Weekly Australian Health IT Links - 23-02-2010

Here are a few I have come across this week.

Note: Each link is followed by a title and a paragraph or two. For the full article click on the link above title of the article. Note also that full access to some links may require site registration or payment.

General Comment:

It looks like the impact of the rather messy Senate Estimates hearing reported last week is continuing to reverberate.

If there has been a theme this week it has been about implementation competence in Government. On the basis of what we see in the e-Health space, one really wonders about all these programs that have been pushed out by the Federal Government.

The issue may very well be that Ministers simply do not understand, in detail, just what capabilities exist in the public service. On the evidence to date there do seem to be some substantial gaps in program management and delivery.

Heaven help us if DoHA attempts to take over and manage the Hospital Sector. They are simply not up to it in my view.

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http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/software/soa/Govt-laughs-at-commercial-NEHTA-fears/0,130061733,339301044,00.htm

Govt laughs at commercial NEHTA fears

By Renai LeMay, Delimiter.com.au

15 February 2010 10:52 AM

The Federal Department of Health and Ageing has rejected "laughable" questions on whether the National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA) would ever compete against e-health companies as a commercial entity.

The authority was established back in mid-2005 by state health ministers as a non-profit company. With funding running into the hundreds of millions of dollars over the years, its mission is to develop electronic health standards to better tie together the IT systems of Australia's health institutions to better outcomes for patients.

Yet according to Liberal Senator Sue Boyce in Senate Estimates last week, firms in the health IT industry were feeling uncertain about whether NEHTA might ultimately use the information it has been gathering for a national e-health system to compete against them. She asked whether there were any intention for NEHTA to be a commercial entity.

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http://www.pharmacynews.com.au/article/hospital-pharmacists-want-e-script-integration/511282.aspx

Hospital pharmacists want e-script integration

15 February 2010 | by Mark Gertskis

Electronic prescription systems used in hospitals should be linked to systems used by GPs and community pharmacists, according to hospital pharmacists.

The Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) has called on the Federal Government to link the electronic prescription systems across the entire health system.

"When a patient moves between the community health and hospital sectors, one of the most fundamental things doctors need to know is what medicines are being taken," SHPA chief executive Yvonne Allinson said.

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http://www.itwire.com/it-industry-news/listed-techs/36890-isoft-australia-playing-follow-the-e-health-leader

iSOFT: Australia playing follow the e-health leader

By Renai LeMay
Tuesday, 16 February 2010 17:24

Australian e-health giant iSOFT has noted what it says are “early signs” of action on e-health by Australia’s Federal Government but today said its major growth driver would be the Unites States’ US$34 billion stimulus investment in health IT systems and that Australia would likely follow other countries in the area.

Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon last week introduced legislation into Federal Parliament that would introduce a National Health Identifier to be implemented by the middle of 2010.

“In Australia … we have seen the early signs of the Government preparing the foundations for e-health, with the legislation for patient unique identifiers,” said iSOFT chief executive Gary Cohen in a briefing after the release of the company’s half-yearly financial results. Cohen also noted encouraging signs in Europe, China and Latin America for the company.

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http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/an-uphill-battle-for-online-privacy-20100216-o8rp.html

An uphill battle for online privacy

STEPHEN WILSON

February 17, 2010

The furore sparked by Google's new online social network, Buzz, proves people don't want their candour taken for granted. Buzz plans to overtake Twitter and Facebook, and has the inside running, because it uses the information Google already has about you from your Gmail account, Picasa photos, and maybe your search history.

But it misstepped badly by creating an instant circle of followers from email address books. In other words, it used information collected for one purpose for another. Privacy advocates call that function creep.

Reusing information is not new. Advertisers try to guess your interests from your search history. Retailers promote their products direct to your smart phone when you are near to the store. The whole world can tell what football team I follow, because the bumper sticker on my car is visible on Google Street View.

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http://www.ehealthnews.eu/isoft/1917-isoft-announces-lorenzo-for-the-iphone

iSOFT Announces Lorenzo for the iPhone

Wednesday, 17 February 2010

Australia's largest listed health information technology company, announced that it is bringing its Lorenzo strategic healthcare solution to Apple's iPhone for medical professionals to access scans, x-rays and patients records via a prototype application due for release later this year.

With the iPhone application, nurses can also directly register basic patient information like pulse and temperature with Lorenzo, reducing the time spend on administrative actions and making information available with a click of the 'enter' button.

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http://apo.org.au/research/relevance-health-libraries-digital-age

Relevance of health libraries in the digital age

• Nicole Jovicic
• Northern Territory Department of Health and Families

Read the full text

PDF Relevance of health libraries in the digital age

15 February 2010This article discusses the future of health libraries and how they need to meet the needs of the parent organisation and its staff to maintain relevance in the digital age. Nicole Jovicic is a trainee librarian at the East Arnhem Health Library in Nhulunbuy. Health Libraries Australia is a group of health librarians and is part of the Australian Library and Information Association.

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http://www.smh.com.au/technology/computer-test-catches-children-with-adhd-20100217-odz2.html

Computer test catches children with ADHD

NICKY PHILLIPS

February 18, 2010

RESEARCHERS have developed a computer test that can diagnose children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with 96 per cent accuracy.

ADHD is the most common mental health condition in adolescents and children, said psychologist and lead researcher Leanne Williams of the University of Sydney.

''Six per cent of children in Australia have been diagnosed with ADHD, which equates to about one child in every classroom,'' she said.

To be diagnosed with the disorder, children have to have difficulty paying attention as well as display hyperactive and impulsive behaviour at home and at school.

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http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100216006185&newsLang=en

February 16, 2010 07:37 AM Eastern Time

iMDsoft and iSOFT Announce Distribution Agreement

Software supplier to distribute MetaVision clinical information systems in Germany

LEIDEN, The Netherlands--(BUSINESS WIRE)--iMDsoft^®, a leading provider of clinical information systems for perioperative, critical, and acute care, and iSOFT Health, a leading supplier of software applications for the healthcare sector, have announced that iSOFT will begin distributing the MetaVision^® Suite in Germany. iSOFT currently serves customers in 40 countries and is one of the world’s largest healthcare information technology companies.

“I believe that iSOFT has the reach and expertise to enable a wider network of customers in Germany to enjoy the proven benefits that MetaVision brings to users worldwide.”

