Archived News for Health Sector Professionals
Australia's peak doctors' group has called on the federal government not to forego mental health for disaster funding.
The group wants mental health funding of $5 billion over the next four years despite pressure on the budget caused by recent natural disasters.
The Australian Medical Association says Labor's response to the growing crisis in mental health has been inadequate to date.
Smartphones to assist in health service delivery
While e-health has to date largely focused on doctor-patient videoconferencing over fibre networks, wireless-enabled smartphones could soon grow to become the health service delivery platform of choice for many Australians, according to the CSIRO.
Department of Defence to revamp health records
The Australian Department of Defence plans to revamp its health records with a $5 million dollar electronic system.
Defence has chosen global service provider CSC for a five-year IT contract to develop and implement an electronic health (eHealth) information system.
After winning the contract through a tender process, CSC will deliver a centralised, web-accessible, military specific, primary care solution known as EMIS into the Defence’s IT environment.
The system will be known as the Joint eHealth Data and Information (JeHDI) system.
Along with selected partners, CSC will also provide application hosting, IT support services, organisational change, communication, training and project management.
Defence commander Joint Health, major general Paul Alexander said the JeHDI system will hep provide high-quality healthcare that supports ADF members within Australia.
“The JeHDI system will not only provide an eHealth record for all personnel, but also give the Department of Defence the ability to map health related trends of the ADF and derive financial reports on its healthcare costs,” he said.
JeHDI represents one of the first comprehensive eHealth record projects across Australia and will support the needs of modernising the Defence organisation.
NSW funds medical research facilities
The NSW Government has announced funding of $16 million for two major medical research initiatives.
National Health Reforms agreed to at COAG
State governments have embraced a new hospital funding deal that the federal opposition says will do nothing to help Australia's ailing public health system.