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:
https://www.hospitalhealth.com.au/content/technology/news/digital-health-focus-on-interoperability-collaboration-bolstered-with-national-strategy-828235392
Here is the official link:
National Digital Health Strategy
About the
strategy and roadmap
Australia's
National Digital Health Strategy is a
5-year plan
that sets the vision and pathway for our digital health future.
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.