Sometimes It Really Is Impossible To Grasp Just How Silly These People Are!

Late last year we had this from NEHTA. I was reminded of it by an e-mail pointing out just how ‘not of the actual world’ the document is.

eHealth Clinicians User Guide

This eHealth Clinicians User Guide includes material that is relevant to both general practices and private specialist practices, however other healthcare professionals, e.g. allied health and in aged and community care, may also find this guide useful.

The eHealth Clinicians User Guide supports medical practices in navigating the complexities of eHealth (including the national eHealth record system) from planning, preparation, registration and implementation through to meaningful use. It covers key eHealth topics of interest to medical practices (including quality improvement) and focuses on the foundation products (e.g. Healthcare Identifiers, NASH, Secure Message Delivery), the national eHealth record system and other functionality currently available and being released by software vendors. Importantly it includes practical step-by-step implementation advice.

Through use of this guide you should reasonably expect to understand the benefits to your practice associated with adopting eHealth as well as some of the Organisational and Governance changes required. It also outlines some of the prerequisites for implementation and use of the eHealth features. It includes practical quick reference checklists for practice staff and links to additional education and support resources.

The eHealth Clinicians User Guide is also available in a web version at: http://www.nehta.gov.au/for-providers/about-ehealth-guidance

Download: eHealth Clincians User Guide PDF (2.84 MB)

This is actually version 2.0 of a document that was released about a year ago. See here:

http://aushealthit.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/nehta-doha-run-off-on-just-amazing.html

At the time I said in part:

“I strongly suggest you download and browse this document. Having done that just reflect what all those in two and three man practices with 2 secretaries and a bookkeeper are going to make of what they are reading.

I hear the sighs of horror and resignation. They have neither the skills or the resources to manage all this are provided with a long set of links to add to their reading list to try and work out what is needed.

Nowhere are the services provided to help in any form I can see.

I think many will just throw in the towel and move on seeing a few more patients to make up for the money they lose.

It seems the Australian Medicare Locals Network (AMLN) but sadly Google does not seem to find a website for this lot.

(This seems to be the closest now:

http://www.medicarelocals.gov.au/internet/medicarelocals/publishing.nsf or maybe this

http://amlalliance.com.au/)

My guess is that this fiasco will be the end of any GP co-operation with the NEHRS / PCEHR.

DoHA has always wanted to reduce the cost of PIP and this will certainly do it!”

The real gem in the new document is the 54 step roadmap found in the document from page 16 and for the next few.

The rest of the 157 page document is just non-clinical jargon laid on non-clinical jargon.

That pages 125 to 134 are a Glossary shows just how clinician friendly this is!

There a links galore that one presumes are meant to be followed and so it just goes on.

The author is - not unexpectedly - a consultant hired by NEHTA.

Here is a note announcing the release:

“Dear Colleagues,

eHealth Clinicians User Guide Release 2

We are pleased to advise that release 2 of the eHealth Clinicians User Guide is now available. You can also download a copy from the NEHTA website:

http://www.nehta.gov.au/media-centre/nehta-publications/guides

Following extensive stakeholder consultation and feedback this updated version of the user guide has been developed to support both General Practices and Private Specialist Practices, however it is applicable to all healthcare providers. The guide supports medical practices in navigating the complexities of eHealth (including the national eHealth record system) from planning, preparation, registration and implementation through to meaningful use. It covers key eHealth topics of interest to medical practices (e.g. clinical governance, quality improvement, etc.) and focuses on the foundation products (e.g. Healthcare Identifiers, NASH, Secure Messaging), the national eHealth record system and other functionality currently available and being released by software vendors. Importantly it includes practical step-by-step implementation advice.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has contributed to this edition, especially Jeff Parker who has worked tirelessly in its development, the team at NEHTA, Department of Health, Department of Human Services, the Medical Colleges and Peak Organisations who have been so supportive and provided invaluable feedback.

Best wishes,

Finn O’Reilly

on behalf of Dr John Aloizos AM (NEHTA Senior Clinical Governance Advisor, Implementations, and Project Sponsor)

nehta - National E-Health Transition Authority
Level 15, 56 Pitt Street
SYDNEY NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 8298 2160
Mobile: 0434 064 812
Fax: (02) 8298 2666
Email: Fin.OReilly@nehta.gov.au
Web:  www.nehta.gov.au

I wonder did all that consultation extend to actually producing something that the ordinary practice could get their head around and make practical use of? I wonder who the clinicians they asked actually were who thought this was fit for purpose? I wonder how many normal GP practices were asked how useful all this might be for them?

We are also told the whole thing is now going ‘web only’ with no .pdf from the link. What a pain that will be if you are actually trying to read the thing!

I am not sure just what compliance box NEHTA think they have ticked with this - but really all they have done is waste time and money! Possibly well meaning but just awful and incompetent execution. Seems to be a NEHTA Standard Operating Procedure to make documentation impenetrable and practically useless.

David.