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CANADIAN'S AND THE RUSE OF HEALTHCARE 2.0

Healthcare is the world’s most information intensive industry. Every day this industry produces massive volumes of data that, if properly used, can improve clinical practice and outcomes, guide planning and resource allocation, and enhance accountability. Electronic health information is fundamental to better health care. There will be no quantum leap forward in health care quality and efficiency without high quality, user-friendly health information compiled and delivered electronically.

The task of building an information network that patients, providers, managers, and policy-makers can use to improve decision-making at all levels is truly daunting (and the health information “agenda” competes with innumerable other claims on resources.)

That said, Canada’s Healthcare Informatics arena is rapidly changing, primarily due to growing public and private investment in Electronic Health Information Systems (EHIS). At the same time, a recent economic study (November 2009) identifies a serious need for increased labor and skills amongst Canadian Health Information (HI) and Health Information Management (HIM) professionals over the next five years. To compound further, there are fears in both the private and public sector that the successful implementation of EHIS systems is potentially jeopardized due to lack of qualified human resources. Add to this - - issues around Canada Health Infoway Funding, a limited and flawed EHR blueprint, Federal and Provincial politics, lobbying, posturing, competition, and (yes) corruption - - and it’s easy to see how a feast or famine (all or nothing) environment has been established.

From a consumer standpoint in Canada, advancing patient care has also unfortunately been tied directly to those vendors that have the bandwidth to extend a provincial or national solution (even if those platforms are antiquated and in many cases not standardized). This discussion (and subsequent funding) is entirely based on resources, and while absolutely a relevant conversation - - in practice - - has only left Canadian’s with a sub-par platform and an increased tax-burden.

So, while increasing evidence (and PR buzz) attempts to illuminate progress in extending a Canada-wide EHIS - - it’s really only proven to be lip service. As political pressures mount, huge contracts are extended to vendors who are in many cases no more equipped to deliver an integrated EHIS than a local start-up.

The best example one might extend related to the state-of-the-union of Canadian EHIS is from the “Wizard of Oz”.  One might think that it’s only a matter of time before Canadian citizens get wise to the kick-back’s, cost over-run’s, deception, and general systemic corruption in Canadian EHIS. Let’s not even get started on the role of “Consultants” in all of this. The unfortunate challenge is that, unless one is deeply entrenched in this sector for a number of years - - most investigations are only typically scratching the surface.

Neither the Canadian Government nor any of its elected bodies have yet to even get close to the real issues (and savvy multi-national vendors are well aware of this and capitalizing on it.) When Canadians finally pull back the metaphorical ‘curtain’ to see the ‘Wizard’ pulling furiously on ropes and levers - - to attempt to evidence progress - - they’re going to wonder whose hand was on the wheel?  Just take a look at the long, detailed (and growing) list of Federal and Provincial resources (i.e. dollars) allocated to accomplishing specific EHIS tasks that are never completed or even accounted for.

To be continued...

Province of Ontario: Ex-eHealth Chair quits ... again

August 14, 2009 | The STAR | QUEEN'S PARK BUREAU

Hudson's resignation from health ministry comes as PM wades into spending scandal. Premier Dalton McGuinty's go-to man in reducing health-care wait times has left the government – less than two months after being replaced as chairman of the scandal-ridden eHealth Ontario.

Acclaimed neurosurgeon Dr. Alan Hudson last week resigned from his full-time, $292,653-a-year job leading the province's efforts to reduce delays in cancer and cataract surgery, diagnostic imaging, cardiac procedures and hip and knee replacements. Reached on vacation with his family, Hudson said in an interview that he consulted Health Minister David Caplan and others before deciding to step down last Friday after five years in the job.

"Everyone wanted me to stay on, but I am not going to stay on until I die," said the 71-year-old Order of Canada recipient. "It is time for me to do other things – play with my grandchildren, do some travelling."

The news, first reported on thestar.com, came as Prime Minister Stephen Harper yesterday waded into the eHealth spending imbroglio – in which consultants who were paid as much as $3,000 a day raised public ire by expensing tea and Choco Bites cookies – with a caustic rebuke of McGuinty for costly delays in creating electronic health records for Ontarians.

"The federal government had in its budget considerable funds available for the (Canada) Health Infoway, for the expansion and pushing forward of the project to make health records in this country electronic, so I obviously would encourage the provincial government to get on with rectifying the problems in that area."

Senior provincial officials countered that the federal government has not yet given Ontario the cash for electronic health records. Because he was on contract, Hudson will not receive a golden handshake like the $317,000 given to departed eHealth chief executive Sarah Kramer, who finally broke her silence yesterday with an acerbic statement slamming the media and health ministry bureaucrats.

