Why clinicians don’t like national e-health
If a recent survey by Australian Doctor is anything to go by, many general practitioners (GPs) across the country don’t want to participate in the challenged national e-health program.
If a recent survey by Australian Doctor is anything to go by, many general practitioners (GPs) across the country don’t want to participate in the challenged national e-health program.
The national e-health initiative is missing its take-up targets. According to a report last month in The Australian, the federal government hoped to see 500,000 Australians with a personally-controlled electronic health record (PCEHR) by July, but as of early March there were only 73,648 consumer registrations.
The concept of a Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record (PCEHR) might be the correct political tactic to address ethical concerns around the confidentiality, consent and involvement of healthcare providers in accessing electronic health records.
Over the past five years, the government and industry have developed legislation and standards that enable healthcare institutions to effectively share electronic health data.
Australia’s national e-health program has come under scrutiny in recent months due to early teething problems, the laborious process of registering for the service and the lack of incentives for private care participation.