I noticed this press release last week announcing a new Digital Health strategy:
Digital health: focus on interoperability, collaboration bolstered with national strategy
Friday, 23 February, 2024
The Australian Digital Health Agency has launched the National Digital Health Strategy 2023–2028 and the accompanying Strategy Delivery Roadmap that set out a vision and pathway for the country’s digital health future.
The five-year strategy plan is aimed at achieving four key outcomes for digital health: digitally enabled — health services are connected, safe, secure and sustainable; person-centred — Australians are empowered to look after their health and wellbeing, with the right information and tools; inclusive — equitable access to health services, when and where they are needed; data-driven — readily available data informs decision-making at the individual, community and national level, contributing to a sustainable health system.
Australian Digital Health Agency CEO Amanda Cattermole PSM said the Strategy and Delivery Roadmap were the result of a productive collaboration between federal, state and territory governments and shaped through extensive consultations with consumers, carers, healthcare providers, research organisations and technology innovators.
“In an age of precision medicine, characterised by healthcare innovations like wearable technology and AI-driven genomic research, we are witnessing a paradigm shift towards personalised and preventative health care. The National Digital Health Strategy is essential to support this shift while fostering a connected, secure, inclusive and ethical healthcare system, backed by robust legislation,” Cattermole said.
“The Strategy captures areas of reform that require a nationally co-coordinated effort across all jurisdictions to drive transformation in digital health. The powerful partnerships behind this Strategy and Roadmap will ensure that no matter what corner of the country they call home, Australians can reap the benefits of digital health care that is tailored to their unique circumstances.”
Agency Chief Clinical Advisor Dr Steve Hambleton said advances in technology are already improving health outcomes and reducing waste. Clinical benefit and consumer engagement can only get better as programs such as sharing diagnostic tests to My Health Record by default roll out.
“Immediate access to critical diagnostic information wherever requested is a quantum leap forward in supporting clinicians to make the best decisions for the patient.
“Digital tools will never replace doctors but doctors who use digital tools will likely replace doctors who don’t,” Hambleton said.
The roadmap initiatives are based on some key principles to guide partners and collaboration:
- Digital health solutions support a person-centred health and wellbeing system.
- Digital health is integral to care delivery and complements in-person care.
- Solutions are co-designed to reduce rather than create access barriers and to be fit for purpose and accessible.
- Solutions are developed to make information discoverable and accessible.
- Digital solutions are interoperable, reusable, coordinated, efficient and supported by the use of national healthcare identifiers.
- Governance, use and management of data is respectful, culturally responsive, meaningful and appropriate.
- Data and information are shared in accordance with jurisdiction and partnership actions under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
- Initiatives are developed and implemented with respect to consumer rights on access, safety, respect, partnership, information, privacy and feedback.
Here is the link:
Here is the official link:
National Digital Health Strategy
About the strategy and roadmap
It builds on the achievements of the previous National Digital Health Strategy released in 2017 and acknowledges the efforts, planning and investment to date towards digital enablement and the uplift in digital health maturity.
The strategy places people at the centre of a connected and digitally enabled healthcare system. It seeks to achieve 4 key health system outcomes that will improve the wider Australian health system by creating a more connected, person-centred digital health system and by realising the benefits digital technology offers consumers and carers, health care providers, the wider community, governments, industry and providers.
The strategy is supported by a Strategy Delivery Roadmap which sets out the implementation pathway over the 5 years.
"This next phase of digital transformation will drive information sharing and advance real time data exchange to make information available when and where it’s needed, in line with consumer consent and strong privacy and cyber security standards."
National Digital Health Strategy
The strategy and roadmap have been collaboratively produced and agreed by the Australian, state and territory governments and informed through detailed consultations with patients, consumers, carers, healthcare providers, industry, organisations and innovators.
The Australian Digital Health Agency is the custodian of the strategy, with its role being to evolve national digital health capability by innovating, collaborating and leading.
Download the strategy and roadmap
The strategy and roadmap have been produced collaboratively and agreed by the Commonwealth, state and territory governments.
The documents have been informed through detailed consultations with patients, consumers, carers, healthcare providers, industry, organisations and innovators.
Here is the link:
https://www.digitalhealth.gov.au/national-digital-health-strategy
It is worth scanning these documents, if only to be amazed at how much is to happen and just how busy the ADHA will be delivering all the various components – if they actually do!
I have seen many plans like this over the years and I am not sure just how much has actually been delivered. Change is hard and I suspect the real purpose of all this documentation is to paint a set of objectives that can be approached as the resources and skills are available.
There is no doubt that progress can happen in the directions laid out but I sense it takes a good deal longer than suggested above. It is sensible to have stretch targets and as I read, while awed by the scope, the broad directions seem sensible.
You only have to think of things
like secure messaging and electronic prescribing to understand that they are happening,
just not at the pace originally suggested. For how long have we been talking
about electronic prescribing? How fully adopted is it now?
Still some progress is better than none – so it’s sensible to just sit back and watch as it happens, with the odd comment if things are too slow or go off the rails!
It is a worry just how slow progress seems to be and I really wonder how much of what is happening is actually due to the ADHA. They cost a fair bit each year so it would be good to see them really moving things along!
Have you noticed progress in your city or town with new services becoming available?
The other point to make is that as far as I can recall the 2017 ADHA Digital Health Strategy really was not that much different from the 2024 one. Not much strikes me as very new or very unexpected, That probably says something!
David.
Sorry to be so blunt David. Who is deluding who?
ReplyDeleteThis document is the same old repetitive stuff that has been churned our every few years to perpetuate the funding cycle. It has achieved nothing of note.
Industry does what industry does, it doesn't care what ADHA thinks or writes, it sees ADHA as relatively irrelevant.
ADHA is like a 33rpm vinyl record with the needle stuck in the groove, same track, same message, same thinking, nothing new, nothing creative, imprisoned in a cage going nowhere, incapable of thinking anew outside the prison bars.
Ian, I think I was saying much the same!
ReplyDeleteDavid.
Oh Whoopdy Do!
ReplyDeleteBeautifully summarised David
Unimagining Digital Health 2023 - 2028