Vendors line up for slice of ehealth pie

Beverley Head
Tuesday, 22 February 2011 15:58

IT Policy - Government Tech Policy

With the clock ticking on its race to spend $467 million of Government funds by June next year the National E-Health Transition Authority (Nehta) is close to announcing the composition of its first vendor panel, nominating the companies which will be involved in the first of its e-health implementations.

Nehta signed a contract with the Government on the last day of 2010 which defines its role during the e-health implementation programme as the Commonwealth's managing agent, seeing it oversee the spending of the $467 million.

Speaking at an Australian Information Industry Association e-health update in Sydney, Lisa Smith, head of implementation for Nehta, said the first vendor panel was likely to be announced in March.

Australia's progress toward a national e-health system has been fraught with controversy and slow. Six years after Nehta was first established there are many in the IT and health sectors who question its slow progress and opacity.

However as the first implementation sites are rolled out more clarity is anticipated.

The first wave of Nehta implementations will be in three GP practice groups in Brisbane, the Hunter district of NSW and Melbourne East. Contracts were signed with those first wave sites at the end of January according to Ms Smith.

Detail on exactly what is likely to be implemented in each of the first wave sites remains scant, although it will be components of the planned personally controlled ehealth record (PCEHR).