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http://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/2010/02/16/article/National-e-med-management-plan/TTONMZVLJN.html

National e-med management plan

A national project could see aged care facilities across the country benefiting from electronic prescribing and medication management by 2013.

The Aged Care Industry IT Council is currently developing a strategy for implementing a secure repository GPs, pharmacists and aged care facilities would be able to access.

If further funding is forthcoming, the implementation of the new system would occur over a relatively short timeframe throughout 2012 and early 2013.

ACIITC spokesperson and Aged Care Association Australia (ACAA) CEO, Rod Young said the project would deliver a market ready solution.

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http://abnnewswire.net/press/en/62285/iSOFT_Group_Limited_%28ASX:ISF%29_Announces_H1_FY10_Results.html

iSOFT Group Limited (ASX:ISF) Announces H1 FY10 Results

Sydney, Feb 16, 2010 (ABN Newswire) - iSOFT Group Limited (ASX:ISF) Australia's largest listed health information technology company today announced its half-year result for the six months ended 31 December 2009.

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http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/336366/strong_aussie_dollar_hits_isoft_results/?eid=-255

Strong Aussie dollar hits iSoft results

GFC spurs slowdown in public sector health spending

• Tim Lohman (CIO)
• 16 February, 2010 14:07

Despite a strong global health IT market, iSOFT has recorded declines across its revenues, after tax profits and EBITDA for the half year to 31 December 2009.

The company recorded revenue of $237.3 million; down 1 per cent year on year. EBITDA of $40.8m; down 27 per cent over the same period and net profit after tax of $4.8m, down 27 per cent.

According to CEO Gary Cohen, the global health IT industry remained strong, however the high Australian dollar had had a large impact on the first half results.

“Notwithstanding the currency effect, we are seeing growth in our core businesses, we are meeting important milestones in the rollout of our Lorenzo solution in the UK and we are continuing to invest in world class solutions as significant opportunities emerge in markets such as the US, Europe and Latin America,” he said in an ASX statement.

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http://www.itwire.com/it-policy-news/government-tech-policy/36830-gps-call-for-31m-in-e-health-funding

GPs call for $31m in e-health funding

By Renai LeMay
Monday, 15 February 2010 13:35

IT Policy - Government Tech Policy

A network of general practitioner doctors has called for $31 million in funding into electronic health projects to be allocated in the next Federal Government budget.

The Australian General Practice Network (AGPN) represents 110 general practice networks, in addition to eight state-based networks. It claims that more than 90 percent of general practitioner doctors are members of their local general practice network.

In a broader submission to the next Federal Budget released this month, AGPN said e-health initiatives such as the E-Health Support Office Program (EHSOP) — which was initiated in 2005 and has been funded until June 2010 — had aided the network in increasing the uptake of e-health infrastructure across the health care sector.

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http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/industry-sectors/primary-health-care-shares-fall-despite-surge-in-first-half-profit/story-e6frg97f-1225830862299

Primary Health Care shares fall despite surge in first-half profit

• Rebecca Thurlow
• From: The Australian
• February 16, 2010 11:55AM

PRIMARY Health Care stock tumbled today after a surge in its first-half net profit came in below analyst expectations.

Australia's largest pathology services company said net profit in the half ended December 31, 2009 surged to $76.6 million, from $11.5m a year before as borrowing costs fell. But this was still well short of the $91m median forecast of five analysts polled earlier by Dow Jones Newswires. Broker estimates had ranged from $83.4m to $93.8m.

Primary stock tumbled after the result. Its shares today were down 12 per cent at $4.87, after earlier hitting a low of $4.77 amid an overall market that was up 0.8 per cent.

Note: Primary are the owners of Health Communications Network that provides Medical Director.

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http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/hospital-promises-doctors-a-bedside-data-delivery/story-e6frgakx-1225830673162

Hospital promises doctors a bedside data delivery

• Karen Dearne
• From: The Australian
• February 16, 2010 12:00AM

A BEDSIDE communications cockpit will deliver doctor and patient access to a wide range of smart systems being built into the $180 million hi-tech Macquarie University Hospital, opening soon in Sydney.

Chief operating officer Evan Rawstron said Seimens' HiPath HiMed units would interface with back-end systems to create a totally digital environment for the teaching and research facility.

The 150-unit project is the first local installation for Siemens Enterprise Communications.

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http://www.smh.com.au/technology/weight-loss-that-isnt-all-workout-no-play-20100215-o2w4.html

Weight loss that isn't all workout, no play

February 16, 2010

It's games versus gyms as Louisa Hearn sweats it out with virtual trainers.

Farewell to gym classes forever. There is a fitness revolution and its happening in my lounge room.

Armed with a small, hand-held motion-sensitive baton and a "Balance Board" under my feet, I am joining a parade of celebrities, sports stars and senior citizens who have been spotted flailing and gyrating on Nintendo's Wii game console in the pursuit of fitness.

With more and more exercise games crowding the market and a New Year's resolution to get back in shape, I am undertaking a one-month challenge to see if I really can get fit doing nothing but working out with my Wii.

I have set an ambitious target of losing two kilograms in that time as I try to dodge calories and cram in at least four workouts a week.

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http://www.medicalobserver.com.au/News/0,1734,5942,15201002.aspx

Failure of authority phone line puts patients’ care on hold

Andrew Bracey - Monday, 15 February 2010

GPs were last week hamstrung in their efforts to care for patients, after the Medicare authority prescription line shut down for nearly three days.

Doctors attempting to access the line say they were met with delays of up to five minutes only to be advised the service was down and to call back later.

Sydney GP and Doctors Action president Dr Adrian Sheen, who tried repeatedly to access the hotline, said he was forced to ask a patient to return the next day to collect a prescription.

“I had to tell the patient it will either cost $400 or come back tomorrow,” Dr Sheen told MO.

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http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/192_04_150210/noc11050_fm.html

Performance-based hospital funding: a reform tool or an incentive for fraud?

Antony Nocera

MJA 2010; 192 (4): 222-224

Abstract

· Hospital funding based on achieving targets for numerical key performance indicators was implicated in Queensland’s Bundaberg Base Hospital scandal and has driven hospital data fraud in Victoria and New South Wales.

· Nationally uniform legislation is required to make health service reporting standards consistent and to criminalise public sector data fraud.

· Urgent action is needed to develop realistic outcome measures that base hospital funding more on the quality and safety of patient care and less on patient throughput numbers.

