In a doorstop interview at the launch of a model e-health display in Parliament House yesterday (MON), Ms Roxon replied "no" when asked if there would be a special Medicare rebate for doctors using a new $500 million nationwide patient electronic record system due to start next July 1.
"Look, we're not contemplating a special rebate," she said. "I'm sure that over time there'll be all sorts of different options and requests and they'll be considered as they come."
Ms Roxon said many doctors already use computerised systems to create electronic records.
"Our challenge, and what we're funding, is to make the system as simple as possible for people to use," she said.
"We are convinced that health professionals and patients understand the value of adopting this."
Ms Roxon said the government's commitment was to fund the IT infrastructure.
"It's not to fund each and every bit of a general practice or any type of health practice, which is going to constantly update itself and want to keep up with modern technology," she said.
Ms Roxon repeated her commitment to having a fully operational personally controlled e-health system by her July deadline.
"I am very confident that the hard work of many people means that if Australians choose to sign up for an e-health record next year, they'll be able to, and that the health professionals will be well trained and well supported to do that," she said.
But the minister conceded the system "would not necessarily cope with the creation of a health summary for each and every patient on the first day".
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Karen Dearne
Quelle/Source: Australian IT, 13.09.2011
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