I Hope The ADHA Has A Clear Idea Regarding Clinical Safety In Health IT Actually Is And Who Should Manage It.

This appeared late last week:

Clinical Safety Lead

• Ongoing opportunity
• Sydney, Brisbane or Canberra location

Better use of data and technology can help people live healthier, happier and more productive lives. Digital health can make a real difference to people's health by giving them greater control and better access to information.

Tasked with improving health outcomes for Australians through the delivery of digital healthcare systems and the national digital health strategy for Australia, the Australian Digital Health Agency (the Agency) commenced operations on 1 July 2016.

The Agency is responsible for national digital health services and systems, with a focus on engagement, innovation and clinical quality and safety. Our focus is on putting data and technology safely to work for patients, consumers and the healthcare professionals who look after them.

Do you have the skills and desire to work in an area that has responsibility for clinical input and assurance to system design and holds responsibility for clinical safety management, clinical and design functional assurance, clinical incident management and quality?

 We have an exciting opportunity for a Clinical Safety Lead to join our Clinical Safety Team, working within the Clinical and Consumer Engagement and Clinical Governance Division.

 This role will take responsibility for managing the clinical safety of the Agency’s products using an agreed approach. The successful candidate will work collaboratively with stakeholders, with the aim of minimising the risk the introduction of a new or changed system could pose to patient safety.

 Accountabilities in this role:

• Apply clinical safety management to the design, development and implementation of digital health products and systems. 
• Contribute to the development and implementation of the agreed clinical safety management approach. 
• Actively participate in the clinical incident management and reporting process.
• Independently produce executive level assessment reports. 
• Troubleshoot cross functional/team issues that impact the timeliness, quality or application of the agreed approach.
• Actively contribute to the education of internal and external stakeholders in clinical safety management.

To be successful you will meet the following selection criteria:

• Tertiary qualification in health or applied sciences relevant to clinical practice.
• Sound understanding of key issues for clinicians and consumers in relation to clinical risk, quality and safety relating to digital health.
• Experience of clinical settings and healthcare workflows in the Australian health sector.
• Experience in the principles, processes and application of clinical governance, safety and incident management.
• A confident, analytical and critical approach with the ability to document complex assessment findings in plain English.
• A demonstrable ability to work independently to support the development and implementation of digital health products and systems.
• Demonstrable interpersonal skills in building and sustaining relationships with a particular focus on collaboration, leadership, respect and teamwork.
• The right to work in Australia.

Closing date for applications: 30 September 2016 at 4:00pm (Australian Eastern Standard Time)

Here is the link:

https://www.seek.com.au/job/31795418

It is really good to see this advertisement mentions specific relevant skills in the area. That said the discussion of the use of ‘an agreed approach’ make me a little nervous as it is not clear just what it might comprise.

It is also rather odd that the ADHA seems to have outsourced the ‘clinical safety’ role for the myHR.

Safety in E-Health

E-Health programs have the aim of improving the quality of health care. The main elements of the Commission’s Safety in E-Health program are:

• Optimising safety and quality within the rollouts of clinical systems, with an initial focus on discharge summary and hospital medications management programs
• Using E-Health initiatives to improve the safety and quality of health care

The Commission works in collaboration with jurisdictions, the private hospital and primary care sectors, the Australian Digital Health Agency, the National Health CIO Forum, and other national bodies to promote the safety and quality agenda within national E-Health programs.

My Health Record clinical safety program

The Commission has been appointed to undertake a clinical safety program by the Australian Digital Health Agency (the Agency) for the My Health Record system. The Agency assumed responsibilities as System Operator for the My Health Record system from the Australian Government Department of Health on 1 July 2016.

The objectives and outcomes of the My Health Record program are to improve the quality, safety and efficiency in Australian health. It enables the secure sharing of health information between a consumer’s healthcare providers. Consumers can control the content and access to their record.

Activities

Over the 2016-2018 period, the Commission will:

1. Conduct clinical safety reviews on My Health Record and national digital infrastructure
2. Provide clinical safety expertise to the Agency
3. Operate a Clinical Incident Management Unit (CIMU) to assess, coordinate, mitigate and report on My Health Record clinical safety incidents referred by the System Operator.
4. Undertake analyses of clinical incidents upon request by the Agency.
5. Work with the Agency to drive safe and effective use of national digital health infrastructure into the future.

 Completed My Health Record clinical safety reviews are provided below:

• First PCEHR Clinical Safety Review (PDF 838KB) (Word 154KB)
• Second PCEHR Clincal Safety Review (PDF 785KB) (Word 138KB)
• Third PCEHR Clinical Safety Review (PDF 539KB) (Word 93KB)
• Fourth PCEHR Clinical Safety Review (PDF 575KB) (Word 94KB)
• Fifth Clinical Safety Review of the My Health Record system (PDF 485KB)(Word 91KB)
• Sixth Clinical Safety Review of the My Health Record System (PDF 429KB) (Word 88KB)

Here is the link to the page:

http://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/our-work/safety-in-e-health/

It is well worth reading the clinical safety reports just to see how useful and thorough they are. The most recent are dated December 2015, so are getting a little old.

It looks to me that this is a serious right / left hand problem and I believe it is important the clinical safety framework be fully disclosed, properly workshopped with stakeholders and that then the function be fully happening within the ADHA – but at arm’s length to the System Operator function.

That way accountability would be clearer and the oversight should be more focussed.

What do others think about how this function should be managed?

David.