These two articles appeared in the last few days.
Numbers for eHealth lagging
By Tim Barlass
Feb. 17, 2013, midnight
THE federal government's controversial eHealth system to get the nation's medical records available online has had a dismal uptake from the public and the medical profession.
The scheme has been compared to the government's bungled roof insulation system by the Coalition's eHealth spokesman, Andrew Southcott, who called it ''Pink Batts on steroids''.
The eHealth scheme was launched with fanfare in July, with an advertising truck touring Australia to encourage 500,000 people to register in the first year. The Health Minister, Tanya Plibersek, declared: ''We estimate eHealth will save the federal government around $11 billion over 15 years. That's pretty good bang for your buck.''
But the bang appears to have turned to a fizzle after a parliamentary estimates committee was told that only 56,761 people had registered.
Mr Southcott said that of 560,000 health practitioners nationwide, 1325 had registered.
More here:
(Note: there are copies of this all over the web as it is syndicated by Rural Press - part of Fairfax)
This comment is pretty telling:
“Mr Southcott said: ''We are three years down the track with almost $1 billion spent and nothing to show for it. It's Pink Batts on steroids.''
Second we have this:
Doctors shun e-health records scheme
- SUE DUNLEVY
- News Limited Network
- February 14, 2013
LESS than 1 per cent of the nation's health practitioners have signed up to the $1 billion e-health scheme aimed at providing patients with electronic records of their medicines, test results and medicines.
And the 56,000 patients who have registered for a record are getting nothing, because doctors can't yet upload their health details.
The Personally Controlled e-Health record went live eight months ago in July, but most doctors still can't use it even though their software has been updated.
One GP told News Limited he crashed the entire computer system for practice when he tried to upload just one e-health record.
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"After almost a billion dollars spent on the PCEHR, it defies belief how little progress has been made," he said.
Bureaucrats confirmed they were racing to get legal advice after a US e-health company MyMedicalRecords.com said it was investigating whether the Australian government had infringed its patents.
More here:
The comments seem rather well informed.
Comments (3)
- Brent of Adelaide Posted at 12:38 PM February 15, 2013
Yet another failure by the Labor Government. It's a dumb idea and will continue to fail spectacularly. With no load on the system it crashes, what will happen when/if they double up the usage? That would still be less than 2% of medical professionals and 0.5% of patients.
- JG of adelaide Posted at 8:05 AM February 15, 2013
1 billion plus, & the system still isn't totally online & performing. Then it turns out there may be copyright issues. This is just one more in a long list of "stuff ups" & incompetence from this government. Its beyond belief that anyone would consider voting them back! Its going to take more than a generation, & some major finacial pain for this country to return to any level of finacial success! Role on September.
- Tired & Grumpy Rural Doc of Yorke Peninsula Posted at 7:06 AM February 15, 2013
Given the bungles with the UKs NHS 'spine' eRecords system, can you blame docs for being suspicious. The last thing anyone wants is confidential medical info plastered over the net, or unauthorised access. There will be advantages to a PCEHR...but the system is not ready. So that is a billion wasted by Govt...who refuse to listen to the doctors. Madness.
The bottom line of all this seems to be building concern and increasing awareness of the fact that the NEHRS is not delivering as promised and an increasing level of publicity - after a considerable period of distinct media ‘stillness’ - which is quite telling.
The outcome of the MMRGlobal patent review may also be relevant in terms of raising awareness of the NEHRS and its current situation and prospects.
With an election only seven months away I suspect the time to get weaving fixing all these issues has already passed.
We are likely to have a pretty interesting six months I reckon.
David.