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http://www.smh.com.au/national/doctoring-hospital-patient-data-should-be-criminal-offence-says-physician-20100214-nzl8.html

Doctoring hospital patient data should be criminal offence, says physician

LOUISE HALL

February 15, 2010

Manipulating hospital performance data should be made a criminal offence in the same way corporate directors are prosecuted for cooking the books, according to an article in The Medical Journal of Australia.

National uniform legislation must also be introduced to make the reporting of hospital data comparable between states because it is now meaningless due to differing standards, said Antony Nocera, an emergency physician at Dubbo Base Hospital. The article, published today, says deliberate manipulation of emergency data has occurred in h NSW and Victoria since performance-based funding was introduced in the 1990s.

The fraud includes hospital managers admitting patients to ''virtual wards'' on a hospital's computer system, or discharging and readmitting the same patient, to meet benchmarks in order to generate additional funding or qualify for performance bonuses.

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http://www.theage.com.au/national/make-faking-data-a-crime-expert-20100214-nzgw.html

Make faking data a crime: expert

JULIA MEDEW

February 15, 2010

HOSPITAL staff should face criminal charges if they manipulate performance data sent to governments and reported to the community, an expert says.

Dr Antony Nocera, based at Dubbo Base Hospital in NSW, yesterday said that current systems of data reporting in Australian hospitals were inadequate and could not be trusted.

In a Medical Journal of Australia article, Dr Nocera said the manipulation of data in Victorian hospitals, evidence of data fraud in NSW hospitals and variable interpretations of reporting requirements generally had made comparisons of performance between states and territories meaningless.

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http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/192_04_150210/new10623_fm.html

Research

Computerised prescribing: assessing the impact on prescription repeats and on generic substitution of some commonly used antibiotics

David A Newby and Jane Robertson

MJA 2010; 192 (4): 192-195

Abstract

Objectives:

To assess the impact of two interventions on computer-generated prescriptions for antibiotics — (i) an educational intervention to reduce automatic computerised ordering of repeat antibiotic prescriptions, and (ii) a legislative change prohibiting the “no brand substitution” box being checked as a default setting in prescribing software — and to compare these findings with those of a similar survey we conducted in 2000.

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http://www.medicalobserver.com.au/News/0,1734,5940,15201002.aspx

GP software linked to overprescribing

Shannon Mackenzie - Monday, 15 February 2010

Default settings embedded in GP prescribing software are contributing to unnecessary repeat prescriptions of antibiotics, two academics have claimed.

In a study of prescriptions for four antibiotics most commonly prescribed for URTIs, the academics found that 69% of computer-generated scripts permitted repeats, compared to just 40% of hand-written scripts.

According to Dr David Newby (PhD), senior lecturer in clinical pharmacology at the University of Newcastle, the higher rate suggested some doctors were not making conscious decisions to add a repeat script.

Many prescribing software programs have a default setting that automatically adds a maximum number of repeats to a prescription. However, Dr Newby said while this was entirely appropriate for many medications for chronic illnesses, it was a problem when it came to antibiotics.

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http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/336596/openoffice_3_2_fixes_several_vulnerabilities/?eid=-255

OpenOffice 3.2 fixes several vulnerabilities

Users should upgrade to the latest version of the open-source office suite to avoid trouble

• Jeremy Kirk (IDG News Service)
• 18 February, 2010 04:2

The latest version of OpenOffice fixes several vulnerabilities that could cause a computer to become compromised by a remote attacker.

OpenOffice.org has issued version 3.2, which adds a lengthy list of new features and improves the suite's overall performance while also fixing six vulnerabilities.

Three of those problems could allow a remote attacker to execute code. In one of those cases, a malicious XPM file -- a type of image format supported by ODF (OpenDocument Format) -- could be maliciously crafted and allow remote user to execute other code on the computer with the same privileges as the local user.

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Enjoy!

David.

Possible Early Announcement of Rudd Government Response on Health Reform.

The Financial Review today (Feb 24, 2010 -Pages 1 and 6) and ABC News are both reporting rumours / indications that the announcement on the response to the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission Report (NHHRC) from last year is imminent and not being held back to a Council of Australian Governments meeting which is apparently scheduled for late March, 2010.

The Fin Review is also saying there will be a fair bit of e-Health in whatever is announced.

I have no idea just how true this all is and pass the reports on for what they are worth!

We will all just to have wait and see.

David.

Twitter Feed Now Available for the AusHealthIT Blog .

For those who what it – there is now a button down the side of the blog to subscribe to a Twitter Feed.

Enjoy and I hope it is useful. Let me know if it is not working as expected!

David.

Is NEHTA Buying Out A Royal Clinical College with the Promise of Some Sponsorship?

This was published by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners on Friday Feb, 19, 2010.

Message from the President

Healthcare Identifiers Bill 2010

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners welcomes the government’s latest step in implementing the e-health agenda, with the Minister for Health and Ageing, The Hon Nicola Roxon MP, presenting the Healthcare Identifiers Bill, 2010 to Parliament earlier this week. The proposed national Healthcare Identifiers Service aims to implement and maintain a national system for uniquely identifying health care providers and individuals and is planned to be available from July 2010. Medicare Australia will be the initial operator of the Healthcare Identifiers Service.

The vast majority of GPs are already using computers for a range of health services and the college recognises the importance of building a robust and future looking e-health system for Australia.

In order to create a safe, reliable and timely health care environment, it will be of utmost importance to quickly and adequately identify patients, while maintaining the flexibility to provide anonymous services to those who require them. If we get it right, the national Healthcare Identifiers Service is the cornerstone to making e-health work.

The correct implementation of individual and health care provider identifiers is important, as it will help lead to a safer and more efficient means of distributing medical records between health care providers such as general practitioners, hospitals, specialists and pharmacists. It also greatly reduces risk of avoidable error.

The passing of this legislation is paving the path for the future. Health care identifiers are an important building block to enable a national individual electronic health record system.

While the RACGP in principle supports the development and implementation of a national Healthcare Identifiers Service, there must be clarity regarding privacy safeguards, implementation issues and the application of health identifiers before progressing the system. To read the RACGP’s submission to the Department of Health and Ageing, ‘Exposure Draft Healthcare Identifiers Bill 2010’ in detail, visit www.racgp.org.au/healthreform/35827.

