Late lastweek we had this really ‘puff-piece’ press release appear.
Launch of Health Implementation Plan
The plan chartingthe path for national health reform implementation has been released byMinister for Health and Ageing Nicola Roxon.
7September 2011
Theplan charting the path for national health reform implementation was releasedtoday by Minister for Health and Ageing Nicola Roxon.
"TheImplementation Plan shows how the benefits of health reform—increasing thesustainability of public hospitals, delivering unprecedented levels oftransparency and accountability, less waste and significantly less waiting forpatients—will be achieved.
“Itbuilds on the extensive progress that has already been made in the past 18months by consumers, clinicians and governments in achieving health reform.
"Tosupport national health reform, the Commonwealth has committed $66.6 billion inkey new health spending measures since 2007. At least $19.8 billion of thiswill provide more beds and better care in our hospitals over the next decade.
“TheImplementation Plan outlines the plans and milestones to be met in achievinghealth reform in: hospitals, GP and primary care, aged care, mental health,national standards and performance, workforce, prevention and eHealth.
“Forexample, the plan outlines in detail the different components of the $2.2billion package of mental health reforms announced by the Commonwealth.
“Workalso continues to establish the National Health Performance Authority and theIndependent Hospital Pricing Authority as the Commonwealth successfully movesits health reform Bills through the Parliament.
"NationalHealth Reform: Progress and Delivery demonstrates the significantprogress in implementing health reform that has already been made,” Ms Roxonsaid.
Thereis then a list of achievements (not mentioning e-Health) that can be foundhere:
You candownload the 72 page document from this direct link.
E-Healthcoverage begins on Page 58.
Stream 8 - eHealth.
Here is theoverview provided
Overview
The Commonwealth Government recognises the significantvalue of eHealth in underpinning the agile, patient-centred health system thatnational health reform aims to facilitate.
This recognition of the importance of eHealth has beenmarked with two landmark investments. The first, $467 million over 2010–11 to2011–12, will deliver the key national components of an electronic health recordsystem, so that all Australians who choose to
can have access to a personally controlled electronic healthrecord (PCEHR). Over time this investment will deliver substantial benefits toconsumers and the health system by reducing the potential for medication errorsand duplication of tests.
The Government will also invest $621 million over fiveyears to support and expand telehealth services. This initiative is intended toaddress some of the barriers to access to medical services, and specialist services.In particular, this will benefit Australians in remote, regional and outermetropolitan areas.
Together with the Government’s investments in the NationalBroadband Network, these investments will begin to enable consumers to be moreactive in their health care management, regardless of where they live or whenthey seek care.
Pages 63and 64 provide an overview implementation plan with costing.
This isreally remarkable as it:
1. Showsthe money really does stop June 30, 2012 - just before you are meant to be ableto sign up for a PCEHR.
2. ThatStandards to be used in the PCEHR system are yet to be sorted out - which makesone wonder just how all the Wave 1 and Wave 2 sites will glue together, if atall. I note the MSIA as saying in The Australian that the PCEHR is a ‘standardsfree zone’.
3.Governance is coming much later - so anyone who tells this system anythingabout themselves is really taking a risk regarding what may happen to theirinformation!
And so itgoes on. I leave it as an exercise for the reader to rate the chances of allthis actually working and working out!
Already weknow the Standards work is badly delayed due to the delays in having DoHA andStandards Australia agree on a new contract. This only happened a day or so ago- 2.5 months late!
David.
