million-dollar question.”
----- End extract and read the rest at the site above.
What a massive and stupid mess up this is, as this blog has been reporting for as long as it has existed.
This is truly ‘game on’ for the arrogance of NEHTA and my sense is, whatever happens at the election, we will see great changes follow!
This is a game changer that both parties cannot ignore! NEHTA has just moments to show it is either useful, or that it needs to be put out of its misery. Clearly the latter, with relevant safeguards to protect the limited value we have had for all this money, is the right course.
David.
Hold your horses.
ReplyDeleteThe MJA purports to be an independent clinical journal - it isn't designed to be a mouthpiece for the AMA, that's the federal AMA's other title - "Australian Medicines" role....so it's a big leap to say that just because a clinical journal editor with ?no e-health experience? has summarised a few bits and pieces into a 600 word introductory editorial, the AMA has clearly lost faith in NEHTA.
The premise that NEHTA has been allocated $466million is false, which undermines the whole trust of the piece.
I'm losing faith in your spelling.
ReplyDeleteFixed, Sorry D!
ReplyDeleteNEHTA is a joke, a clear and obvious rip-off and to anyone who has ever worked on similar (always Gov) efforts can see this a mile away; Keep the highly paid consultants in the cash for as long as possible by writing long, complex and impractical specifications.
ReplyDeleteWith the time and funds they have had a commercial organisation could have implemented one of the worlds most advances eHealth system in Australia by now.
NEHTA's approach of (a) Design by Committee, (b) not getting key industry leaders involved (c) not listening to the general public (d) trying to dictate new (over-engineered) standards rather than consolidate existing ones (e) being setup as a private enterprise rather than a Gov body to avoid open investigation .. need I go on?
NEHTA needs to be buried (they are dead now anyway) and every person involved watched to make sure they do not spin off commercial efforts/projects with the funds they sucked from the Australian taxpayers for their own personal gain.
But lets make a prediction - when disbanded I expect several of the most senior NEHTA staff to start new companies to help solve Australias eHealth woes that they were seemingly unable to do almost anything for with almost unlimited resources all these years.
NEHTA (well the Gov that created them) have almost single-handedly made Australia's e-Health efforts to be somewhat of a joke to countries that have implemented successful systems ie. Sweden, Denmark, Finland, France, Switzerland, even Portugal - http://www.ehealtheurope.net/features/portugal/
What will it take to GET RID OF NEHTA?