The college’s work with the National E-Health Transition Authority

Quality and standards are the college’s core business. As such, the Standards for general practices are central to the work of the college, especially during a time of major health reform. The 4th edition of the Standards will include updating of the e-health standards, which is why the RACGP is working with the National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA) to develop the next edition of the Standards.

General practitioners are at the forefront of IT and e-health and we must continue to hold this position or risk having requirements imposed upon us. The Standards review process has recognised this, and the RACGP e-health Standards team will be proposing changes to the Standards. Our profession will drive any change to our Standards.

The work of NEHTA is crucial in health reform. To ensure that GPs can deliver the highest standard of care to their patients, the RACGP is ensuring that NEHTA is informed of what is reasonable, workable and useful for GPs when leading the progression of e-health in Australia. The 4th edition of the Standards for general practices will be launched at the RACGP Annual Conference – GP’10 – to be held from 6–9 October 2010 in Cairns. As announced at GP’09, the college is pleased that NEHTA have come on board as the major sponsor for GP’10; we hope to see you there.

This material comes directly from this link.

http://www.racgp.org.au/fridayfacts/36098

This enthusiastic support of all NEHTA is doing seems to have been purchased by an offer of sponsorship as best one can tell.

On 13 January, 2010, just a month ago, in a submission on the Identifiers from the College, we find the following.

4. Concluding comments

The College is supportive in principle of Unique Health Identifiers, and looks forward to continuing discussions with the Department of Health and Ageing regarding HIs prior to their progression and implementation.

In particular, the RACGP looks forward to receiving information providing clarity regarding:

• privacy safeguards and informed consent

• details of the communication strategy for the implementation process

• how implementation issues will be addressed, including the roll out of general practice software, installation, and funding

• application of HIs, including when to apply anonymous or pseudonymous IHIs.

See here:

http://www.racgp.org.au/reports/20100113RACGPSubmission_IHIBill2010.pdf

Submission - Page 4.

Why the adoption of a new and much more compliant view?

We suddenly find NEHTA sponsoring the College Annual Conference, and all the problems apparently identified so recently resolved and everything is now just wonderful. A little stall for NEHTA to exhibit maybe – major sponsorship smells a bit like a payoff to me! What an amazing outcome.

I for one would not want to be associated with a clinical College that can be so ‘flexible’ in its views. (Just so it is clear I hold Fellowships of two other major clinical colleges (Anaesthetics and Intensive Care) – so I know of what I speak).

One really wonders why such a sudden change of mind was possible from the published view just one month earlier.

The response to this blog – with 19 comments – rather suggests there is a level of disconnect between the College and its members and considerable concern with the College Standards setting approach.

See here:

http://aushealthit.blogspot.com/2010/02/talk-about-being-out-of-touch-with.html

I am sure the reasons for all this will come out in due course – I hope it will not be too damaging to the College when it does.

I look forward to comments from College Members and Fellows on all this. Please note I am not suggesting anything like corruption, undue pressure or influence or the like. I just believe bodies such as the clinical colleges should be rather more circumspect in how they approach dealing with Government and pseudo government entities.

David.

The Australian Department of Defence Plans to Do E-Health.

A major tender was announced a little while ago (19^th February, 2010)

The key details are as follows:

The Department of Defence is seeking a Contractor to design, build and implement a new electronic health system for serving ADF members. The service provider will be required to tender for all services associated with such an implementation, including supply and integration of the relevant COTS products and the hosting of the solution. Their services will also include organisational change, communication and training.

An Industry Briefing will be held in the morning of Thursday 4th March 2010 in the Australian Capital Territory.

This consultation process is without prejudice and the Department cannot be held to account for any decision made in the final procurement documents.

Important note to Tenderers

Tenderers should note that, as at today's date, the Commonwealth has released only the following parts of this RFT:·

- Covering Letter

- Conditions of Tender (excluding Attachment A)

- Draft Statement of Work (including Attachments)

Other parts of the RFT will be released in due course.

Tenderers should register with AusTender to ensure that they are notified when other parts of the RFT have been released. Tenderers should note that upon registration at jehdi.project@defence.gov.au, the tender pack will be emailed to the registered contact.

Information about registration for the industry briefing will be provided in the conditions of tender.

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See here for full details.

https://www.tenders.gov.au/?event=public.advert.show&AdvertUUID=E334928D-00E3-5AA4-685025E0F2795258

The Tender closes 29-Mar-2010 12:00 pm (ACT Local time)

The tender seems to be driven by the 2009 Defence Capability Review. Here we find a project on the ADF Deployable Health Capability.

It is described thus:

JP 2060 is a multi-phase joint project which involves the identification and development of capabilities required to prevent, treat and evacuate casualties in joint operations in the defence of Australia and its interests.

This phase is intended to improve the existing ADF Deployable Health Capability to deliver optimum quality services for the prevention, treatment and evacuation of casualties. It intends to achieve this through the adoption of a ‘whole of system’ approach to the delivery of health support, addressing each of the following five Health Operating Systems:

• Preventive Health;
• Treatment;
• Medical Evacuation;
• Health Information Systems (command, control, communication, intelligence and information management systems); and
• Health Service Logistics.

The full document is here.

http://www.defence.gov.au/publications/DCP_2009.pdf

More details are also available here:

http://www.defence.gov.au/dmo/id/dcp/dcp.cfm

It is good to see e-health getting a serious look in – if only in, of all places, the Defence Department. I guess they know something the Health Department doesn’t!

Sounds like a pretty major project for someone!

David.

The Truth About the Department of Health and Ageing – And it is All bad!

The following appeared in the Age today. (Mon Feb 22, 2010)

Yes Minister meets Alice in Wonderland

MYLES PETERSON

February 21, 2010

Midway through last year I was head-hunted by the federal Department of Health and Ageing to write speeches for their ministers - a surprise as I had no experience or qualifications. As far as the department was aware, my limited skills were derived from reviewing video games for The Canberra Times.

Perplexed and amused, I dusted off the suit and attended my one and only interview. ''I'll be writing speeches for who?''

''Minister Roxon,'' answered my interviewer.

''And you're going to pay me how much?''

''Eighty thousand a year. Will that be enough?''

So began my journey down the public service rabbit-hole. I would soon learn that swine flu and a raid on staff by another department were to thank for my recruitment.

Compounding the staffing crisis was a high turnover rate. A recent survey had revealed staff satisfaction was the lowest of any section, for any department, anywhere. I pondered the figures as they stared down at me from a huge poster, plastered opposite my new desk.

