FIGURE 5-8: GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE OF THE NATIONAL ‘E-HEALTH ENTITY’

R-3.4 Education and Training

FIGURE 5-8: GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE OF THE NATIONAL ‘E-HEALTH ENTITY’

Education & Training Working Group Investment Investment Investment Coordination Coordination Coordination AHMC

Australian Health Ministers' Conference

AHMAC

E-Health Governing Board

Chair, plus Australian Government, State, Territory government nominees, provider and

consumer representation

National E -Health Entity

Feedback and Priorities Consumer, Provider and Health Manager Communities

Solutions

and

Adoption

Initiative Initiative Initiative

Commonwealth, State and Territory Government Governance Professional Bodies Working Group Consultation Inputs Strategy Investment Regional Governance Local Governance Foundation Work Stream Reference Group Adoption Work Stream Reference Group Other

Foundation _{and Change}Adoption Solutions Execution

E-Health Regulatory Function

Standards Compliance Education & Training Working Group Investment Investment Investment Investment Investment Coordination Coordination Coordination AHMC

Australian Health Ministers' Conference

AHMAC

E-Health Governing Board

Chair, plus Australian Government, State, Territory government nominees, provider and

consumer representation

National E -Health Entity

Feedback and Priorities Consumer, Provider and Health Manager Communities

Solutions

and

Adoption

Initiative Initiative Initiative

Foundation _{and Change}Adoption Solutions Foundation _{and Change}Adoption Solutions

Execution

E-Health Regulatory Function

National E-Health Strategy

The key features of the proposed governance model are as follows:

• Recognition that all Australian Governments, through the Australian Health

Ministers’ Conference (AHMC), have ultimate accountability for national health care funding and the delivery of national health care outcomes.

• Formation of a national E-Health governing board, reporting to the AHMC via AHMAC, chaired by an independent chair and comprised of a mix of Government, care provider, health care manager and consumer representatives. The board will have accountability for setting overall national E-Health direction and priorities, for

reviewing and approving E-Health Strategy and funding decisions and for the monitoring of national E-Health Strategy progress and outcomes.

• Establishment of an E-Health Entity to coordinate and oversee E-Health Strategy, investment and the execution of the national components of the E-Health work program.

• Governance of E-Health initiatives and the delivery of specific E-Health solutions should continue to be undertaken at national, state, territory, regional and local (e.g. hospital, GP practice) levels. The role of the national E-Health Entity in this instance will be to support relevant initiatives with targeted investment funding, to help identify solution leverage and coordination opportunities, to encourage the adoption of quality E-Health solutions and to test the compliance of E-Health solutions with national E-Health standards

• There should be a number of representative stakeholder reference and working groups that provide focussed input in to the strategy, investment and execution functions of the E-Health Entity

• A separate and independent national E-Health regulation function should be established to implement and enforce national E-Health regulatory frameworks. These frameworks should cover topics such as:

• The establishment and implementation of unique health care identifiers for individuals, care providers and care provider organisations

• The integrity, privacy and security of personal health care information • The compliance arrangements for IEHR repository operators.

This function will need to coexist with existing regulatory and privacy bodies and should have an independent reporting relationship to AHMC.

The New ‘National E-Health Entity’

The key responsibilities of the new E-Health Entity will include:

• Review, updating and monitoring of the national E-Health Strategy

• Development of investment cases and management of the deployment of national E- Health investment funds

• Development and maintenance of national E-Health standards

• Management of the delivery of specific national E-Health infrastructure foundations including identification and authentication services and national E-Health standards • Establishment and operation of a national E-Health solution compliance testing and

certification function

• Coordination of national stakeholder adoption, change and training programs • Recommendation and monitoring of stakeholder adoption incentive regimes

• Evaluation and prioritisation of proposed investments in E-Health infrastructure and solutions.

National E-Health Strategy

Deloitte: National E-Health Strategy

In order to fulfil these responsibilities there are a number of discrete functions that need to be supported within the organisational structure of this entity.

Strategy - this function will be responsible for the periodic review and monitoring of E-

Health Strategy outcomes and the development of strategic recommendations and priorities for consideration by the E-Health Governing Board.

Investment - this function will be responsible for the budgeting and tracking of investment

funds associated with implementation of the national E-Health work program. The investment function will also be responsible for development of E-Health investment submissions and business cases for consideration by the E-Health Governing Board.

Execution - this function will be responsible for managing delivery of the national

components of the E-Health work program. This will require a robust program management office to oversee and coordinate specific project initiatives across the foundations, adoption and change and E-Health solutions work streams. The focus of the execution function will be on the delivery of on time and on budget projects, the reporting of project progress, and the management of project dependencies, risks and issues.

Foundations - responsible for the management of the delivery of specific national E-Health foundations and solutions and the establishment and management of outsourced IT service provider arrangements.

Change and Adoption - responsible for the coordination of national stakeholder change and adoption programs and the oversight of changes to national training and professional accreditation programs.

Solutions - responsible for the evaluation of investment cases for high priority E-Health solutions for consideration by the E-Health Governing Board, the monitoring of funded projects and the liaison with vendors to encourage the on-going development of high priority, standards compliant solutions.

Standards Development - this function will be responsible for the definition, maintenance

and enhancement of national E-Health standards. As part of this role, the standards function will be responsible for reviewing and recommending E-Health standards definition priorities for consideration by the E-Health Governing Board, establishing a robust, consistent and inclusive national standards setting process, and liaising with relevant standards setting, national health information and professional bodies. Given the importance of this role, serious consideration should be given to the national E-Health Entity becoming an accredited

Standards Development Organisation (SDO).

Solutions Compliance - this function will be responsible for testing and certifying the

compliance of E-Health software products and solutions with nationally agreed criteria and standards. The compliance function will be responsible for developing criteria for software compliance (in areas such as quality, security and interoperability), defining certification processes and timings, establishing a robust testing function and laboratory, and liaising with vendors and care providers to schedule compliance testing.

It is recommended that these functions are initially created within the one E-Health entity to allow their scope and operating processes to be established in a coordinated manner. Once operation of the functions has been established and matured, consideration can be given to the requirement to separate out those functions that may best operate as separate entities in the longer term.

National E-Health Strategy

In document National E-Health and Information Principal Committee. National E-Health Strategy (Page 64-67)