[LINK] Building the Australian National Health Network

[David Boxall]

On 11/03/2010 10:52 AM, Jan Whitaker wrote:
> At 10:24 AM 11/03/2010, Kim Holburn wrote:
>> with all these layers of government we blame it all on the top level.
>> Where were the other two levels?  Federal government is supposed to do
>> top level policy.  State and local are supposed to be there at the
>> implementation. What went wrong with them?
>
> I think that's a misunderstanding of federalism. It's not a top-down
> approach through all systems. There is a separation of areas of
> responsibility rather than a pure hierarchy.
>
> The problem in Australia is the lack of the ability of states to levi
> certain kinds of taxes. So the money for social services has to come
> from Canberra. As they say, he who pays the piper calls the tune.
>
> In your description, the feds would be the government and the states
> would be the 'departments' or executive administration of programs.
> That's not how it works.
> ...
What chills me is the realisation that health records will inevitably be 
networked nationally and, eventually, internationally. Lives will depend 
on how well it's done. History gives no comfort.

-- 
David Boxall                    |  When a distinguished but elderly
                                |  scientist states that something is
http://david.boxall.id.au       |  possible, he is almost certainly
                                |  right. When he states that
                                |  something is impossible, he is
                                |  very probably wrong.
                                                  --Arthur C. Clarke