''What does that 35 per cent mean?'' I asked a colleague. There was no answer, a response I would get used to.

I was given my first speech to write. I was not given an induction, training, an occupational health and safety lecture, a security clearance, a standard operating procedures manual, a style guide or anything you would expect when starting a job with the federal government of Australia.

As promised, the speech was for Nicola Roxon, Minister for Health and Ageing. The topic was macular degeneration and I was instructed to mention Ita Buttrose. Despite being completely lost, without an inkling of how to proceed, I quickly learnt not to ask any questions. Nobody would answer them with anything other than an annoyed glare or dismissive quip.

I wrote the speech. I muddled my way through the maze of acronyms that indicated who my departmental researchers were while I attempted to learn the procedures on the run. I emailed the final copy to the Minister's office and winced, waiting with dread for the inevitable criticism that should come pouring back.

Nothing happened. My speech was swallowed by the public service ether. Did the Minister ever read it? I do not know. Did the Minister even look at it? No idea. The following day I was given a second speech to write.

The sad saga continues here:

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/yes-minister-meets-alice-in-wonderland-20100220-omsa.html

After reading this I am almost ready to throw in the towel. The incompetent led by the ignorant and the stupid.

At least the author was honourable enough to leave!

The chances for Health Reform and e-Health in Australia must approximate zero!

David.

The Mainstream Media is Noticing What a Mess e-Health is in Australia.

Life Matters on ABC Radio National has struck again.

The following was broadcast this morning (Monday, Feb 22, 2010).

Google and privacy

listen now | download audio

The Federal Government's proposal to create an e-health number for every Australian has renewed debate over how our personal medical information is collected and distributed.

But the global company Google also collects and controls massive amounts of personal information.

Google has just launched its new social networking site - Buzz - for the more than 150 million people who use gmail, Google's email service.

Some commentators are concerned it's another step toward an unhealthy level of surveillance and data collection.

Social researcher Vivienne Waller raises these concerns, we also hear from David Vaile from the Australian Privacy Foundation.

Bottom of Form

Guests

Dr Vivienne Waller
Research Fellow at the Institute for Social Research, Swinburne University of Technology

David Vaile
Vice-Chair, Australian Privacy Foundation

Further Information

Australlian Privacy Foundation

Dr Vivienne Waller

Publications

Title: Why is Google Buzzing
Author: Dr Vivienne Waller
Publisher: Inside Story
URL: http://inside.org.au/why-is-google-buzzing/

Presenter

Jane Caro

Producer

Amanda Armstrong

Story Researcher and Producer

Jane Shields

- End Program Announcement.

While the ‘slip up’ with the way Google introduced the Buzz social networking feature of Gmail is covered in some detail a key area of the discussion covers issues in the e-Health domain.

David Vaile made e-Health related points as follows:

1. Health Information now exists in paper and electronic records in a range of places and the way they are accessible is progressively being made more difficult for patients to keep track of as more of the information moves into electronic form.

2. The Government is wanting to accelerate this migration, but does not seem to want to wait for the final report on Privacy from the Australian Law Reform Commission.

3. While they have this objective the Government is providing very fragmented information on what they are planning to do, how individuals will have their privacy protected and so on.

4. The lack of a clear overall vision as to what is being planned, the lack of consumer consultation on the directions being pursued and the absence of information as to how privacy is to be address is a major problem for the Government’s plans.

(Apologies if not quite as presented, the thrust is as stated but there is not a transcript available).

All I can say is that he is spot on. This fragmented, secretive and incoherent approach is utterly unacceptable.

It is well worth a listen to the 15-20 minute discussion. Besides the e-Health material the stuff about Google is also interesting.

David.

NEHTA’s Media Spin, Project Mismanagement and Public Confusion Just Rolls On. Not Good!

It has been a really big week for NEHTA in the news.

First we has the recognition in the News Limited press we were all going to get numbered – and it is not clear there was universal comprehension or joy about this.

See here:

Fake patients roll in health numbers game

• Renee Viellaris
• From: The Courier-Mail
• February 17, 2010 1:01AM

Story Summary

• 16-digit health number from July
• Shared electronic health records
• Privacy concerns remain

CONTROVERSIAL guidelines that will allow "well-known personalities" to have fake health ID numbers will be written, starting next week.

Every Australian from July will be automatically issued a new 16-digit health number.

Also known as a "building block", the health number will eventually allow for medical professionals to share patient health files via an electronic health record.

Legislation is now before Federal Parliament to provide for the health number, which will only store names, dates of birth and addresses, but privacy concerns remain.

The Courier-Mail revealed last month that "well-know personalities" and others considered "at-risk" could apply to have two ID numbers.

One of these ID numbers would be a fake to offer another layer of protection.

Commonwealth-funded IT developer the National E-Health Transaction Authority will meet stakeholders next week to begin discussing guidelines on "pseudonymisation".

A NEHTA spokeswoman said yesterday the guidelines would determine who could be granted fake IDs and who could grant them.

She said it was likely the guidelines would heavily restrict who could be eligible.

The ability for "pseudonymisation" was needed because of guiding health principles, the spokeswoman said.

Defending the plan and in a bid to alleviate privacy concerns, Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon said the identifier numbers would not be abused.

"The Healthcare Identifiers Bill specifically prohibits the use of the Individual Healthcare Identifiers for anything other than the delivery of healthcare services or related services, such as the management of the health service," Ms Roxon said.

"Further, the Bill also provides specific penalties for the use of Individual Healthcare Identifiers for any purpose other than this."

More here with comments from public.

http://www.news.com.au/national/fake-patients-roll-in-numbers-game/story-e6frfkvr-1225831155324

And here:

Patients have no choice - a health number ID for us all

• By Sue Dunlevy
• From: The Daily Telegraph
• February 17, 2010 12:00AM

YOU are going to get a unique 16-digit health ID number on July 1 - whether you want one or not.

This is a despite a Rudd Government promise the new "e-health" system would be on an opt-in basis.

You can opt not to have a tax file number but a spokeswoman for Health Minister Nicola Roxon yesterday confirmed you will not be able to opt out of the new health identity system.

At first the new health ID number will not hold information but eventually the Government wants it as the basis for a new electronic health record.

Patients will be able to decide whether they have an e-health record that will give doctors around the country access to information on medical tests, operations and other health information of a patient.

