[LINK] Contract signed for national health ID system

[Jan Whitaker]

Looks like someone else saw that problem. As of now, the text on the link is:

It will identify a person's name, date of birth, address and the 
names of their practitioners, and is the first step towards 
establishing a shared electronic health records system.

The contract between Medicare and the National E-Health Transition 
Authority will take around two years to implement.

[note the missing numbers]

At 05:24 PM 12/01/2008, Stephen Wilson wrote:

>Holy innumeracy!
>
>A "$51 billion contract" would match the annual expenditure of the 
>entire Australian health sector.
>
>Reminds me of a story told by an astronomy lecturer.  After telling 
>the fate of our solar system, a student asked for clarification: 
>"Excuse me, how long did you say till the Sun expires?".  The 
>lecturer repeated the figure, something like four billion years.  To 
>which the student responded, "Oh Phew! I thought you said MILLION years!".
>
>Cheers,
>
>Steve.
>
>
>Stephen Wilson
>Managing Director
>Lockstep
>
>Phone +61 (0)414 488 851
>
>www.lockstep.com.au
>-------------------
>  * Lockstep Technologies: ICT Secrets of Innovation Finalist 2007
>  * Lockstep Technologies: Anthill / PwC Cool Company Finalist 2007
>-------------------
>Lockstep Consulting provides independent specialist advice and analysis
>on authentication, PKI and smartcards.  Lockstep Technologies develops
>unique new smart ID solutions that safeguard identity and privacy.
>
>
>Bernard Robertson-Dunn wrote:
>>Contract signed for national health ID system
>>ABC News
>>http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/01/12/2137148.htm
>>The Federal Government says a new national healthcare identifier 
>>service is one step closer, after a contract was signed to develop 
>>and test the scheme.
>>The service is designed to improve the transfer of patient 
>>information between health providers.
>>It will identify a person's name, date of birth, address and the 
>>names of their practitioners, and is the first step towards 
>>establishing a shared electronic health records system.
>>The $51 billion contract between Medicare and the National E-Health 
>>Transition Authority will take around two years to implement.
>>Federal Minister for Human Services, Joe Ludwig, says it is not an 
>>access card and people can decide whether or not they want to be 
>>part of the service.
>>"Privacy is a great concern to Australians, particularly in 
>>relation to the collection and handling of personal health 
>>information. A new regulatory framework would be required," he said.
>>"This system would be built over approximately two years or 
>>thereabouts and it has been developed in consultation with the 
>>Office of the Privacy Commissioner."
>>Senator Ludwig says the program will potentially save lives.
>>"One of the challenges out there is actually health care providers 
>>transferring information confidently to another health care 
>>provider so that they can provide services," he said.
>>"At the moment, there is a range of electronic paper based systems 
>>and there is the potential for those things to get confused, or in 
>>fact lost in the system."
>
>
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Jan Whitaker
JLWhitaker Associates, Melbourne Victoria
jwhit at janwhitaker.com
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