In what promises to be a boon to local ICT providers, the Federal Government last night unveiled $466 million in spending for national e-health initiatives, spread over the next two years.
A centrepiece of the Rudd Government’s budget, the appropriation is primarily focused on rolling out an integrated nation-wide electronic health records system. Treasurer Wayne Swan stated that “patients and their doctors will have health records at their fingertips”, in an initiative aimed at increasing both the efficiency and the safety of the Australian health system.
The announcement has been greeted positively by the private ICT sector. Lisa Pettigrove, Director of Health for global services provider CSC, noted that “it is great to see the Government’s commitment to e-health as a fundamental part of our country’s health reforms”.
The full scope of e-health developments in Australia remain contingent on further political developments in Canberra, especially regarding the fate of the Healthcare Identification Bill that provides the necessary legislative basis for issuing individual electronic heath records. However, the Budget announcement is indicative of the growing momentum for reforms that could have wide commercial implications for firms looking to do business with the public sector.
In addition, e-health opportunities for the ICT industry continue to proliferate at the local level. In its own budget presented last week, the ACT appropriated $90 million for investment in electronic health initiatives. This echoes the announcement of similar initiatives by NSW Health Minister John Della Bosca, committing over $100 million to the digitalization of records in 250 state hospitals.
