Reports

Irish Medical Devices Association (IMDA) publishes Yearbook 2010

Feb 2011

IMDA published at the end of last year its Yearbook 2010 providing an in-depth review of the positive progress made by the association on its 2010 priorities.
The report not only demonstrates the good progress but also summarizes IMDA’s key activities around innovation, operational excellence, convergence, marketing, regulation and skills development (all core to its agenda throughout the year).

The Yearbook also details how the association has been collaborating with Government departments, development agencies, the clinical community and regulators..
Ireland’s MedTech sector has evolved into one of the leading clusters for medical device and diagnostic products globally.

Ireland is now the second largest exporter of medical products in Europe, only behind Germany, with exports climbing by over nine per cent in 2009.
Approximately 160 companies in Ireland are involved in developing, manufacturing and marketing a diverse range of products and services, positioning the MedTech sector as a vibrant and growing contributor to the Irish economy.

EU Report maps high transnational participation of European countries in R&D collaboration in the framework of ERA-NET

27 Jan 2011

The “Joint Research Center (JRC) Institute  The “Joint Research Center (JRC) Institute for Prospective Technological Studies” recently published a report that finds that all European countries are highly involved in the ERA-NET scheme.
ERA-NET was created during the Sixth EU Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development.

The report “Mapping ERA-NETs across Europe: overview of the ERA-NET scheme and its results” reveals a 28% increase in participation as compared to 2008, with France and Germany identified as leading participants

The report also highlights the most relevant thematic priorities as well as the main groups taking part in the scheme.

The report was produced in the framework of NETWATCH - the European Commission’s information platform on transnational R&D programme collaboration.

• Related Links:

1- Related JRC press release
2- Report “Mapping ERA-NETs across Europe: overview of the ERA-NET scheme and its results”
3- NETWATCH website

Report: Generics will continue domination on the pharmaceutical market in Europe until 2011

Source: Report from PMR (http://www.ceepharma.com/)
Dec 2010

The pharmaceutical market in Central and Eastern Europe is dominated by generic drugs. This subdivision was worth €17.2bn in 2008 and is expected to develop by around 14% per annum between 2009 and 2011.

The growth rate of the innovative drug market, which was worth €12.4bn in 2008, will be slower, according to the latest report from PMR, a research and consulting company, entitled “Generic and innovative drugs market in Central and Eastern Europe 2009. Comparative analysis, reimbursement policies and development forecasts for 2009-2011”.

Generics to account for 60% of the market in 2009
According to PMR estimates, the generic drug market (including non-branded generics, traditional products and other products which have never enjoyed patent protection) in Central and Eastern Europe was worth €17.2bn in 2008, in contrast to a market value figure of €12.4bn for innovative drugs. Generic drugs therefore accounted for around 58% of the pharmaceutical market in the region in terms of value (taking into account both pharmacy and hospital sales).

The CAGR for generics will reach as much as 14% between 2009 and 2011, whereas that of innovative drugs will be much lower. “As a result, the share of generic drugs will constantly increase and in 2009 generics will account for around 60% of the pharmaceutical market in Central and Eastern Europe”, according to Agnieszka Stawarska, Pharmaceutical Market Analyst at PMR and a co-author of the report.

Although the innovative drug market in Central and Eastern Europe will develop at a slower rate than that of generic drugs between 2009 and 2011, the growth rate of original medicines for the whole region will be positive. It has, for the time being, been compromised by the cost-containment policies of the CEE countries, which have been stepped up during the global financial crisis.

However, in the medium term PMR expects an improvement in health awareness and the modernisation of healthcare systems, including the development of private health insurance and the establishment of health insurance and drug reimbursement systems, similar to those in European countries, in Russia and Ukraine, to be drivers of the innovative drug market in the CEE countries. An additional driver will be the aging of the population in the region.

Local companies are generic-oriented
There are few innovative pharmaceutical companies of local origin in Central and Eastern Europe. Most companies based in the region are generic drug manufacturers. “The largest players of this kind include Gedeon Richer, Krka, Egis and Zentiva. These companies have a presence in most CEE countries and they are well-established there” Monika Stefanczyk, Head Pharmaceutical Market Analyst at PMR and a co-author of the report, explains. For such companies, the region of Central and Eastern Europe is usually the main area of their activities.

The second group of companies consists of “global generic players”. Their presence differs from one CEE country to the next. For example, Dr. Reddy’s, an Indian generic manufacturer, concentrates on Russia, which is one of the company’s key markets worldwide. Actavis, an Iceland-based manufacturer, is at its strongest in Bulgaria and Russia. Ranbaxy’s key markets in the region are Romania and the CIS countries (Russia and Ukraine in particular). Stada has a strong presence in Russia, particularly after the acquisition of two Russian companies (Nizhpharm and Makiz-Pharma); and at the beginning of 2009 the company entered Poland and Bulgaria by establishing subsidiaries there.
A number of consolidation processes recently took place in the generic arena, which were of great importance for Central and Eastern Europe. For example, Teva gained a strong presence in the region through the acquisition of Barr in July 2008, which included one of the largest local generic drug producers − the Croatian company Pliva.

