Fast-tracking health reform through e-health

Following a limited response at COAG to eHealth, the Coalition for eHealth Australia (CHA) has written to the Prime Minister urgently requesting a 'fast-tracking of health reform through e-health'. CHA's suggested approach is to resource and implement the National E-Health Strategy as a matter of urgency.

The letter touched on four key themes already identified in the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commissioner's report:

1. Taking responsibility - Better consumer information, assisting patients and their families, supporting use of personal health records etc

2. Connecting care - Secure, effective and efficient sharing / dissemination of clinical histories, care giver referrals, prescriptions, medications etc

3. Facing inequalities - Faster, more effective identification of gaps and reallocation of resources and services

4. Driving quality performance - Infrastructure for real-time performance review and analysis

Full report in January's IT:informer.