e-Health "front and centre"

Opening the conference in her first appearance at an e-Health industry forum, the Federal Minister for Health and Ageing, The Hon Nicola Roxon MP said health IT was now “at the front and centre” of the new blueprint for health reform. “I, and the Government, are well aware of the potential benefits and importance of e-health and we’ve already taken action in this area – this work will not be halted,” said Ms Roxon.

The Rudd Government is determined the Commonwealth has a major role to play in driving the rollout of e-Health. “With the States we have already committed to funding of $208 million over next three years for the foundation work being done by the National E-Health Transition Authority and my department is working closely with NEHTA on e-prescribing, e-pathology, e-referrals and e-discharge,” Ms Roxon said. Ms Roxon was joined by Australian Medical Association President, Dr Andrew Pesce and other eminent leaders from Australia and overseas for the conference.

CHIK Services, a not-for-profit company, connects thought leaders from government, health and the health IT industry to stimulate new thinking and approaches to health reform enabled by smart digital technologies. Sally Glass, Managing Director of CHIK Services, and also a nurse and Information Technology specialist said, “Australia is at an historic tipping point for health system reform. Clinicians do a great job now to deliver quality care despite the inadequacies of the current system. With a shrinking and ageing health workforce struggling under increased demands I am a firm believer that we need to think outside the box and be smarter in our use of information and communications technology in health.”

At the exhibition, which was held in conjunction with the conference, some sixty leading health IT companies were represented.

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