In June 2008, Mylan, a US generic manufacturer, acquired the CEE generics businesses of Merck KGaA, the prominent German drug manufacturer. The deal includes Merck’s operations in Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Czech Republic. In March 2009 Zentiva, one of the leading generic players in the region, was bought by Sanofi-Aventis. In May 2009 Novartis acquired the generic cancer drug production division of the Austria-based EBEWE Pharma.

…whereas innovation is the domain of global concerns
The innovative drug market in the region is dominated by multinational pharmaceutical concerns. Such companies have representative offices in most of the Central and Eastern European countries, but, as they are active all over the world, the region is not, in most cases, their main market. However, innovative drug producers often choose Central and Eastern Europe as a place in which to locate clinical trials, because of the low costs, high population and limited access to innovative therapies in such countries.
Today innovative companies face a crisis associated with the loss of patent rights pertaining to their most important products, which is expected to affect their sales performance in Central and Eastern Europe also, as many players of domestic origin may launch the generic equivalents of their drugs on the market.

Other PMR-PHARMA related Articles:

December 2009: The Polish Pharmaceutical Market. Its Condition and Prospects for Growth until 2011

“COACH”: CANADA'S HEALTH INFORMATICS ASSOCIATION

Source:  http://www.coachorg.com
Jan 2010

COACH is an organization dedicated to promoting a clear understanding of health informatics within the Canadian health system through education, information, networking and communication.
COACH was formed in 1975 by several health professionals and vendors in the medical industry, who recognized that significant sharing of ideas and efforts must take place in order to enable Canadian health institutions to effectively use information technology and systems. The focus, 30 years later, has expanded to include not only the technology and the systems, but also the effective use of health information for decision-making.
COACH has a membership of more than 1,450 individuals who range from healthcare executives, physicians, nurses and allied health professionals, researchers and educators to CIOs, information managers, technical experts, consultants, and information technology vendors.   Organizations represented cover the full range of healthcare service delivery, government and non-government agencies, consulting firms, commercial providers of information and telecommunications technologies, and educational institutions.
COACH believes in the importance and the value of strategic alliances with other organizations involved in the field of health informatics in Canada and internationally. It is committed to building a strong international network in health informatics through international organizations such as the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA), and other national associations around the world. COACH is pleased to be Canada's official representative to IMIA.
COACH is the resource for the health informatics industry in Canada!

A MESSAGE from the PRESIDENT

The COACH Vision: Taking Health Informatics Mainstream

The term vision is often associate to images of the future and anticipation of positive, sometimes remarkable things to come. At COACH, we know our Vision of Taking Health Informatics Mainstream is being realized in very real ways as a growing number of Canadians recognize and understand the important role IT can play in administrative and clinical best practice and ultimately in improving healthcare.
But, there is still work to do. So, our association turns to our Strategic Goals, as outlined in the 2008-2011 Strategic Plan, to guide us in fully realizing the Vision. These goals reflect what COACH “wishes to achieve.”
If you are a COACH member or thinking about becoming a member, the first Strategic Goal, “Enhance the Value of COACH Membership” will be of particular interest to you. How does the association plan to do this? The answer is found in this goal and the related objectives.

Over the next three years, COACH is committed to:

• actively engaging members to identify and respond to their needs;
• offering new services to targeted groups;
• augmenting products and services that support our membership community;
• increasing awareness and uptake of COACH services;
• further developing targeted strategic partnerships and alliances.

COACH has already started the process of translating these objectives into action. Most recently, for example, actively engaging members took the form of the online Member Survey that will help shape our new Marketing and Communications Plan. The commitment to expanding product and service offerings can be seen in the Executive Forum, launched in 2007, and the new Health Informatics Training System (HITS) online course as well as new developments such as the HIP@Work pilot project to facilitate the use of our Health Informatics Professional Core Competencies document.    
This website is a key tool for engaging members and communicating with them about the benefits of membership as well as other COACH news. The Website Renewal Project, now underway, should make this tool even more effective for members and other visitors.
I invite you to take a closer look at the website and all its features. Learn about COACH's annual e-Health conference, read an article from Healthcare Information Management & Communications Canada, COACH's official journal, or peruse the Position Postings. See how the Vision – Taking Health Informatics Mainstream – is becoming reality and how COACH members are making this happen.  
Linda Miller
COACH President and Board Chair

