e-Health on the way

The first step in creating an e-Health system will be taken mid-year when unique healthcare identifiers are assigned to all health consumers as well as to health professionals and the organisations that provide health care in Australia. The system will handle electronic health records, medications-management systems and electronic clinical messaging (discharge, referrals, pathology, and prescriptions) which may be useful when patients are being cared for by multiple providers.
The unique healthcare identifiers will be available on a secure system, operated by Medicare Australia. These identifiers will be provided in addition to Medicare numbers, as a further step to ensure the security of the system.
Health Minister Nicola Roxon made this announcement today after visiting Medicare Australia to see how the system was being developed and meeting with e-Health organisations and professionals.
Some $218 million is funding the National E-Health Transition Authority to 2012.
People can contribute to the debate on the health system via the yourHealth.gov.au website and can comment on the Healthcare Identifiers Bill 2010 using www.health.gov.au/ehealth/consultation. This legislation will be introduced in the first half of this year.