This press release was slipped out late last Friday after a 2 weeks of parliamentary sittings and a major National Cabinet meeting, looking for all the world like it was hoped the release would not be noticed. The timing was typical of Government releases that it is hoped will get lost in the weekend!
Media release - Australian Digital Health Agency CEO announced
04 September, 2020: Following a comprehensive search, the Board of the Australian Digital Health Agency announced today that Ms Amanda Cattermole PSM will be appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the Agency.
Ms Cattermole has a long and distinguished history of senior leadership roles in service delivery in the public sector, leading high performing organisations, while growing customer satisfaction and staff engagement. She also has deep expertise in digital transformation across government and within the health sector.
Most recently, Ms Cattermole was Chief Operating Officer of Services Australia with responsibility for budget and financial services, people, governance, audit and risk. Ms Cattermole was previously the interim CEO of Services Australia and has held Deputy Secretary roles in health service delivery in the Commonwealth and in the Victorian State Government.
Ms Cattermole holds a Master of Laws from Charles Darwin University, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Western Australia and Bachelor Degrees in Law and Commerce from the University of Melbourne.
Welcoming Ms Cattermole’s appointment on behalf of the Agency, Board Chair Dr Elizabeth Deveny said “Amanda Cattermole is held in the highest regard across the public service and health sector and will bring a depth of knowledge and capability to the role of CEO at a time when digital health has never been more important. The Board has appointed a leader who is deeply skilled, committed to improving the health of all Australians and who understands the importance of digital innovation in better connecting Australia’s healthcare system.”
The Hon Greg Hunt, Minister for Health, said “I am pleased to welcome Ms Cattermole and look forward to working closely together to drive technology in healthcare as the need has never been greater.”
The Board of the Agency also acknowledged the invaluable leadership of Ms Bettina McMahon, who has acted as CEO since February this year. “The Board of the Agency would like to thank Ms McMahon for her leadership, dedication and commitment, and wishes her the best for the future.”
Ms Cattermole will commence on Tuesday 29 September.
Here is the link:
There is some press commentary from very late the same day despite the Government’s efforts!
https://www.itnews.com.au/news/australian-digital-health-agency-names-new-chief-552874
Australian Digital Health Agency names new chief
By Justin Hendry on Sep 4, 2020 5:44PM
Public service stalwart appointed.
Services Australia’s chief operating officer Amanda Cattermole has been named the new permanent CEO of the Australian Digital Health Agency.
The agency responsible for the country’s My Health Record and other national digital health systems announced the appointment late on Friday “following a comprehensive search”.
Cattermole, who was reportedly one of two senior executives in the running for the top job, replaces the ADHA's interim chief and former COO Bettina McMahon.
McMahon assumed the role from former CEO Tim Kelsey in January, delaying her departure from the agency in the process.
Cattermole comes to the ADHA from Services Australia, where she spent the last seven months as chief operating officer.
Prior to becoming COO, she spent four months as interim CEO and two years as health and aged care group deputy secretary at the agency predecessor, the Department of Human Services.
She also worked stints at Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services, as well as the federal Treasury and former Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.
Announcing her appointment, the ADHA spruiked Cattermole's “deep expertise in digital transformation across government and within the health sector”.
Lots more here:
There is a useful Linkedin page that provides more background here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-cattermole-psm-b974a2117/
In passing I would note that having been Acting CEO and COO of Services Australia which has a budget in the zillions and thousands of staff this role seems almost like a demotion?
As to what is needed to develop / gain the confidence and trust of the Digital Health community I believe we need to see:
1. Publication of meaningful statistics that show as to clinical value, usage and utility of the #myHR so the public can fully understand just what is going on with the program and if they are getting what they are being told they are.
2. Publication of meaningful information of just what is going on at the ADHA Board and what discussions are happening and what forward options are being considered.
3. Development of sensible and pragmatic ‘rules of engagement’ to ethically manage interactions between the ADHA and the private Digital Health community and providers. This means meaningful interaction and consultation and not just believe the ADHA holds all wisdom!
4. Appointment of a properly qualified ADHA Chief Technical Officer/ Digital Health Strategist with an appropriate staff to ensure strategy and technology are properly aligned.
5. Development of proper support to have the Digital Health Standards Frameworks and Specifications properly supported and updated regularly
6. Revamp all ADHA Communications to be genuinely spin-free and factual.
7. Review the present Strategies to ensure they are really what is needed and that Government is the right entity to be implementing / delivering.
8. Urgently review the internal Human Resources policies and practices that are so often criticised on this blog so they are really 2020 and not 1920!