“COACH”: CANADA'S HEALTH INFORMATICS ASSOCIATION

Source:  http://www.coachorg.com
Jan 2010

COACH is an organization dedicated to promoting a clear understanding of health informatics within the Canadian health system through education, information, networking and communication.
COACH was formed in 1975 by several health professionals and vendors in the medical industry, who recognized that significant sharing of ideas and efforts must take place in order to enable Canadian health institutions to effectively use information technology and systems. The focus, 30 years later, has expanded to include not only the technology and the systems, but also the effective use of health information for decision-making.
COACH has a membership of more than 1,450 individuals who range from healthcare executives, physicians, nurses and allied health professionals, researchers and educators to CIOs, information managers, technical experts, consultants, and information technology vendors.   Organizations represented cover the full range of healthcare service delivery, government and non-government agencies, consulting firms, commercial providers of information and telecommunications technologies, and educational institutions.
COACH believes in the importance and the value of strategic alliances with other organizations involved in the field of health informatics in Canada and internationally. It is committed to building a strong international network in health informatics through international organizations such as the International Medical Informatics Association (IMIA), and other national associations around the world. COACH is pleased to be Canada's official representative to IMIA.
COACH is the resource for the health informatics industry in Canada!

A MESSAGE from the PRESIDENT

The COACH Vision: Taking Health Informatics Mainstream

The term vision is often associate to images of the future and anticipation of positive, sometimes remarkable things to come. At COACH, we know our Vision of Taking Health Informatics Mainstream is being realized in very real ways as a growing number of Canadians recognize and understand the important role IT can play in administrative and clinical best practice and ultimately in improving healthcare.
But, there is still work to do. So, our association turns to our Strategic Goals, as outlined in the 2008-2011 Strategic Plan, to guide us in fully realizing the Vision. These goals reflect what COACH “wishes to achieve.”
If you are a COACH member or thinking about becoming a member, the first Strategic Goal, “Enhance the Value of COACH Membership” will be of particular interest to you. How does the association plan to do this? The answer is found in this goal and the related objectives.

Over the next three years, COACH is committed to:

• actively engaging members to identify and respond to their needs;
• offering new services to targeted groups;
• augmenting products and services that support our membership community;
• increasing awareness and uptake of COACH services;
• further developing targeted strategic partnerships and alliances.

COACH has already started the process of translating these objectives into action. Most recently, for example, actively engaging members took the form of the online Member Survey that will help shape our new Marketing and Communications Plan. The commitment to expanding product and service offerings can be seen in the Executive Forum, launched in 2007, and the new Health Informatics Training System (HITS) online course as well as new developments such as the HIP@Work pilot project to facilitate the use of our Health Informatics Professional Core Competencies document.    
This website is a key tool for engaging members and communicating with them about the benefits of membership as well as other COACH news. The Website Renewal Project, now underway, should make this tool even more effective for members and other visitors.
I invite you to take a closer look at the website and all its features. Learn about COACH's annual e-Health conference, read an article from Healthcare Information Management & Communications Canada, COACH's official journal, or peruse the Position Postings. See how the Vision – Taking Health Informatics Mainstream – is becoming reality and how COACH members are making this happen.  
Linda Miller
COACH President and Board Chair

Report: Generics will continue domination on the pharmaceutical market in Europe until 2011

Source: Report from PMR (http://www.ceepharma.com/)
02 Dec 2009

The pharmaceutical market in Central and Eastern Europe is dominated by generic drugs. This subdivision was worth €17.2bn in 2008 and is expected to develop by around 14% per annum between 2009 and 2011.

The growth rate of the innovative drug market, which was worth €12.4bn in 2008, will be slower, according to the latest report from PMR, a research and consulting company, entitled “Generic and innovative drugs market in Central and Eastern Europe 2009. Comparative analysis, reimbursement policies and development forecasts for 2009-2011”.

Generics to account for 60% of the market in 2009
According to PMR estimates, the generic drug market (including non-branded generics, traditional products and other products which have never enjoyed patent protection) in Central and Eastern Europe was worth €17.2bn in 2008, in contrast to a market value figure of €12.4bn for innovative drugs. Generic drugs therefore accounted for around 58% of the pharmaceutical market in the region in terms of value (taking into account both pharmacy and hospital sales).

The CAGR for generics will reach as much as 14% between 2009 and 2011, whereas that of innovative drugs will be much lower. “As a result, the share of generic drugs will constantly increase and in 2009 generics will account for around 60% of the pharmaceutical market in Central and Eastern Europe”, according to Agnieszka Stawarska, Pharmaceutical Market Analyst at PMR and a co-author of the report.

Although the innovative drug market in Central and Eastern Europe will develop at a slower rate than that of generic drugs between 2009 and 2011, the growth rate of original medicines for the whole region will be positive. It has, for the time being, been compromised by the cost-containment policies of the CEE countries, which have been stepped up during the global financial crisis.

However, in the medium term PMR expects an improvement in health awareness and the modernisation of healthcare systems, including the development of private health insurance and the establishment of health insurance and drug reimbursement systems, similar to those in European countries, in Russia and Ukraine, to be drivers of the innovative drug market in the CEE countries. An additional driver will be the aging of the population in the region.

