1. Aligning Health Information Standards Development with the National eHealth Agenda HEALTH INFORMATION MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED 26 September 2008 Dr Chris Mount Director Clinical Communications eHealth Primary and Ambulatory Care Division

2. Agenda An overview of eHealth Challenges and Issues Key Priorities Current eHealth Activity Standards

3. Why eHealth? eHealth is an enabler not an end in itself Improved safety and quality outcomes Improved clinical and administrative decision-making Optimal health care delivery Health system efficiency

4. Knowledge Management (Creation through research and dissemination through education and electronic decision support) Smart requesting Online Clinical knowledge resources Clinical Practice Guidelines Evidence-based shared care tools Research Online education services Infrastructure Services (UHI, Terminology, User Authentication, Conformance and Accreditation) Individual EHR (PHRs and SEHRs National, Regional, Local, Population specific) Clinical Information Systems (GP Desktops, Hospital systems, Laboratory services, Pharmacy systems) Monitoring and Surveillance (eg eClinical Registries) Secure Information Exchange (Referral, Prescriptions, Discharge, Orders, Results, Reports, Notifications, Bookings) eBusiness Systems (Booking, scheduling, claiming, billing, finance, HR, asset management) Governance Standards Data, structured documents, terminology, classifications Identity, security, information exchange Regulation Workforce

5. Challenges and Issues Enabling the whole system including allied health and primary care Supporting a consumer focused approach Primary care systems that can reliably handle electronic transfer of information Change management and business processes Technology is sometimes ahead of the required change process (i.e. digital diagnostic imaging) Clinical services within RACFs and connectivity to primary and acute care

6. Key Priorities for a national approach to eHealth Governance Regulation Workforce Unique identifiers Data & terminology standards Exchange of clinical information Individual Electronic Health Records

7. Current eHealth Activity The National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA) has the task of developing standards and key infrastructure –i.e. UHI, supply chain, standards and terminology, IEHR Regulation – Privacy, UHI, oversight Incentives for technology uptake –eg PIP Research, development and prototyping implementation of the IEHR, point to point messaging enabling clinical communications –i.e. ePrescribing, web based care planning, IEHR trial AHMAC has approved the development of an eHealth Strategy and implementation plan to be managed by the National E-Health Information Principle Committee (NEHIPC)

8. Standards Two problems with current standards for information exchange –Lack of detailed implementation guides ○Standards often allow more than one way to do something –Lack of business need for their adoption ○Which would force implementation issues to be addressed Standards exist but have not been effectively used

9. Standards Work of NEHTA and Standards Australia is now coming together –Standards Australia IT-014 Health Informatics Committee focussed on current use –NEHTA has been focussed on the future NEHTA implementation activities are bridging the gap –National eHealth Strategy will clarify priorities for standards development

10. In Conclusion eHealth is an enabler of improved health service delivery, not an end in itself National eHealth Strategy will determine the next steps

11. Questions ?