Letter to the Opposition Leader on the Economic and Social Importance of Investing in National E-Health Infrastructure
17 August 2010
June 2010
Transforming the way in which patient and health system information is collected, stored and accessed is fundamental to meeting many challenges within the healthcare sector.
A nationally integrated e-health system offers perhaps the greatest potential for improving the productivity of the system – and its performance for patients – than any other reform available at present.
The letter, to Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, urges the Opposition to support the Healthcare Identifiers Bill and the investments in national infrastructure for e-health.
The letter highlights why transforming information management in the health sector will:
- improve the efficiency and productivity of the sector, and
- improve the safety of patients, in some cases with life-saving benefits.
In the letter, Business Council of Australia Chief Executive Katie Lahey expresses disappointment in the Opposition’s decision to oppose funding allocated to e-health in the 2010–11 Budget.
Ms Lahey expresses concern about indications that the Opposition may seek to amend and even delay the Healthcare Identifiers Bill, without which the whole national infrastructure for e-health is jeopardised.
Read or download the BCA CEO’s letter to Opposition Leader Tony Abbott below.
The BCA also wrote to the Shadow Minister for Health, the Honourable Peter Dutton, on the importance of national leadership to bring about a nationally integrated e-health system.