Acting chief executive Andrew Howard said NEHTA would adopt a different focus over the next 12 months.
"When I joined in April, my impression was of an organisation that had spent 2.5 years not delivering anything, that had no runs on the board and I was concerned it was a theoretical organisation with no understanding of the health industry," Mr Howard told the Health-e-Nation conference in Melbourne this week.
"That was misguided. When I pulled back the covers and started working with individuals, I found an organisation that was extremely passionate about the nation's healthcare system, and had actually delivered things, but these hadn't been pushed out into industry and people hadn't seen the fruits of their labour being adopted in the marketplace.
"So I'm putting forward a program that allows us to actually engage with the sector and pushing those deliverables out there for adoption."
Mr Howard said reports that stakeholders taking part in recent reference forums had been "gagged" were untrue.
"In fact, having participants sign non-disclosure agreements means we are able to share NEHTA's inner workings -- all the way to business cases, financial budgets and work programs - with them," he said. "Our intention is to give a greater voice and power to these parties.
"Naturally, NEHTA is a (not-for-profit) company, the owners are the governments of the nation, but there are directors that have direct liabilities just like any other company director. Managing those responsibilities means we have to have these constraints."
Mr Howard will hand over his role to incoming chief executive, Peter Fleming, at the end of this month, and will return to his position as chief information officer of Victoria's Department of Human Services.
Former president of the Australian Medical Association and Melbourne GP Mukesh Haikerwal told the conference he had similar concerns when he was appointed to lead NEHTA's clinical program last October, by previous chief executive Ian Reinecke.
"My introduction was also one of negativity but I, too, found some really good people doing excellent work, with a real willingness to hear and move on, and make sure they're reflecting the needs of the whole community," Dr Haikerwal said.
"My role is to raise awareness among clinical people of what's going on, and get them to engage in the process. In reality, some runs had to be put on the board (first) so there was something we could go out and talk about."
Dr Haikerwal said there were so many issues in healthcare that e-health - although a key enabler for improvements - was often left in the background.
"We do need technology to make the health system work better - electronic health systems are a key piece of public infrastructure," he said. "But it's not going to eventuate without drivers and incentives that will mould a secure environment for the sharing of sensitive health information.
"So we do need a framework and standards, and we need to encourage people to see the benefits of change. We also need to make sure the arguments are wisely made to implement that change, and allow us to grow into the new system."
---
Autor(en)/Author(s): Karen Dearne
Quelle/Source: Australian IT , 05.09.2008
