Hi David,
From an organisation we are all paying for...why not?
Cheers
David
---- Dr David G More MB, PhD, FACHI Phone +61-2-9438-2851 Fax +61-2-9906-7038 Skype Username : davidgmore E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] HealthIT Blog - www.aushealthit.blogspot.com On Thu, 2 Nov 2006 13:02:05 +0530, David de Bhál wrote:
> Did you REALLY expect full and frank disclosure?
>
>
> David de Bhál
> www.v-practice.com
> ________________________________
>
>
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Aus HIT Man
> Sent: Thursday, November 02, 2006 10:23 AM
> To: General Practice Computing Group Talk
> Subject: [GPCG_TALK] [Australian Health Information Technology] NEHTAsAnnual Report What We are Not Being Told!
>
>
> The Australian National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA) (The peak government e-health entity) released its 2005-06 Annual Report a couple of days ago.
> It is an impressive 24 page document that is clearly designed to let us know as little as possible about what is going on. A good two pages are wasted, at
> least, on the smiling faces of the directors and CEO for example rather than some useful information (Indeed we get two identical photos of the chairperson
> just different sizes!).
>
> The document contains riveting information on the organisational structure of NEHTA, two puff pieces (from the chairperson and CEO) saying what a success it
> has been so far, two and a half pages outlining all the stakeholders who have been engaged with, and a two page 2006 6 update of all the projects they
> are undertaking.
>
> The rest of the document gives is a graph of the exponential recruitment process (to now about sixty people) and two pages of guff on directorial movements
> and changes.
>
> It then concludes with the usual statements of audit independence and a concise financial report the real report seems to be secret and an auditors
> statement that the accounts are unqualified and accurate. (This takes seven pages with only two pages of figures provided).
>
> The 24 page report thus provides a totally inadequate two page report on what NEHTA has achieved with the almost $10 million it has spent this financial year.
>
> Those interested can access the report at the following URL.
>
>
> As with all such documents it is not what is in the document, but what is left out that really matters.
>
> Left out is enunciation of any real e-Health Vision or Strategy for Australia.
>
> Left out is any indication of how the interoperation between the Private (read the GP, investigative and Specialist sectors), and the Public Health System is
> going to or could be made to work.
>
> Left out are any performance measures and any statements as to how NEHTA is performing against these benchmarks.
>
> Left out is any analysis of the business risks faced by NEHTA especially those around not being able to get funding for the Shared Electronic Health Record
> and what would then be done with all this work.
>
> Left out is any clear forward plan as to just what is to be delivered and when with a staff of 38 then and 60 now most having project management skills
> one wonders why? (All there are a statements that some things have to be done by mid 2008 and others by mid 2009 all a long way off compared with the pace
> we see in the US and the UK right now!)
>
> Left out is any explanation of just what a little over $1.7 million spent on administration has achieved. Given that the total operational expenses were a
> little over $9 million it would seem a lot was spent administering.
>
> Left out is any listing of, or rationale for the selection of, the clinicians and consumer representatives who have been consulted with a small number of
> time.
>
> Left out is any evidence of a single improved clinical outcome or improved information flow to result from NEHTAs two years of work so far.
>
> Left out is why $7 million plus of member contributions were not spent this financial year. Work in this are is urgent and the opportunity cost of inactivity
> is high. Why so slow to get moving when the funds are available?
>
> Left out is an explanation of the $4.5 million in receivables at the end of the year which is mostly members contributions owing. Seems some States are not
> paying promptly?
>
> Among the interesting tit-bits to be found in the report are the following quotes:
>
> The company operates predominantly in one business and geographical segment being the development of methods to electronically collect and securely exchange
> health information throughout Australia. (p21). Its nice to know what they are meant to be doing at least!
>
> The full financial report is available to Members free of charge upon request. (p20). That means we want to keep the public away I would suggest the
> members being the jurisdictional CEOs are to be the only ones who know what is going on!.
>
> NEHTA believes it is exempt from income tax as a public authority for the purposes of s.50-25 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997. This assessment will be
> confirmed by an application for a private ruling from the Australian Taxation Office during the 2006 - 07 financial year. (p20). One is amazed this has not
> been sorted out by this but delay is consistent with the apparent slowness of the organisation getting ramped up in general.
>
> The companys major liability of trade and other payables ($3,086,023) comprises goods and services tax payable on member contributions and general trade
> payables. I really wonder why NEHTA would pay GST on its member contributions they are grants from State to Federal Governments are they not?
>
> I know bureaucrats thrive on letting nothing out that could result and any controversy or criticism but this so called Annual Report has set a new bar
> for obfuscation and concealment.
>
> NEHTA is a publicly funded entity which has now expended well over $20 million in its initial and now corporate manifestations. The public is entitled to a
> much clearer statement of just what has been achieved and what is planned in my view.
>
> The total lack of any sense of the need to provide more than the scantiest accountability or openly discuss and consult on future plans and directions is
> amazingly arrogant and borders on a scandal.
>
> David.
>
> --
> Posted by Aus HIT Man to Australian Health Information Technology at 11/02/2006 03:48:00 PM
>
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