The Australian General Practice Network wants $3.6 million for an immediate national rollout of the Argus secure clinical messaging system to link doctors, hospitals, laboratories and pharmacies.
"Despite recognition in most other advanced countries of the need for investment in and the use of IT in the health sector, Australia sits without a plan for how it will deliver its e-health future," HISA said in a pre-Budget submission prepared for the federal Treasurer, Wayne Swan.
An electronic system accessible via a website is expected to be in place by early 2009.
Under the new "e-health" system, patients will be given a unique number to allow them, their doctor and other health specialists to access their medical history.
The service is designed to improve the transfer of patient information between health providers.
It will identify a person's name, date of birth, address and the names of their practitioners, and is the first step towards establishing a shared electronic health records system.
Weiterlesen: Australia: Contract signed for national health ID system
New Zealand’s health IT strategies and policies are seemingly confused and ineffective, says HealthLink chief executive Tom Bowden.
In a wide-ranging document addressed to “health IT opinion leaders”, he is severely critical of government, though he doesn’t single out any one government agency for criticism.
Weiterlesen: Australia: Health IT strategies and policies are ineffective, says HealthLink