9. Allow ADHA staff to read my blog. <grin>
10. After review be prepared to undertake radical changes / cancel to all the ADHA programs including the #myHR.
I know some of these will take longer that others but real change and should be obvious in 1 to 2 months if any hope of real improvement can exist.
What do you want to add to my initial list?
David.
16 comments:
When do you suppose the staff at ADHA were/will be told, officially?
None of the news media have bothered mentioning it. The only one is iTNews. Even PulseiT seemed to be taken unawares with only a comment in its emails that it had happened at 5:00pm Friday.
A long last it's good to see that you are now for the ADHA and no longer agin it; never thought I'd see the day.
Armchair critics have a comfortable existence. Did you apply for the CEO post?
"A long last it's good to see that you are now for the ADHA and no longer agin it; never thought I'd see the day."
If the 10 points are fully addressed then your comment may just be true. It won't be till then! There are a lot of errors in the past that need to be atoned for!
David.
"10. After review be prepared to undertake radical changes / cancel to all the ADHA programs including the #myHR."
This suggests that with some radical changes you think the myHR can be salvaged and rendered useful! What a surprise!
"This suggests that with some radical changes you think the myHR can be salvaged and rendered useful! What a surprise!"
By radical I am thinking a total re-design based on complete revamp of architecture, function, use, purpose and clinical utility. It would also go back to opt-in and need to prove its value to those who chose to use it. Basically it means starting again!
The present system I don't see as salvageable! That's why I mentioned cancel!
David.
"Armchair critics have a comfortable existence. Did you apply for the CEO post?"
No - given I am retired and over 70 not exactly my gig!
What is it that I said that you disagree with?
David.
@4:32 PM "Basically it means starting again!"
Which surely must include getting rid of all those people at the ADHA who have all been involved with the present approach as their old ways of thinking and problem solving have been unsuccessful? Also, what funding do you think would be required to "start again" as you put it?
"Which surely must include getting rid of all those people at the ADHA who have all been involved with the present approach as their old ways of thinking and problem solving have been unsuccessful? Also, what funding do you think would be required to "start again" as you put it?"
No there are plenty of the ADHA staff who know the present #myHR will never deliver what was promised. The know the stats that the public does not see. If they were any good would we not have a flurry of press releases?
Remember the public have spent $2 Billion and counting for a system that is hardly used!
To me the case has never been made for a national EHR system. Justifying that or rejecting that idea might be a good place to start!
David
As a wise person once state don this blog - it (xHR) is a political tool not a clinical tool. That fits with the appointment and natural next step in this policy implementation. Will it bring a new dawn in eHealth - probably not, has the political tool got any capital left? Time will tell I guess.
It does David on paper look like a demotion, it is the same with their CFO.
So starting with a "clean slate" as recently suggested seems to be the first step.
@5:47PM " ... there are plenty of the ADHA staff who know the present MYHR will never deliver what was promised .... "
So do you mean they should be kept on doing what they have been doing? or Do you mean they should be moved on and replaced with some more CV competent individuals?
"So do you mean they should be kept on doing what they have been doing? or Do you mean they should be moved on and replaced with some more CV competent individuals?"
You don't get it - if the facts change I change my mind - is what you should grasp. I want not to fire anyone with an open mind!
CU and relax.
David
The truth of the matter is that the new CEO is an unknown quantity to most. There are always restructures and new corporate plans when a new CEO comes in. I am sure though that this is a commencement point of a three year plan to do whatever. Staff should not be to concerned just yet, at least not until the new year.
I liked the way another commentator put it - same shit different ass.
10. After review be prepared to undertake radical changes / cancel to all the ADHA programs including the #myHR.
What! Not another review! Why?
Have a look at the many past reviews. Have a look at the numerous submissions lodged to those reviews. Surely this is something a Chief Executive Officer is capable of doing right now. And surely this is something a strong, competent leader is also quite capable of arriving at a conclusion about and then making a definitive statement on for all to digest, ...... and dare I say invite comment upon from 'experts' like yourself and others, some of whom have very strong opinions and forceful 'personalities'!
"and dare I say invite comment upon from 'experts' like yourself and others, some of whom have very strong opinions and forceful 'personalities'!"
I have to say I am not expecting a call, but you never know!
To me it is vital to undertake a 'fully informed' review with all data on the
value, usage and clinical impact on all the ADHA initiatives where expert advice is actually listened to, noting that most ADHA / NEHTA consultations have been undertaken with only partial information and not much 'listening'!
For me one of the major frustrations with the ADHA for me has been how requested submissions which had many points of consensus were basically ignored!
Tom Kelsey was a great one for apparently listening and then doing just what he wanted - ignoring majority advice. Think just how many changes were forced on the original opt-out plan by the various interest groups. Most had been suggested long before opt-out started.
David.
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