This will revolutionise the health system, make it faster and easier for doctors to get test results and improve patient safety by making medication mix-ups less likely.

However, there are concerns that future governments may decide to extend the use of the new e-health number beyond its initial purpose.

In l987, the Hawke government scrapped a project for a national identity system called the Australia Card after it proved unpopular.

Independent Senator Nick Xenophon said the new e-health system had benefits but wanted a Senate inquiry to examine any privacy concerns carefully.

"I can see it would be tempting for governments to use it for more than its intended purpose," he said.

More here:

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/patients-have-no-choice-a-health-number-id-for-us-all/story-e6freuy9-1225831125547

They even noticed in Europe:

Australia to mandate health ID number

17 Feb 2010

The Australian government has said it will mandate a new national e-health number for all citizens.

The move to mandate the unique 16-digit health ID number, to be introduced from July, comes despite an earlier Government promise the new "e-health" system would be on an opt-in basis.

While the new health ID number will not hold information, it is intended to form the basis of a planned new system of electronic health records.

More here:

http://www.ehealtheurope.net/news/5648/australia_to_mandate_health_id_number

Then we had the Fairfax press discovering we were not going to be able to control the sharing of our health information.

Electronic health record takes first tiny step

MARK METHERELL

February 17, 2010

THE promise that patients will control their medical records in the federal government's proposed electronic health system remains uncertain despite the introduction of ''foundation'' e-health legislation.

The first stage of the scheme, to take effect on July 1, will give every Australian a 16-digit identifying number, known as an individual healthcare identifier (IHI).

The goal is to create a single electronic process to allow doctors and others to identify patients and access their medical records.

A patient's control of who could view their records was highlighted as central to the success of the scheme in a report by the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission last July.

''An electronic health record that can be accessed, with a person's agreement, by health professionals across all settings is arguably the single most important enabler of truly person-centred care,'' the report said.

But the National E-Health Transition Authority, the body responsible for the first stage, said it was still to be decided how access control would work.

Peter Fleming, the authority's chief executive, said that while the broad outline of the scheme was agreed, the Council of Australian Governments was yet to approve how the rules governing the new record would work.

Nathan Pinksier, a clinical adviser to the authority, said it was difficult to enable patients to block certain health providers from seeing sensitive information that others, such as their doctors, should know.

''These are not easy questions,'' Dr Pinskier said.

There were several potential ways of quarantining patient information. Final selection would be part of a gradual process as the new system would take a few years to introduce.

Widespread differences between existing patient identification schemes throughout Australia have led some in the health industry to be sceptical about the time it will take to implement a new system.

A government official said it was possible the Council of Australian Governments would decide on the next stage of the scheme this year.

More here:

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/electronic-health-record-takes-first-tiny-step-20100216-o8zp.html

Here we have two important pieces of information. One is that the HI Service is a prelude in NEHTA’s mind to an EHR service and second is they have yet to work out how health information is going to be segmented, stored and protected.

Next we learn that the software industry has been kept outside the tent as all this has been planned and developed.

Software firms ill-informed on health ID plan

• Karen Dearne
• From: The Australian
• February 16, 2010 12:00AM

SOFTWARE makers are yet to see full technical specifications for the planned healthcare identifier regime due to start on July 1 provided enabling legislation introduced by Health Minister Nicola Roxon last week is passed by parliament.

The Medical Software Industry Association says members are also yet to see a working demonstration of the system, developed by Medicare Australia in conjunction with the National E-Health Transition Authority.

Under the program, to be operated by Medicare, all patients, medical providers and healthcare organisations will be issued with an individual six-digit number.

Unique identifiers are an essential base for greater use of electronic communications across the health sector, and will be a platform for the future development of individual e-health records.

But MSIA president Geoffrey Sayer said software-makers were in the dark about changes they would need to make to their products, beyond knowing to allow for a number in forms and databases.

"No one in the vendor community has actually seen the e-health community model, and no one actually knows what's involved in its set-up, which I find slightly odd given vendors are supposed to be rolling it out," he said.

"We've asked for the technical details several times and we've tried to source the information from what's available in the public domain, but we still haven't got a clear document that shows us what is supposed to happen."

A NEHTA spokeswoman said yesterday a special vendor day would be held at its Model Health Community demonstration site at Medicare's Canberra headquarters on February 26.

NEHTA chief executive Peter Fleming conceded in an interview with The Australian last month that the healthcare identifier system was built without input from local industry, but said engagement with the private sector was now being addressed.

More here:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/software-firms-ill-informed-on-health-id-plan/story-e6frgakx-1225830673348

Against all this we have the Australian Information Industry Association saying – on the basis of some rather uncertain link between broadband rollout and health productivity and apparent prior briefings that have told them what is in the critical regulations that will support the HI Service legislation - that all is wonderful. Maybe they should have a closer look at the details and expert reaction before they sound off.

See here:

http://rustreport.com.au/

February 19 2010

Healthcare bill a positive step

By Ian Birks*

AIIA is a strong supporter of the Healthcare Identifiers Bill, recently tabled in Parliament by Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon. The aim of the bill is to introduce nationally consistent healthcare identifiers that will improve the accuracy of health records by ensuring that the right information about the right patient goes to the right place.

With a planned implementation date of July 1, the introduction of healthcare identifiers would deliver the foundations for a much wider range of electronic health care initiatives across the sector by supporting information flow between healthcare providers -- creating improvements in planning, co-ordination and decision-making at all levels.

E-health strategies have seen a long process of development in Australia, and it is now very important that we act consistently to implement planned activities. Delays in implementing national e-health strategies will only lead to higher costs as these issues are inevitably addressed in the future.

There are no strong arguments against the implementation of the Healthcare Identifiers Bill. Healthcare identifiers contain no clinical information. Clear mechanisms are in place to address privacy concerns.

In fact, NSW alone currently has 20 separate identifiers in place. Eliminating that level of duplication though a single national program that offers consistency at both the federal and state levels is essential if Australia is serious about improving the productivity of the healthcare sector.

The right technology strategies will be critical to improving the efficiency of healthcare on a national scale. Yet the levels of technology investment found in other parts of the Australian economy have not been seen in healthcare. ICT investment across healthcare industry sits at around 1.5 per cent, compared with an average of 2.5 per cent in the wider economy. Moreover, the health sector will be a critical component of Australia's economic growth in the future as we set out to develop a genuine digital economy.

