US to launch complaint tracking system for health service: The US health department is set to launch a national system for tracking complaints about health care providers and services. The Health and Human Services Department plans to unveil in October the Aspen Complaints/Incidents Tracking System (ACTS), which will record and manage all complaints made about Medicare and Medicaid services and suppliers. HHS officials said that the new system aims to eliminate the duplication of data collection and to help the agency to prioritise complaints. "ACTS will standardise reported complaints and incidents so that states can also use the information for licensing and accreditation," said a spokesperson for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The agency also said the system had built-in security measures to protect sensitive data pertaining to patients.
Americans shun government sites during emergencies: study: Americans would not use government Web sites as a primary source of information in the event of a terrorist attack, according to a new survey. The study of around 1,000 adults, conducted by Federal Computer Week and the Pew Internet & American Life Project, found that only 3 percent of respondents would visit a government Web site before using news media for information on a terrorist incident. Fifty-seven percent of those polled said they would turn to television first during an emergency, while 15 percent said they would use radio as their initial source of information. Even avid Internet users said they would favour TV and radio sources over the Web. Nonetheless, 71 percent of survey respondents said they trusted the government to provide accurate and useful information in the event of an attack.
Denmark celebrates launch of e-Day: The Danish government celebrated "e-Day" on 1 September, an initiative aimed at promoting electronic communication between central and local government organisations. From that date on, all of Denmark's 379 public administrations are obliged to exchange information in electronic format, with the exception of documents that are deemed to be sensitive for privacy or security reasons. The scheme is expected to generate savings of about EUR25 million in the first year and to save 300 tonnes in paper, according to the Ministry of Finance. It is hoped that eventually at least 75 percent of all internal government correspondence will be conducted electronically. The initiative forms part of Denmark's strategy for e-government, which aims to systematically use digital technologies in order to encourage new ways of thinking and to transform organisations and processes to improve the quality of services.
Malaysia plans to boost broadband penetration: The government of Malaysia is preparing a national broadband master plan, in the hope of boosting penetration levels in the country. According to media reports, the Minister for Energy, Communications and Multimedia, Datuk Amar Leo Moggie, has said that the government is aiming for a 50 percent broadband penetration rate by 2007. The current level of high-speed Internet penetration is below 1 percent, with only around 30,000 of Malaysia's 22 million people having access to broadband. The minister said the rollout of broadband was essential in order to support an e-learning initiative that will be implemented in nearly 400 schools by 2005. "Since e-learning is network-based, the most obvious requirement is accessibility," said Moggie. The government's broadband master plan will reportedly be published by the end of this year.
Hitachi to set up e-government joint venture: Japanese electronics maker Hitachi has announced that it is to establish a joint venture with the Beijing University of Technology in order to develop technologies for China's e-government programme. The joint venture, to be set up in October, will be known as Hitachi Beijing Tech Information Systems Co. According to Hitachi, which will hold a 50 percent equity stake in the company, the venture will have an initial capital of YEN100 million (EUR797,760) and a staff of 30. A 40 percent stake will be controlled by the business arm of Beijing University of Technology, while the remaining 10 percent will be held by Hitachi (China) Investment Ltd. The joint venture will develop technologies and products for China's e-government initiatives, based on Hitachi's experience in the Japanese e-government market.
Quelle: Electric News Net
