Softly softly skewers e-health savings

Beverley Head
Tuesday, 12 April 2011 09:40

IT Policy - Government Tech Policy

By insisting on a softly softly approach to electronic health records, the Government has missed out on an opportunity to revolutionise health care in Australia, instead paving the way for a two track national healthcare system for the foreseeable future.

The release this morning of the 135 page draft concept of operations document regarding the use of personally controlled electronic health records (PCEHR), makes clear that individual Australians will be able to choose whether to sign up for the programme, determine who can access the information stored in those records, and withdraw from the system whenever they want.

While civil libertarians may applaud the approach, it will lead to significant problems for healthcare providers which will have to respond to the whim of individual patients. Even if a patient opts into the system, if they later opt out, it will be up to healthcare providers to then scramble to assemble health records for that individual.

Clearly what the Government is hoping, is that the 12 lead sites, which are intended to enrol 500,000 Australians for what amounts to a stress test of the PCEHR system, will provide shining examples of patient benefits, sufficient to encourage other people to sign up for the programme. But it seems a risky approach.

As the concept of operations draft notes; 'Individuals will be able to choose whether or not to have a PCEHR and if they choose to participate they will be able to set their own access controls,' and also withdraw from the programme whenever they like.

The ability to set their own access controls will be a further challenge for healthcare providers.

For example a patient will be able to say yes, their family members can see a record, and yes their GP can too, but no it will not be available to specialists, which blunts the effectiveness of the PCEHR.

How much and by when? read on