Despite significant investment in e-health, practical outcomes are yet to be realised
In classical Fabian tradition, the federal Labor government has embarked on a series of reforms that will have an impact on the welfare of “Australian working families”. The rationale for the health reforms1 has been exhaustively detailed in the reports of the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission2 and the taskforces on the National Preventative Health Strategy3 and National Primary Health Care Strategy.4
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- Medical Journal of Australia, Sydney, NSW.
- 1. Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. A national health and hospitals network for Australia’s future. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia, 2010. http://www.yourhealth.gov.au/internet/yourhealth/publishing.nsf/Content/nhhn-report-toc/$FILE/NHHN%20-%20Full%20report.pdf (accessed Jun 2010).
- 2. National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission. A healthier future for all Australians: final report June 2009. Canberra: Australian Government, 2009. http://www.health.gov.au/internet/nhhrc/publishing.nsf/Content/nhhrc-report (accessed Jun 2010).
- 3. National Preventative Health Taskforce. Australia: the healthiest country by 2020. National Preventative Health Strategy. Canberra: NPHT, 2009. http://www.preventativehealth.org.au/internet/preventativehealth/publishing.nsf/Content/national-preventative-health-strategy-1lp (accessed Jun 2010).
- 4. Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. Building a 21st century primary health care system: Australia’s first National Primary Health Care Strategy. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia, 2010. http://www.yourhealth.gov.au/internet/yourhealth/publishing.nsf/Content/report-primaryhealth (accessed Jun 2010).
- 5. Kidd MR. General practice and the Australian Government’s National Health Reform Plan. Med J Aust 2010; 193: 71-74. <MJA full text>
- 6. World Health Organization. eHealth for health care delivery. http://www.who.int/eht/eHealthHCD/en/index.html (accessed Jun 2010).
- 7. Dearne K. What Labor has to show for e-health spendathon. The Australian 2010; 15 Jun. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/australian-it/opinion/what-labor-has-to-show-for-e-health-spendathon/story-e6frgb0o-1225879672217 (accessed Jun 2010).
- 8. HealthConnect Program Office. HealthConnect Business Architecture version 1.9. November 2004. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, 2004. http://resources.news.com.au/files/2010/06/16/1225880/399529-healthconnect.doc (accessed Jun 2010).
- 9. National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA) [website]. http://www.nehta.gov.au (accessed Jun 2010).
- 10. The Hon Nicola Roxon MP, Minister for Health and Ageing. Healthcare Identifiers: passed by Parliament [media release]. 24 Jun 2010. http://www.health.gov.au/internet/ministers/publishing.nsf/Content/mr-yr10-nr-nr135.htm (accessed Jun 2010).