Check out the errm... success... of the "National Programme for IT" for the NHS (National Health Service) in the UK. Biggest IT project in Europe I think - initial estimates were £6bn, current estimates are about £30bn (and we have about a quarter of the population of the US). Nobody's happy except the managers and IT staff (to some degree). My personal view is that the initial consultation with end users wasn't good enough so doctors are refusing to take on the new systems. However, as we've tried it and cocked it up, maybe the US can learn from our errors and do it better. I personally think it is valuable project.
________________________________ From: David Lum [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Mon 12/01/2009 15:32 To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: RE: Would this be good for IT, or what? (UNCLASSIFIED) +1 times ten! We'll spend thousands sending out kids to college but never teach them the basics of money and not using credit for anything but a house. My parents didn't teach me that, it took me over 40 years (until Feb of last year) to really "get it" (thank you Dave Ramsey). Funny the things we think we *need* to have. Pretty sure 99% of these items our ancestors got along just fine without. Veering nearer to back on topic, adding the need for several thousand IT jobs can't be a bad thing, but I am interested in hearing from IT guys in the healthcare industry what obstacles need to be overcome. It's one thing to say "digitize healthcare records", another entire to pull it off - there must be dozens of little "gotcha's". David Lum // SYSTEMS ENGINEER NORTHWEST EVALUATION ASSOCIATION (Desk) 971.222.1025 // (Cell) 503.267.9764 -----Original Message----- From: Ben Scott [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, January 12, 2009 7:22 AM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: Re: Would this be good for IT, or what? (UNCLASSIFIED) On Mon, Jan 12, 2009 at 10:07 AM, Kent, Larry CTR USA IMCOM <[email protected]> wrote: > This is more the reality... > http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2009/pf/0901/gallery.layoffs_and_salary_cuts/index.html "I've had to budget everything from food to when I go to the dry cleaners..." A budget? Heaven forbid. </SARCASM> And people wonder why the economy crashed. It's because this entire country -- from this former "Media Relations" marketroid to high-level execs (auto industry, banking industry, I'm looking at you) -- are not in the habit of keeping track of where the money is going. In the interests of honesty: I'm not excepting myself from the above criticism. -- Ben ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ Internet communications are not secure and therefore Leonard Cheshire Disability does not accept any liability for the content of this message. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Leonard Cheshire Disability. If you have received this transmission in error, please contact the sender and delete it immediately. Leonard Cheshire Disability is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England no: 552847, and a registered charity no: 218186 (England & Wales) and no: SC005117 (Scotland) VAT no: 899 3223 75. Registered office: 66 South Lambeth Road, London, SW8 1RL. ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~
