1. Connecting for a health-e-future Dr Brian Richards National Director E-Health Implementation Department of Health and Aging

2. Health environment – service delivery rapidly expanding medical knowledge increasingly specialised and complex services multidisciplinary approaches to care new treatment modalities evidence based practice

3. Health environment – health system consumer empowerment and participation (information revolution) – rising expectations focus on efficiency and sustainability of health systems emphasis on outcomes (not just processes) of care quality and safety individuals and populations increasing focus on health financing arrangements (value for money) in light of growing health expenditure

4. Health care – an information industry health care consumers are more active and informed participants in decisions about their care many now expect providers to be ‘on line’ Australian governments are investing in better information systems to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of health service delivery

5. Health care – an information industry common law duty of care is expanding to include information management standards better record-keeping, with recalls, reminders, decision support information sharing within care teams pressure is growing on health providers to utilise information technologies uptake has been patchy to date

6. e-Health as an enabler e-Health is a key enabler of health care reforms, supporting: new models of care (eg care planning) greater autonomy for consumers of health services (consumer empowerment) new models of health care financing (eg enhanced primary care) better health service planning (population health)

7. “Health information technology promises huge benefits, and we need to move quickly across many fronts to capture these benefits. The nation needs to move closer to a national, interoperable health information infrastructure that would allow quick, reliable and secure access to information needed for treatment” The need for investment Tommy Thompson, former US Secretary of Health, May 2004

8. e-Health: what is needed Appreciation of what has been achieved to date Programs of this size and complexity take time Manage expectations and scope Changes of this size and complexity evolve Organisational and individual change management Collaboration, partnerships and agreement Sustainability – systems approach Good will – recognition of benefits

9. e-Health benefits reduce the cost of health care reduce incidence of preventable illness take pressure off hospitals / GPs / community care reduce duplication of treatment and testing reduce hospital readmissions reduce medication error people take more responsibility for their own health more responsive to community need (improved planning)

10. e-Health in the bigger picture

11. HealthConnect a national system of electronic health records a joint initiative of the Australian, State and Territory governments builds on significant regional e-health activity (eg electronic discharge summaries, pathology results etc) based on agreed national standards

12. Trials Implementation and Development HealthConnect trials and implementation Townsville Brisbane Rural Hunter West Sydney Launceston Hobart Katherine Victoria Adelaide

13. HealthConnect: evaluation lessons learned technically challenging but possible keep consent simple challenge to change business process – adoption easier if it fits with existing process need a critical mass of consumers and providers to efficiently deliver benefits greatest value for providers in ‘new’ information to support coordinated care

14. HealthConnect: messages from stakeholders focus on people, not just technology build on existing processes, relationships, capabilities and infrastructure implement according to regional priorities partnership approach to change management converge towards common national standards harvest benefits progressively

15. HealthConnect stages 2000 20052010

16. Focus on benefits 2000 20052010

17. Not just a technical issue

18. Change management

19. E-health: recent developments National e-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA) formed by Health Ministers in July 2004 to develop priority national e-health standards Dr Ian Reinecke appointed CEO (October 2004) Ministers extended term of NEHTA (January 2005)

20. Standards Physician & hospital buyers What to buy Established vendors How to grow markets Innovators What products to develop Investors Where to invest capital Policymakers How to protect public interest

21. HealthConnect: recent developments December 2004 December 2004 DoHA reviewed the HealthConnect implementation approach and re-assessed roles and responsibilities DoHA reviewed the HealthConnect implementation approach and re-assessed roles and responsibilities January 2005 January 2005 National Director of e-Health Implementation appointed National Director of e-Health Implementation appointed March 2005 March 2005 Revised implementation plan Revised implementation plan

22. Implementation philosophy Investment strategy & stakeholder relations (Governments) National standards (NeHTA) Development & marketing (Industry)

23. In summary Health care is a complex, information-intensive industry E-Health is a key enabler for improving health care efficiency and effectiveness Key outcome measure is consumer benefit (better information, better health outcomes) HealthConnect implementation is a change management issue, not just a technological challenge Focus on a standards-led approach

24. Questions and Discussion

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