Some Suggestions For NEHTA To Help Them Find Some Ideas for a Better National E-Health Architecture.

A few days ago we saw the proposed architecture for the planned Personally Controlled Electronic Record.

What I failed to notice, at the time, was that this diagram was really only a part of the overall picture as I discussed here:

http://aushealthit.blogspot.com/2010/12/it-is-now-clear-pcehr-is-nothing-but-pr.html

Also I then noted, reviewing some older files, that the big picture has been addressed pretty thoroughly elsewhere in the world.

What was amazing about these efforts was the similarity to documents produced elsewhere over the last decade and NEHTA’s apparently rather similar view of the big picture and how little apparent innovation is seen.

Examples of National E-Health Architectures that may provide a few additional ideas can be found here:

From The NHS:

http://schemas.library.nhs.uk/About.aspx

and for a more detailed version see here:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmselect/cmhealth/422/422w211.htm

(about ¾ of the way down the page)

From Canada Infoway:

http://www2.infoway-inforoute.ca/Documents/EHRS-Blueprint-v2-Exec-Overview.pdf

From about page 10 there are a series of useful diagrams.

What the diagram we have should have been given was the big picture that showed where both current and planned systems fitted. That would greatly assist any ongoing discussion.

Of course we have a US Contribution or two.

See here:

http://healthit.hhs.gov/portal/server.pt/document/910517/nhin_architecture_overview_document_v_1_0_pdf

and here:

http://www.microsoft.com/industry/healthcare/technology/Healthframework.mspx

Both these are pretty current and look interesting. I am sure NEHTA has carefully reviewed all this to come up with what we have seen. At least I hope so!

Here is the Concept document from their Blueprint of a few months back.

It would be good to know where the PCEHR fits in this effort. It was not seemingly featured just a short while ago.

One possible issue for NEHTA not having all the detail sorted might be some recruiting / retention trouble.

This add kind of suggests the Head Architect is doing it tough at present!

http://www.nehta.gov.au/careers/773-personal-assistant-architecture

Personal Assistant, Architecture

Brisbane

The purpose of this role is to provide a wide range of administration duties to support the efficient and effective day to day operations of the Head of Architecture.

Key responsibilities include:

• Managing day to day co-ordination of the Head of Architecture's office.
• Diary Management.
• Assisting in preparation of reports.
• Organising meetings/catering as required.
• Management of the calendar, agenda and papers for key NEHTA meetings.
• Arranging travel as required.
• Attending meetings as required.
• Minute taking as required.
• Drafting of correspondence and documentation as required/
• Provide administration assistance as required to the Head of Architecture's direct reports.
• Liaising with other NEHTA offices, Project teams and external companies/stakeholders as required.
• Attending to and monitoring urgent enquiries and issues, ensuring that they are brought to the Head of Architecture's attention and, where relevant, referring matters on to appropriate staff for response.
• Maintaining an effective and confidential recording and filing system.
• Processing correspondence, including preparing replies to routine and other relevant correspondence on behalf of the Head of Architecture.
• Support for the Architecture Review Board and Design Authority by providing Secretariat (mainly co-ordination) services.
• Supporting co-ordination of team meetings for Architecture.
• Other ad hoc duties as may be required.

To be successful in this role you will need the following:

• Experience working with and supporting a senior member of staff in a busy, fast paced office environment.
• Demonstrate ability in being pro-active, taking initiative, providing solutions.
• Service oriented approach.
• Experience in an office environment providing a range of administrative support functions.
• Excellent organisation and time management skills.
• The ability to work closely with others as part of a team and build solid working relationships.
• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills.
• Proven ability to prioritise tasks and, when necessary, take a flexible approach in order to incorporate changes to priorities.
• Experience in dealing with a variety of enquiries from internal and external sources.
• Excellent PC skills including MS Word, Excel, Powerpoint, e-mail applications, and spreadsheet applications.
• A demonstrated ability to make sound decisions under pressure and balance multiple priorities including the demonstration of effective time management, multi-tasking and organisational skills.
• Ability to work independently and demonstrate initiative.
• Thoroughness and attention to detail in all aspects of work.
• High level of motivation and enthusiasm to provide an exceptional level of service.
  

Status: Full time

Sounds like a pretty busy job! Certainly would free up thinking time!

There are also other add for all sorts of staff, including architects - so maybe they are just short-handed?

See here for all the vacancies:

http://www.nehta.gov.au/careers

There are over 30 categories of vacancies - seems a lot!

All in all what we have to date seems pretty incomplete and not really ready for prime time. I wonder what will happen next?

David.