Quote Of The Year

Timeless Quotes - Sadly The Late Paul Shetler - "Its not Your Health Record it's a Government Record Of Your Health Information"

or

H. L. Mencken - "For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong."

Sunday, October 31, 2021

The ADHA Needs To Avoid Trying To Force Square Pegs Into Round Holes!

 It is pretty widely recognised that the #myHealthRecord has been less than overwhelming hit with the Australian public who are largely unaware in even exists.

In this context the ADHA has been flailing around trying to find some relevance and use for the system.

They were handed a genuine gift by the recent Aged Care Royal Commission which, based on no obvious evidence recommended (in March 2021.)

Recommendation 68: Universal adoption by the aged care sector
of digital technology and My Health Record

 

The Australian Government should require that, by 1 July 2022:

a. every approved provider of aged care delivering personal care or clinical
care:

i. uses a digital care management system (including an electronic medication management system) meeting a standard set by the Australian Digital Health Agency and interoperable with My Health
Record.

ii. invites each person receiving aged care from the provider to consent to their care records being made accessible on My Health Record.

iii. if the person consents, places that person’s care records (including, at a minimum, the categories of information required to be communicated upon a clinical handover) on My Health Record and keeps them up to date.

b. the Australian Digital Health Agency immediately prioritises support for aged care providers to adopt My Health Record. “

Here is the link:

https://agedcare.royalcommission.gov.au/publications/final-report-list-recommendations

Presumably as a result of this recommendation this was circulated a few days ago:

ADHA Logo

Dear Valued Industry Partner,

The Australian Digital Health Agency is offering healthcare software developers financial assistance to design new or enhanced My Health Record–related functionality in clinical information systems and electronic medications management systems used by residential aged care facilities.

The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety released their Final Report on 1 March 2021 containing 148 recommendations. Recommendation 68 specifically refers to the Agency’s support for universal adoption by the aged care sector of digital technology and My Health Record.

The Agency has been working with healthcare professionals who interact with aged care sector, and the Industry Offer is the first part of a work program to ensure residential aged care facilities have the ability to adopt and interact with My Health Record and use digital technologies more broadly.

The offer is targeted at software developers whose Clinical Information Systems and/or electronic Medication Management Systems are currently used by residential aged care facilities in Australia.

This approach recognises the diversity of residential aged care facilities and leverages the deep understanding that software developers who service this sector have of their customers.

The offer document is listed on the AusTender portal: 
https://www.tenders.gov.au/Atm/Show/3f234fd5-1bb6-4b85-b4a6-e5c5bb9cb5b6
with applications closing 2pm(AEDT), Tuesday, 23 November 2021.

There will be an industry briefing on Thursday, 4 November at 1:00pm (AEDT) and you can register on https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4309204190914363151

If you have any questions, please email:  AgedCareIndustryOffer@digitalhealth.gov.au

Regards,

Mark Macdonald
Partnership Manager - Software Developers & Commercial Partners
Partnerships, Education and Clinical Use Branch
Digital Programs and Engagement Division
Australian Digital Health Agency

----- End Email.

Here is the summary of the requirements:

ATM ID :  RFT DH3695

:  Australian Digital Health Agency

:  43230000 - Software

:

23-Nov-2021 2:00 pm (ACT Local Time)
Show close time for other time zones

: 26-Oct-2021

:  ACT, NSW, VIC, SA, WA, QLD, NT, TAS
Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart

: Request for Tender


:

B..1.        This industry offer will be conducted in three streams - CIS, EMMS and Combined CIS+EMMS.

B..2.        Software systems must meet the requirements and definitions listed in section 10 in order to qualify for the respective streams.

B..3.        Streams will operate over multiple Phases, deliverables will be grouped and contracted by Phase. Tenders that successfully complete Phase 1, to the satisfaction of the Agency, may be offered contracts for subsequent Phases. A contract awarded for Phase 1 does not guarantee that a contract will be awarded for subsequent Phases.

B..4.        Clinical Information System stream

a.             Phase 1 – Software will be enhanced to incorporate My Health Record functionality or enhance pre-existing My Health Record functionality. Specifically, software developers will enhance software in order to complete all applicable conformance and notice-of-connection tests required to secure production access by the enhanced product to the Healthcare Identifiers Service and the My Health Record system. Services developed must include the ability to view the My Health Record for a specific subject of care and the capability to create, upload and download Advance Care Planning (ACP) and Advance Care Directives.

b.             Phase 2 – Software will be enhanced to be able to create, upload and download Aged Care Transfer Summary documents with the MHR and send/receive via Secure Messaging.

c.             Phase 3 – Software must be installed and activated, operating as a CIS within at least 5 distinct RACFs.