Local companies are generic-oriented
There are few innovative pharmaceutical companies of local origin in Central and Eastern Europe. Most companies based in the region are generic drug manufacturers. “The largest players of this kind include Gedeon Richer, Krka, Egis and Zentiva. These companies have a presence in most CEE countries and they are well-established there” Monika Stefanczyk, Head Pharmaceutical Market Analyst at PMR and a co-author of the report, explains. For such companies, the region of Central and Eastern Europe is usually the main area of their activities.

The second group of companies consists of “global generic players”. Their presence differs from one CEE country to the next. For example, Dr. Reddy’s, an Indian generic manufacturer, concentrates on Russia, which is one of the company’s key markets worldwide. Actavis, an Iceland-based manufacturer, is at its strongest in Bulgaria and Russia. Ranbaxy’s key markets in the region are Romania and the CIS countries (Russia and Ukraine in particular). Stada has a strong presence in Russia, particularly after the acquisition of two Russian companies (Nizhpharm and Makiz-Pharma); and at the beginning of 2009 the company entered Poland and Bulgaria by establishing subsidiaries there.

A number of consolidation processes recently took place in the generic arena, which were of great importance for Central and Eastern Europe. For example, Teva gained a strong presence in the region through the acquisition of Barr in July 2008, which included one of the largest local generic drug producers − the Croatian company Pliva.

In June 2008, Mylan, a US generic manufacturer, acquired the CEE generics businesses of Merck KGaA, the prominent German drug manufacturer. The deal includes Merck’s operations in Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Czech Republic. In March 2009 Zentiva, one of the leading generic players in the region, was bought by Sanofi-Aventis. In May 2009 Novartis acquired the generic cancer drug production division of the Austria-based EBEWE Pharma.

…whereas innovation is the domain of global concerns
The innovative drug market in the region is dominated by multinational pharmaceutical concerns. Such companies have representative offices in most of the Central and Eastern European countries, but, as they are active all over the world, the region is not, in most cases, their main market. However, innovative drug producers often choose Central and Eastern Europe as a place in which to locate clinical trials, because of the low costs, high population and limited access to innovative therapies in such countries.

Today innovative companies face a crisis associated with the loss of patent rights pertaining to their most important products, which is expected to affect their sales performance in Central and Eastern Europe also, as many players of domestic origin may launch the generic equivalents of their drugs on the market.

Other PMR-PHARMA related Articles:

December 2009: The Polish Pharmaceutical Market. Its Condition and Prospects for Growth until 2011

PMR (www.pmrcorporate.com) is a publishing, consulting and market research company providing information, advice and services to international businesses interested in Central and Eastern Europe. With highly skilled staff, top ranked web sites and more than ten years of experience, PMR is one of the largest companies of its type in the region.

Report: Europe Offers Guidance for Health IT Expansion in U.S.

Source:  iHealthBeat  (ihealthbeat.org)  

03 Aug 2009

Although U.S. health IT expansion efforts are following many best practices from Europe, several challenges remain for creating a centralized system, according to a new report from the consultancy firm CSC, BNET Healthcarereports.

For the report, investigators compared health IT adoption efforts in the U.S. with the experiences of Denmark, the Netherlands and the U.K.

The report suggests that U.S. health IT efforts are replicating success from the three European countries by:

• Identifying specified expectations;
• Measuring value according to "meaningful use" of electronic health records;
• Providing financial incentives for meaningful use of EHRs;
• Setting high-level objectives; and
• Soliciting input from all stakeholders.

Investigators also noted that the establishment of the Health IT Policy and Health IT Standards committees demonstrates that the U.S. recognizes the importance of national criteria and regulations for health IT.
Remaining Challenges

However, the authors also identified several ways in which the U.S. could face difficulty in following Europe's lead for health IT adoption, most notably the U.S.'s mixed public and private system that could hinder nationwide health IT adoption.

The U.S. also is unlikely to copy Europe in using universal patient identification numbers because of privacy and security concerns, the report noted.

Finally, few U.S. physicians use EHRs compared with physicians in the three European countries. Therefore, the U.S. could encounter greater difficulty in achieving nationwide EHR implementation (Terry, BNET Healthcare, 7/31

Canada “Health Infoway” Annual Reports and Business Plans

25 Jun 2009 

Funded by the federal government,  Health Infoway works with  all provinces and territories to implement private and secure health information systems, and shares or replicates best practices and successful projects among regions  Created in 2001, Canada Health Infoway is an independent, not-for-profit organization whose Members are Canada’s 14 Deputy Ministers of Health
“Making Health Information Work Better for Canadians, Infoway’s 2009-2010 Corporate Business Plan” is a key Report where you can import, and learn more about the action plans and objectives for the 2009-2010 fiscal year, and get better understanding on how innovations in health and wellness technologies will give Canadians control of the many, important choices that have a fundamental impact in our health and well-being.  
Download the Report:

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• Our Approach
• What is EHR?
• E-Health Certification Services

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The Economist Special Report on Health Care Technology

17 Apr 2009

Summaries and links of this Report of The Economist appear below.