.....

*Ian Birks is CEO of the Australian Information Industry Association www.aiia.com.au

----- End extract.

In the professional medical literature we also saw a long article on how we are moving towards a personal electronic health record.

All wired up

18-Feb-2010

The Federal Government wants all patients to have a personal electronic health record by 2012 – and it’s GPs who will hold the key to its success or failure. By Sarah Colyer

DR Mukesh Haikerwal is on a mission to convince GPs that it is worth their efforts to make e-health a major part of the health system.

Rarely a week goes by when the former AMA president is not making an impassioned presentation to a gathering of GPs somewhere around the country on how IT is critical to health reform.

As the principal GP adviser to the National E-Health Transition Authority and a commissioner on the Federal Government’s National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission, Dr Haikerwal is one of Australia’s most well-informed GPs when it comes to e-health.

The reform commission recommended that by 2012 every Australian should be able to access a personal electronic record of their own health information.

Most controversially, it said GPs and other health practitioners should be able to send information to the record by 2013 or they could lose access to Medicare benefits for their patients.

It’s tough, but Dr Haikerwal has no doubt it will be better for patients.

Speaking at a GP function in Sydney late last year, he tried to pre-empt the local doctors’ concerns.

He’d heard some were worried the Person-Controlled Electronic Health Record (PEHR) would strip them of control of their own clinical records. Others doubted they could trust a patient-controlled system, and some were concerned about what it would mean for patient privacy.

Dr Haikerwal stressed that GPs would still own their records. The electronic health record would not contain the GP’s clinical notes, just a summary of vital information. There would be an audit trail to show when information was recorded and viewed and by whom, and GPs would be able to upload information to the record “at the push of a button”.

As for how GPs can be sure the record is up to date, Dr Haikerwal said they simply couldn’t. “But even today, health professionals are aware that records may not be complete. That doesn’t mean they are not worthwhile,” he said.

But Dr Hani Bittar, a western Sydney GP, remains unconvinced.

He has seen a similar system fail — the Healthelink pilot in his region. The internet-based system, hosted by NSW Health, was supposed to share patient data among GPs, hospitals, specialists and pathology providers using the internet.

But Dr Bittar says it has been nothing but a waste of time.

“It slowed our computers down dramatically, we got no support and the hospitals didn’t want to be involved,” he says.

Dr Bittar says some information is best shared only among doctors. He recounts the story of a young female patient who spent a weekend worrying she was going to die after opening an envelope containing normal results from a liver function test.

“Patients are not qualified to read the kinds of things that will be open to them in an electronic health record,” he says.

On top of this, he has his own suspicions that the electronic health record will evolve into a national identity card.

However, Dr Haikerwal says in some ways the national electronic health record is not dramatically different to the paper-based systems that are already starting to fade away.

Dr Haikerwal was recently cleaning out his office drawers when he found a paper version of a shared record he created in 1992 to give to patients, containing a summary of past test results, allergies and medications.

“It was a very useful process when the patient went to hospital, and it helped them and me to get feedback, but it took an awfully long time to put together,” he says.

“To be able to get information that is up to date, accurate, and from a trusted source on which I could act — and vice-versa so that the hospital could act on my trusted word — would help the patient on their journey and would stop me beating my head against a wall.”

DEFINING A NATIONAL ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORD

THE exact nature of the “national electronic health record” is hard to pin down.

It was not long ago that the Federal Government and its e-health taskforce, NEHTA, were talking about building a centralised database containing the health records of all Australians — a prospect that horrified privacy advocates.

But in a media interview a few months ago, NEHTA CEO Peter Fleming said the original vision had been abandoned in favour of “person-controlled records”, which would be quicker to deploy. provider and healthcare organisation.

Much, much more here (if you can access Australian Doctor):

http://www.australiandoctor.com.au/articles/cb/0c066ecb.asp

The key point you find here is in the bold paragraph.

Even journalists covering this story can’t actually work out what is planned. Heavens help the public!

A day or so we then had this after NEHTA tried a sell job on the journalists with a visit to Canberra, some briefings and then a nice meal.

Long road to e-health record rollout

• Karen Dearne
• From: Australian IT
• February 19, 2010 1:55PM

AN updated business case for a national e-health record rollout is being prepared for the Council of Australian Governments, but there is no guarantee the project will be considered this year.

National E-Health Transition Authority chief executive Peter Fleming said the business case for Individual E-Health Records (IEHR) "has been built, and it clearly ties into the government's overall health agenda and recommendations from the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission".

"But (funding) is a COAG decision, and then obviously it is up to government in terms of timing (for rollout)," Mr Fleming said. "I am optimistic the case will go to COAG at some stage this year, but I cannot give you a timing on that."

The original IEHR business case, completed in October 2008, estimated the set-up cost of a national e-health record system at $1.6 billion over four years, but warned Australians would pay a high price for further delays.

.....

In Canberra this week, NEHTA clinical lead Mukesh Haikerwal said the current business case was aimed at creating shared record summaries, rather than "a complete health record with everything available".

.....

Media representatives were given a tour of the Model Health Community set up by NEHTA and Medicare Australia to demonstrate the potential operation of the planned national Healthcare Identifier service, if enabling legislation is passed by federal Parliament.

Under the proposed law, all Australians will be issued with a 16-digit unique e-health identity number, linked to existing Medicare numbers, while all medical providers and healthcare organisations will be given 16-digit electronic identifiers based on professional accreditation and location registries.

No personal health information is to be associated with the identifier, although the service will maintain name, address, date of birth and certain demographic details.

.....

Dr Haikerwal said provider authentication and audit logs of access to individual records would make the system more secure than current practices.

Much more here:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/long-road-to-e-health-record-rollout/story-e6frgakx-1225832211028

I hear that sadly the demonstrations were more like foilware and that the general tone of the discussions with the journalists was sceptical in the extreme – reflecting the earlier take from News Limited and Fairfax reported above..

The bottom line is that no-one knows what the new business case is seeking, no one knows where the HI Service is actually up to and we have some quite confusing things being reported.

It would be a very good idea if NEHTA were to actually put out a detailed release that defines just what is going on, where things are up to and what we can all expect over the next year or two. Right now we are in a NEHTA Media created fog.