B..5.        Electronic Medications Management Stream

a.             Phase 1 – Software will be enhanced to incorporate My Health Record functionality or enhance pre-existing My Health Record functionality. Specifically, software developers will enhance software in order to complete all applicable conformance and notice-of-connection tests required to secure production access by the enhanced product to the Healthcare Identifiers Service and the My Health Record system. Services developed must include the ability to view the My Health Record for a specific subject of care and the capability to create and upload medication prescription and dispense records to the MHR.

b.             Phase 2 – Software will be enhanced to be able to create, upload and download Pharmacist Shared Medicines Lists with the MHR and send/receive via Secure Messaging.

B..6.        Combined Clinical Information System and Electronic Medication Management System Stream

a.             Phase 1 – Software will be enhanced to incorporate My Health Record functionality or enhance pre-existing My Health Record functionality. Specifically, software developers will enhance software in order to complete all applicable conformance and notice-of-connection tests required to secure production access by the enhanced product to the Healthcare Identifiers Service and the My Health Record system. Services developed must include the ability to view the My Health Record for a specific subject of care and the capability to create and upload Advance Care Planning (ACP) and Advance Care Directives and medication prescription and dispense records to the MHR.

b.             Phase 2 – Software will be enhanced to be able to create, upload and download Aged Care Transfer Summary documents and Pharmacist Shared Medicines Lists with the MHR and send/receive via Secure Messaging.

c.             Phase 3 – Software must be installed and activated, operating as both a CIS and an EMMS within at least 5 distinct RACFs.

:

Please note the Industry Briefing session will be held on 4th November at 1pm AEDT. Registration for the Industry Briefing is available here: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4309204190914363151

:

The Agency’s standard requirements are located within clauses 10.2,10.3, 10.4 and Schedule 1 of the RFT Document

:

Aged Care Industry Offer

Phase Inclusions

Phase 1

– completion Dec 2022

Phase 2

– completion Dec 2023

Phase 3 – completion June 2024

Clinical Information Systems

HI Service Integration, MHR Viewing, ACP creation and upload to MHR

Aged Care Transfer Summary creation, viewing and upload to MHR, Send and receive clinical documents via Secure Messaging

Activations

Electronic Medication Management Systems

HI Service Integration, MHR Viewing, Prescribe & Dispense creation/upload to MHR

PSML creation, viewing and upload to MHR, Send and receive clinical documents via Secure Messaging

 

Combined

CIS + EMMS

HI Service Integration, MHR Viewing, ACP/ Prescribe & Dispense creation and upload to MHR

Aged Care Transfer Summary and PSML creation, viewing and upload to MHR, Send and receive clinical documents via Secure Messaging

Activations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Estimated Value (AUD): From $100,000.00 to $150,000.00

:  www.tenders.gov.au

---- End Extract

First I notice these timelines are nothing like what the Royal Commission suggested.

However, to me, the most amazing thing is the lack of understanding regarding just how all the suggested technology could be actually implemented in all the short staffed, under trained, barely viable nursing homes around the country and just who are the intended users of this tech – ignoring for a moment just who is going to pay! Surely not the nearly broke nursing homes?

This is a hugely diverse cottage industry and the mind just boggles at the complex difficulties they would face doing ½ of this over a decade or two!

It is pure fantasy IMVHO!

David.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

It does come across more about how the aged care vendors can bolster the MHR rather than deliver value enabling solutions for the aged care sector.
This is only one troubling sign the ADHA is drifting. A number of roles advertised on there website would indicate a rapid shift towards becoming a dull extension of Services Australia and a APS modelled bureaucracy.
There are also signs on the market ADHA is looking to pull together a standards team it seem focused on making their specifications the national standards. This will not end well, apart from the poor quality and misalignment between artefacts- the process behind them is questionable.

The list goes on

G. Carter said...

7:23 AM. Vendors don’t really pay much notice to ADHA, the only time they come up is when the offer money for old rope. I agree with your comment regarding the ADHA specifications- they are not well engineered nor is change well managed across the packages.

Anonymous said...

seem focused on making their specifications the national standards.

I am sure HL7 are shaking in there boots. Might raise a few licensing to use questions will Standards Australia and HL7.

Paul Robins said...

Thanks for posting David. That does seem a lot to achieve safely in a short period of time. As you call out, not exactly start high up in the maturity ranking.

Anonymous said...

ADHA is led by 'parrots' T
Services Australia is struggling to work out what to do with ADHA. Subsuming it into the hugely diverse ubiquitous roles of Services Australia will eventually, not sure when, push the ADHA and the My Health Record into the shadows and gradually smother it. Anyone who believes otherwise is a parrot. Sqawrk, sqawrk, saawrk, pretty parrot.

Anonymous said...

@9:38 AM You've nailed it bullseye.

Anonymous said...

AnonymousNovember 01, 2021 8:32 AM

You mention licensing issues, what are they? ADHA must surely be able to use HL7 and other standards in whatever manner they see fit in the national interest.