• "A Doctor in Your Pocket" looks at the use of mobile technology to tackle health problems in developing countries (Vaitheeswaran, The Economist, 4/18).
• "Fantastic Voyage" examines how technology has made health care more portable, precise and personal (Vaitheeswaran, The Economist, 4/16).
• "Flying Blind" discusses how digital medicine can improve medical care and possibly boost drug discovery (Vaitheeswaran, The Economist, 4/18).
• "Getting Personal" looks at the potential of inexpensive genome sequencing services (Vaitheeswaran, The Economist, 4/18).
• "Health 2.0" examines the movement toward patient-centered digital medicine (Vaitheeswaran, The Economist, 4/18).
• "HIT or Miss" looks at the U.S.' progress in health IT adoption (Vaitheeswaran, The Economist, 4/18).

The Economist Special Report on Health Care Technology

17 Apr 2009

Summaries and links of this Report of The Economist appear below.

• "A Doctor in Your Pocket" looks at the use of mobile technology to tackle health problems in developing countries (Vaitheeswaran, The Economist, 4/18).
• "Fantastic Voyage" examines how technology has made health care more portable, precise and personal (Vaitheeswaran, The Economist, 4/16).
• "Flying Blind" discusses how digital medicine can improve medical care and possibly boost drug discovery (Vaitheeswaran, The Economist, 4/18).
• "Getting Personal" looks at the potential of inexpensive genome sequencing services (Vaitheeswaran, The Economist, 4/18).
• "Health 2.0" examines the movement toward patient-centered digital medicine (Vaitheeswaran, The Economist, 4/18).
• "HIT or Miss" looks at the U.S.' progress in health IT adoption (Vaitheeswaran, The Economist, 4/18).

Safety-Net Providers Bring Patients Online: Lessons from Early Adopters

Source: Califórnia Healthcare Foundation (http://www.chcf.org/)
Apr 2009

Reports & Initiatives
Susan Baird Kanaan, M.S.W.

Safety-net providers such as public hospitals, community health centers, and local health departments are starting to provide online tools including electronic health record (EHR) portals and personal health records (PHRs) to their patients.
These providers serve a broad range of individuals -- from tech-savvy young people to patients with little knowledge of computers or access to the Internet. Nevertheless, some leading-edge providers are finding ways to help their safety-net patients gain the benefits available from online tools, including better continuity of care; more family involvement in their care; and help in managing chronic illness.
To illustrate the range of approaches that are possible, this report includes case studies of several early-adopters:

• Cambridge Health Alliance, a public safety-net provider serving seven communities outside Boston (MyChart patient portal);
• Primary Care Information Project, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (eClinicalWorks patient portal);
• Institute for Family Health, New York (MyChart-MyHealth patient portal); and
• University of California, San Francisco HIV/AIDS Program, San Francisco General Hospital (myHERO personal health record).

Programs that provide online tools to migrant workers and homeless people are also described. The lessons gleaned from early adopters focus on understanding patients' needs and capacities; making tools useful; providing training and assistance; recognizing privacy concerns; overcoming organizational barriers; demonstrating impact; and facilitating collaboration with other safety-net providers.
The complete report is available under Document Downloads below.

Document Downloads:

Safety-Net Providers Bring Patients Online: Lessons from Early Adopters (623K)

Under the Microscope: Trends in Laboratory Medicine

Source: Califórnia Healthcare Foundation (http://www.chcf.org/)
Apr 2009

Laboratory medicine, which plays an integral role in health care, is handicapped by overuse, underuse, and misuse of services; poor communication and coordination; and inefficiency. Labs can generate valuable data to help correct these problems by virtue of numerous scientific and technological breakthroughs that enable early detection of disease and better management of medical conditions.
This report provides an overview of today's laboratory medicine sector and the economic, regulatory, workplace, technological, and other factors that are shaping it. The report looks at the following issues:

• The expanding, consolidating, and highly competitive market for diagnostic tests, especially new genetic and molecular assays;
• Inconsistent reimbursement policies;
• Challenges related to testing standards, the qualifications and availability of lab personnel, and regulation of cutting-edge tests; and
• How technological advances, along with cost-effectiveness analyses and comparative effectiveness research are altering the testing landscape.

Laboratory medicine will play an ever greater role in repairing the fractured health care system as stakeholders increasingly demand scientific evidence for clinical decision-making and strategies to address care quality, outcomes, and cost.
The complete report is available under Document Downloads below.

Document Downloads:

Which Online Resources Do Online Health Care Specialists Use?