On a related topic this appeared a few days ago

Commentary

7:25 AM, 15 Feb 2010

Robert Gottliebsen

More than Canberra can chew

The Peter Garrett insulation bungle is a symptom of a deep public service management problem in Canberra. It has already engulfed Penny Wong and Julia Gillard could be the next victim.

I must emphasise that I am not in the business of excusing ministerial mistakes, and Garrett and Wong could have done a lot better in handling their tasks and they have clear responsibilities under the Westminster system.

Nevertheless, the public service in Canberra is being asked to undertake tasks where it has little experience and that inexperience is contributing to the ministerial bungles. Penny Wong is lucky because opposition leader Tony Abbott is concentrating on the big picture in the emissions trading legislation. If he or his Climate Change Shadow Minister Greg Hunt ever begin to tackle the detail of the emissions trading legislation Penny Wong would be exposed.

.....

Julia Gillard is a brilliant performer and she has handled the problems that have so far arisen in her schools building problem with the professionalism you would expect.

.....

Both Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott are thinking up all sorts of ideas to give the public service in Canberra even more work to do as part of centralisation. Where the public service is operating in areas where it has proven expertise, ministers can look very good. But once the public service moves into new areas, it struggles and so do the ministers.

I know one or two ministers with good departments who regard this as the greatest long-term danger the government faces. What has happened to Peter Garrett – and what would happen to Penny Wong if the opposition focused on the emissions trading legislation detail – is merely a sign-post of what is ahead.

Full article here (registration required)

http://spectator01.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/Penny-Wong-Julia-Gillard-Peter-Garrett-insulation--pd20100215-2NRFN?OpenDocument

Never were truer lines written. We are seeing a national government really struggle with implementation of a lot of programs and from the evidence in front of us both NEHTA and DoHA should be pretty nervous they might be next to be found to not be all that good at program delivery.

We mentioned this issue a few days ago and I am hearing more and more on the topic. Insiders on ABC 1 also mentioned the issue.

See here:

http://aushealthit.blogspot.com/2010/02/life-matters-radio-national-18-february.html

Overall, it looks to me like NEHTA has not only lost effective t control of the HI Service implementation but also it has now lost control of the public debate. That will not be easy to recover from.

David.

AusHealthIT Man Poll Number 9 – Results - 20 February, 2010

The question was:

Should The Health Minister Replace the Departmental Secretary for Failing to Progress e-Health?

Definitely

- 29 (59%)

Probably

- 10 (20%)

Possibly

- 4 (8%)

Not Her Fault

- 6 (12%)

Votes : 49

Comment:

So what we have here is readers giving the Departmental Secretary a distinctly failing grade with a small rump thinking someone else is to blame – Minister Roxon would have to be a strong candidate. All badly need to lift their game in my view. Again the e-Health readership seem to have lost confidence.

Thanks again to all who voted.

David.

Talk About Being Out of Touch with Reality and Practicality.

The following appeared today.

GP standards to include e-health

by Jared Reed

New accreditation standard will mean that GPs may be required to show they are working towards the government's e-health agenda that kicks off later this year with the launch of unique health identifiers (UHI).

A likely addition to the upcoming fourth edition of the RACGP Standards for General Practices will ask GPs to ensure their practice and patient data is coded and de-identified.

But Dr Lynton Hudson, Chair of the college’s National Expert Committee on Standards for General Practices, tells 6minutes that coding itself will be done by software programs and is likely already happening in most practices.

Practices will also need to ask patients for three forms of identification to be checked against the patient’s file, such as proof of name and date of birth, and possibly the patient’s UHI should forthcoming legislation pass through Parliament, Dr Hudson says.

“The three identifiers are important because it’s been shown that that decreases error,” said Dr Hudson.

Lots more here:

http://www.6minutes.com.au/articles/z1/view.asp?id=511635

And can you see every General Practice in the country consuming secretarial and GP time doing all this for the sake of patient identification for no payment or incentive?

As a tired old blogger all I can say is that these people are totally out of touch with what is practical and affordable in GP. As far as specialists and others I suspect they will break down in tears of laughter!

Who on earth thinks this is a good idea? If this is an accurate report the RACGP has really lost it!

David.

NEHTA – The One Year Report Card. Is F minus a Grade?

This appeared just on a year ago.

Peter Fleming, National E-Health Transition Authority, Chief executive

• Karen Dearne
• From: The Australian
• February 17, 2009 12:00AM

A PRAGMATIC approach will lead to success in e-health projects across the country this year, Peter Fleming says.

"There are huge opportunities to leverage what's out there, but in the short term we need to be pragmatic because that varies from state to state and from platform to platform," Fleming says.

"We have a utopian view of standards, but the reality is we need to work with each vendor to understand their capabilities, and start from there."

He is confident several production pilots, presently before NEHTA's board for approval, will begin this year.

"Initially, we're looking at medication management, referrals and discharge summaries because the work we've done on identifiers, security and clinical terminology positions us well in those areas," he says.

"A discharge summary means you need to pass data from hospital systems to the GP's system. So, we'll need to get clinical input on requirements; we'll need to look at the systems that are actually in place; and we'll need to work with the vendors and software suppliers to incrementally get where we want to go.

......

The Council of Australian Governments is to consider this year a business case for a more substantive e-health record program.

Fleming says NEHTA hopes to publish a road map soon, but he emphasises the plan will be iterative.

"To be successful, everyone needs to understand where they fit into the equation, what they need to deliver and when," he says.

A public awareness campaign is also on the agenda.

The Stakeholder Reference Forum, set up last year, brought in consumer representatives along with peak clinical and health IT bodies.

Full Article is here:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/peter-fleming-national-e-health-transition-authority-chief-exe/story-e6frgaj6-1111118872538

So, at 1 year out.

1. No Business Case submitted for whatever the current name is for a shared record – a good thing in my view as we don’t want some half assed proposal dropped on us – as would be the usual NEHTA / DoHA form. I bet this is what happens!

2. No real change or improvement in secure clinical messaging.

3. No progress anyone can see on medication management – and a new specification delivered for Discharge Summaries – so not actually done yet!.

4. The Stakeholder forums meet each quarter – just how good is that and how much does anyone else hear about what went on – and if it was useful.

5. At least we now know what the spin program looks like.

6. Vendor engagement remains rudimentary at best.

We need to tell these people to fall on their swords. They are clearly clueless, can’t implement anything, and need to just melt into the background – and the sooner the better in my view.

David.