I Get The Feeling There Are Some Real Gaps In The Evidentiary Approach Being Adopted by The ADHA Strategy Team.

The following is an extract from the following document

Board Meeting 25 January 2017 - Board Papers (Download)

• Item 6.1 - National Digital Health Strategy Update PDF (61.42 kB)

Finalising the strategy and building the evidence base

While consultation continues through January, the project team is transitioning to developing the Strategy and substantiating it with a credible evidence base. We will do this by leveraging leading local and global research on digital innovation, analysing jurisdictional and Australian Government priorities, commissioning targeted evidence reviews, as well as talking with digital innovation experts across the private sector, academia and research institutions. The team is also undertaking structured interviews with Policy leaders in federal and state governments with both health and complimentary (social services) portfolios.

Attachment C sets out the approach to gathering and synthesizing evidence to support the Strategy.

Through synthesis of findings and insights, the Agency is defining the strategic priorities and initiatives to meet the needs identified through the national consultation.

From February 2017, the Agency will commence co-design of the strategic initiatives in collaboration with experts from industry, the science community, clinicians, and healthcare provider organisations. The collaborative design of the strategic initiatives is key to the success of the Strategy, as it will determine whether the Strategy receives commitment from the very people and organisations who need to support and help deliver on the strategic initiatives.

Key stakeholders who will play a substantive role in delivering the strategic initiatives in the Strategy will be presented the Agency’s assessment of the strategic choices and initiatives to prioritise based on the consultation findings, and will have the opportunity to provide input.

The activities to support this process include:

• an Industry Stakeholder forum with senior representatives from the digital health industry and associations;
• a Clinical and Consumer forum to be held through partnerships with peak bodies, via a webinar, to broaden reach of feedback; and
• online polls focusing on the priority areas on conversation.digitalhealth.gov.au.

The first paragraph seems to be all focussed on digital innovation but not to be gathering evidence on Health IT and where it has been shown to work (or not) and what needs to be done to achieve success.

Health is only involved, it would seem, in government entities  being interviewed for requirements?

My view: unless there is a very deep dive into Health IT globally and locally and a clear eyed assessment of where we are right now the Strategy will be a wind driven ‘thought bubble’ un-attached to the ground (reality). Provision on-line of Attachment C of Item 6.1 of the Board papers - the research methodology - would be a good thing I believe

I really hope I am missing something because there is not much time left to get it right! I await the planned activities with considerable interest and hope my concerns are not justified!

David.