Health Minister Nicola Roxon claimed to frame a law by the middle of the year that would create unique electronic 16-digit health assigned number to each patient and health provider, which will prove to be a vital step towards national electronic health records.
Weiterlesen: Australia: Health ID for each Patient and Health Provider
The federal agency responsible for the rollout yesterday stated that this identity would lessen the risks of exposure to someone’s information.
While every Australian will soon be assigned a 16-digit health ID number, politicians and other "well-known personalities" will be able to take advantage of false identities to stop their records falling into the wrong hands.
The 16-digit health number is a "building block" towards national electronic health records, which will be eventually shared among health professionals.
Weiterlesen: Australia: Health ID cover-up for some exposes risks
Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, the head clinical advisor to the National E-Health Transition Authority, said the identifiers would be patient-controlled and not held on a centralised database.
The Rudd Government needs to boost its leadership and learn from other countries implementing e-health strategies, according to a leading healthcare industry CIO.
Malcolm Thatcher, CIO of Queensland-based Mater Hospital, said the government needs to recognise and implement enablers for e-health, including the management of health identifiers, secure messaging, common terminologies, patient privacy and industry incentives and recognise that e-health is a complex challenge.
Weiterlesen: Australia: Government called on to step up leadership over e-health