Source: iHealthBeat (a service from Califórnia Healthcare Foundation)   www.ihealthbeat.org
07 Jan 2009

Online health care specialists use an average of seven online resources to find clinical and treatment information, according to a Jupiter Research survey.
Ninety percent of online health care specialists reported using literature databases, 83% reported using online journals and 73% reported using physician portals. In addition, 61% of respondents said they visit government Web sites, 41% said they visit manufacturers' Web sites and 37% said they visit medical or professional blogs.
Jupiter Research found some variation in the use of online resources among different specialties. For example, surgeons and endocrinologists are most likely to use physician portals, while oncologists are most likely to use government Web sites, according to the survey.
Results are based on a September 2008 survey of 255 medical specialists who go online for clinical information.
Source: Jupiter Research, "U.S. Online Specialists Executive Survey, 2008"

Australia Review Report on ICT use by e-GOV/2008

Source:  Australia Government/ Information Management Office
               (ICT Strategy and Governance)

In April 2008 Minister for Finance and Deregulation, Lindsay Tanner, engaged Sir Peter Gershon to lead an independent review of the Australian
Government's use and management of information and communication technology (ICT).  
Sir Peter provided Minister Tanner with his report on the 28th of August 2008.
Minister Tanner released the report on 16 October 2008.
Sir Peter's report provides a comprehensive and detailed analysis of a wide range of issues affecting the Government's use and management of ICT, and
also outlines a staged plan for the implementation of recommendations. The Government is currently considering the findings and recommendations.

Download : Review of the Australian Government's Use of Information and Communication Technology PDF version   [2.6MB]

Letter from Sir Peter Gershon to the Hon. Lindsay Tanner

The Hon. Lindsay Tanner
Minister for Finance and Deregulation
Parliament House
CANBERRA   ACT   2600
Dear Minister
I have now concluded the Review of the Australian Government’s use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) which you invited me to undertake on behalf of the Government on 25 March 2008, and attach my report for your consideration. The terms of reference asked me, amongst a number of issues, to review and report on both the efficiency and effectiveness of the Australian Government’s current use of ICT, to determine whether the Government is realising the greatest return from its investments in ICT, and to examine whether the right institutional arrangements are in place to maximise the return.
This report is the outcome of a process in which I have sought to (i) gather a substantial body of evidence to understand how ICT is currently used and managed; (ii) analyse the evidence to identify significant issues; and (iii) produce recommendations which will address these issues. This has involved engagement with the Prime Minister, Ministers, across government, and with industry and other interested bodies. During this process, 112 submissions were received, 63 meetings held, 3 visits made, and 1 large and 2 small surveys conducted.
The outputs of the review provide a snapshot of the current state of ICT in the Australian Government.
At the heart of my findings is a conclusion that, not withstanding the work undertaken to date, the current model of weak governance of ICT at a whole-of-government level and very high levels of agency autonomy, characterised by an ability to self-approve opt-ins to existing whole-of-government ICT arrangements, leads to sub-optimal outcomes in the context of prevailing external trends, financial returns, and the aims and objectives of this Government. While ICT has undoubtedly benefited government administration and the delivery of key public services, I have also found that benefits realisation and the measurement of benefits arising from investments in ICT are areas where there is substantial scope for improvement, together with measuring and improving the efficiency of current ICT operations.
My recommendations involve a major program of both administrative reform of, and cultural change from, a status quo where agency autonomy is a longstanding characteristic of the Australian Public Service. Based on my experience of creating sustainable change in the United Kingdom public sector environment, there are two critical requirements which will determine the success of this reform program: firstly, sustained leadership and drive at Ministerial and top official levels and, secondly, ensuring the enablers of change are properly resourced, not only in funding terms but also with skills of the right calibre.
Given these two requirements are met, I am confident that the recommended actions and changes can be successfully implemented over the next two to three years and deliver substantial benefits to the Australian Government.
Thank you for the opportunity to lead such a stimulating and challenging review. I would like to pay tribute to my team of agency and AGIMO secondees whose commitment, contribution, professionalism and support made it possible to undertake an exercise of this complexity and size in a tight time frame.
Sir Peter Gershon CBE FREng
28 August 2008

NHS: Health Informatics Review Report

16 Jul 2008

This review has been taking place alongside the NHS Next Stage Review (NSR) and reflects the informatics requirements of that review. Groups of staff, patients, carers and the public have been looking at clinical pathways and new ways of providing care. There are needs to support access and choice, the involvement of patients and the public and to meet increasing expectations. These make this the appropriate time for a review of information requirements and how information is provided. The review is also timely because of the technological advances and the rise of the importance of information to society in general. The Health Informatics Review was therefore commissioned by the NHS Chief Executive and the Department of Health Permanent Secretary to:

• assess the supply of, and demand for, information across the NHS and social care, so that the data collected can be used to provide valuable and relevant information;
• make sure that, five years after the commissioning of the National Programme for IT, the framework for the NHS Care Records Service and the Secondary Uses Service (SUS) is in line with recent, current and potential future policy;
• make sure that the governance of informatics within the NHS and the Department of Health (DH) is clear and appropriate, and supported by the right management structure.

Download Health Informatics Review Report (.pdf, 717 KB).

For further information, please visit:
http://www.dh.gov.uk

Real Stories of Real Results from Real Physicians

Source: HealthData Mangement (www.healthdatamanagement.com )
01 Jul 2008

Download Now (Report Format: PDF)

The increasing demands that the healthcare industry places on its physicians is driving change. The pressures to increase efficiency and grow revenue while at the same time maintaining patient satisfaction has many physicians turning to innovative solutions that promote success. This whitepaper discusses the role of patient-provider communication solutions in helping physician practices manage the complexities of the industry and achieve their most elusive goals. Read about how three unique practices have implemented these solutions for success.

The HIMSS Analytics Guide to Evaluating Mobile Cart Technology

Source: HealthData Mangement (www.healthdatamanagement.com )
16 Jun 2008

Download Now (Report Format: PDF)

This is the essential new guide from HIMSS Analytics for navigating the many mobile cart and workstation options available today. Includes a definitive 25-point checklist of the most critical areas to evaluate , in order to make sure your cart investment integrates with your organization's needs.

Requirements and options for actions in RFID in healthcare

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REPORT: Putting eHealth in its European Legal Context

In: eHealthNes.eu
16 Apr 2008

The 1960s and 1970s saw the development of computing technology for mathematical modeling applied to the healthcare setting, along with highly specialized, tailor-made programmes for complex medical models. The early 1990s saw the beginnings of the IT revolution, which took us from the back roads to the super highway. With the development of Internet technology, eHealth became a potential reality not only for healthcare practitioners but for every citizen.

It was, however, not until the late 1990s that layers and administrators began to question the extent to which existing legislation was suffi cient to cover the use of eHealth tools in the provision of healthcare to citizens. Over the past decade, a number of articles, reports, and studies have established that the use of ICTs in healthcare does raise a number of legal questions, but few have looked, in detail, at the extent to which European legislation could provide good answers.

The Legally eHealth Report, therefore, seeks to examine some keys of the legal questions raised by the adoption of eHealth tools in healthcare. It looks at how EU legislation on data protection, product and services liability, and trade and competition law applies.
(read more...)

Survey: Do European Residents Use the Internet To Find Health Information?

From the "Norwegian Centre for Telemedicine"
Source: iHealthBeat 
Date: 2 Nov 2007 

The number of European residents who reported using the Internet to find health information increased from 44% in 2005 to 54% in 2007, according to a survey by the Norwegian Centre for Telemedicine. Overall Internet use in Europe increased from 71% in 2005 to 83% in 2007. The countries in Northern and Central Europe reported the highest percentage of Internet health users. In 2007, 72% of survey respondents in Denmark said they use the Internet to search for health information, while 67% of survey respondents in Norway and 57% of survey respondents in Germany said they use the Internet to search for health information.

In Eastern Europe, 47% of survey respondents in Latvia and 53% of survey respondents in Poland reported using the Internet in 2007 for health information research. Meanwhile, in Southern Europe, 32% of survey respondents in Greece and 38% of survey respondents in Portugal reported using the Internet in 2007 for health purposes.

Results are based on a 2005 telephone survey of 7,934 European residents and a 2007 telephone survey of 7,022 European residents.

Source: Norwegian Centre for Telemedicine

Health Care Unplugged: The Evolving Role of Wireless Technology

Source: iHealth Beat (California Healthcare Foundation magazine)  
Nov 2007
By: Richard Adler, M.B.A.

Wireless technology enables clinicians to monitor patients remotely and give them timely health information, reminders, and support—potentially extending the reach of health care by making it available anywhere, anytime. This report is based on interviews with more than two dozen researchers, clinicians, and application developers, along with a review of a broad range of published papers and articles, Web resources, and other materials. It includes an overview of who is using wireless technology and how it is evolving, as well as the wide variety of wireless health care applications that are already available or under development.

The impact these advances could have on providers, patients, and payers is also explored, as are the difficult issues that must still be resolved. The author concludes that the health care industry's appetite for wireless applications will likely depend more on systemic changes in the way medical services are delivered and reimbursed than the capabilities of the technology itself.

The complete report is available under Document Downloads below.

Document Downloads:
Health Care Unplugged: The Evolving Role of Wireless Technology (Pdf; 382K)

HHS Report: Health IT, Genetic Medicine To Personalize Care

Source: iHealthBeat  Today's News (CHCF)
Date: 20 Sept, 2007

The Department of Health and Human Services report offers a long-term plan for creating more customized treatment for patients, including the use of genetic information and health IT. The report predicts that individualized care will create a new doctor-patient relationship. HHS also said personalized care cannot be realized without interoperable, electronic systems. (Healthcare IT News et al) (read the full announcement....)

Legal eHEALTH Challenges

Source:  ICT for eHealth http://www.ehealthnews.eu/content/view/618/62/
Date:  2 July, 2007

There are a number of examples in the health area on which Member States cannot act alone effectively and where cooperative action at the EU level is indispensable, especially regarding issues with a cross-border dimension or relating to the free movement of persons within the internal EU market. Both existing and emerging disparities in Member States' legislation and case-law concerning healthcare impair the development of cross-border services and produce distortions of competition.

Differences exist across Member States on the local, regional and national level in terms of per capita spending on and inputs to healthcare systems. Member States try their best to improve those systems as well as they can.  Lack of financial resources is not the only problem. Quality, accessibility and sustainability of care are also limited because best practices are not shared.

In line with the eHealth Action Plan the Commission will issue a Recommendation on eHealth interoperability in 2007, addressing the core eHealth infrastructure data (patient summary, emergency data set). It is expected that the ongoing Commission's Health Services Initiative will equally cover cross-border healthcare services which move electronically.

Download "Legal Challenges in eHealth - eHealth facilitates access to Europe-wide healthcare" [ ICT for Health Unit (eHealth) Publication (.pdf, 1,1 MB) ]

Report on the State of Developing Electronic Patient Summaries in European Union Member States and Beyond 

Source:  ehealthnews.eu
Date: 22 June, 2007

The Report analyses the current state of developing electronic patient summaries in European Union Member States and beyond. It highlights the benefits of such summaries and also the difficulties that need to be overcome to make use of patient summaries in different countries. Patient Summaries are a key component for eHealth roadmaps in several countries.

The concept of a Patient Summary is not yet universal and fixed, and thus the features of the summaries largely depend on the eHealth programme in which they are embedded. The overall scenarios for deployment of Patient Summaries depend on strategic decisions in each national and regional jurisdiction, which influence the format and the usage of clinical documents.

Besides Patient Summaries, most eHealth programmes also involve various kinds of clinical documents in electronic formats, such as prescriptions and diagnostic reports. A precondition for the success of patient summaries is the deployment of suitable infrastructures to identify citizens and professionals, to make available repositories and registries for the management of clinical documents across healthcare facilities, and to apply confidentiality measures.

All results will consecutively be made available at the eHealth ERA website (www.ehealth-era.org).  The report is the outcome of research in the context of eHealth ERA, which is implemented by empirica GmbH (co-ordinating partner, Germany), STAKES (Finland), CITTRU (Poland), ISC III (Spain), CNR (Italy) and EPSRC (United Kingdom), based on a Coordination Action contract with the European Commission.

Read the eHealth ERA Report at :
"Analysis of the situation of electronic patient summaries in European Union Member States and beyond" ( eHealth ERA Report, pdf, 308 KB)

Bringing new IT skills to the NHS

Source:  "eHealthInsider - Education" (http://ehieurope.com)
Date: 16 May 2007

The NHS is implementing new computer systems at an unprecedented rate. Some support is available from system suppliers but the NHS must ensure that the systems are fully supported on an on-going basis.

More NHS staff than ever before are required to have technical skills which they can apply to computer systems used for the provision of healthcare. These health informatics staff are becoming as vital to the NHS as their clinical and administrative colleagues. By providing up to date, accurate clinical information about the condition and treatment of a patient, better care can be provided and outcomes improved. (read more....)

(Report) Health Information Technology: Are Long Term Care Providers Ready?

Source: iHealthtBeat (CHCF)
Date: April 2007

This Report explores the readiness for Health Information Technology (HIT) from the perspective of California's long term care providers: nursing facilities, residential care facilities, and community-based service providers. Four questions are examined to better understand provider readiness or level of preparedness for HIT:

1. Where do providers think HIT has the most promise to improve care delivery?
2. What is the state of HIT in long term care?
3. How ready are providers to invest, implement, and effectively use HIT?
4. What should providers, policymakers, and community leaders consider as they develop plans to support HIT adoption and use in long term care?

The findings show that the realities of the long term care environment must be taken into account in planning and that they must be addressed during implementation if HIT adoption and use are to be a success. Several next steps are put forth to address identified barriers, make HIT a priority, and increase provider perception of HIT benefits over costs.

The complete Report is available under Document Downloads below.
Health Information Technology: Are Long Term Care Providers Ready? (418K)

IT Tools for Chronic Disease Management: How Do They Measure Up?

Report by: Laura Jantos and Michelle Holmes, ECG Management Consultants, Inc .
July 2006

Chronic disease management systems (CDMS) focus specifically on managing chronic disease and preventive care, while the more comprehensive electronic medical record (EMR) documents the entire patient encounter and provides real-time patient information.

Few, if any, studies, have compared the merits of these two tools, which show potential to reduce costs and improve outcomes for patients with chronic illnesses. “IT Tools for Chronic Disease Management: How Do They Measure Up?” assesses them side by side. (read more....)

Half of Outsourced IT Projects Will Fail

In 2003, half of all information technology projects involving third-party consulting will be considered unsuccessful by executives who oversee them, according to a new report from Gartner, because they fail to deliver expected return on investment or operational value. (more)

• Available for download in adobe acrobat format (.pdf) here
• Source: www.zdnet.com (it papers)
• Date: October 2002