"There's no severance," said Terry Sullivan, chief executive of Cancer Care Ontario, where the wait times offices are headquartered. He noted Hudson was rattled by the eHealth experience, which became a major political headache for McGuinty, prompting him to clamp down on untendered contracts to consultants and the meals and treats they expense to taxpayers.

"He was distressed and troubled by the whole experience. ... I assume that was part of his calculus," Sullivan said of Hudson, crediting him for the innovative wait-times system that began tracking treatment times with an eye to improving them. A replacement for Hudson on the wait-times file has not been determined, but Sullivan urged the government to do so, noting that general surgeries will eventually be added to the list.

Hudson's departure is a further blow to McGuinty's Liberals in the wake of the eHealth debacle, in which revelations of spending abuses have continued to emerge – including an estimated $25,000 spent on writing and tweaking a speech for Kramer. She left the agency in June amid furor over executive perks, big bonuses and untendered contracts that total at least $16 million of taxpayers money. Kramer's 448-word statement issued yesterday appears to have been triggered by McGuinty's declaration Wednesday that it was a "mistake" to put her in the job.

She defended eHealth's hiring of (overtly) highly paid consultants, saying she had to take over a "moribund and deeply troubled and dysfunctional organization." While she acknowledged the expense was "not negligible," she deemed it an "essential investment" in speeding progress to creating electronic health records.

"As with any major change, our efforts were met with strong, intractable resistance and outright hostility in some quarters, including within the Ministry of Health and a few other vested interests in the health care sector," Kramer wrote, also blaming "sensationalized media coverage." She did not respond to requests for an interview.

Hudson defended Kramer's performance, saying she did the best she could to bring electronic health records to the masses. "She is not a dreadful person," he told the Star.
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PROVINCE OF ONTARIO UNVEILS YET ANOTHER ELECTRONIC HEALTH DATA PLAN

March 30th, 2009
If it doesn’t work the first (second or third) time---rebrand and start over. Taxpayers have short memories.

To this end, Ontario has unveiled another round; a $2.1 billion strategy that hopes to give every diabetic patient in the province an electronic health record by 2012. Apparently the original $650 million was required to ensure the "right people" are working on the initiative.

The "eHealth Ontario" initiative will also connect doctors, patients and pharmacists electronically to better manage the flow, safety and effectiveness of prescription drugs and cut wait times at Ontario hospitals, the head of the group developing the program says.

"There is a very clear line between investing in information and information technology in these three areas and seeing improvements from a patient perspective," says Sarah Kramer, president of eHealth Ontario.

The 53-page strategy aims to have 65 per cent of the province's primary physicians and two-thirds of their patients hooked up to the electronic medical data by April 2012. The eHealth agency was formed last September after a previous costly and controversial program failed to produce viable health record plans.

The original program, called Smart Systems, had been created in 2002, employed 300 people and wasted $650 million as part of its mandate to electronically link and support Ontario's 150,000 health-care providers. But a 2007 operational review found it was riddled with delays, lacked any accountability and its privacy policies were incomplete.

When the new, restructured and rebranded agency was formed, the province brought in Dr. Alan Hudson - head of Ontario's drive to shorten wait times in key areas. Hudson, who is chair of eHealth Ontario, quickly created a new board of directors filled with Bay Street notables.

Conservative health critic Elizabeth Witmer called Ontario's record on eHealth extremely poor. "(The government) has already invested half-a-billion dollars and we have seen NO results," she said. One might think there would be greater accountability. Or any!? In an attempt to prove, if you throw enough money at something it looks like progress, the new agency says its goal is to have enrolled 100 per cent of physicians and all of their patients by 2015. It also would like to see 65 per cent of medication orders filled electronically in three years with 35 per cent of physicians ordering drugs via secure, electronic prescriptions.

Key to the program, Kramer says, is the enrollment of as many as 800,000 diabetes patients in the province into the electronic record system. Currently, Kramer says, only half of diabetics receive the kind of basic, preventative checkups that can keep them out of hospital by catching common complications of the disease before they cause acute harm. The plan will implement a tracking system that will allow physicians and patients to follow care and alert them when any of those signal examinations are due or have been missed.Both physicians and patients will be able to access this information through the use of passwords.
On the pharmacy side, Kramer says the electronic triangle the strategy will form between patient, doctor and pharmacist will cut back significantly on the frequent mistakes that accompany prescription drug use.

Kramer says the strategy will cut wait times most significantly by keeping diabetics out of hospital. Once the infrastructure and training are in place, it will be easier to bring other diseases into the electronic system. The money, approved by the provincial cabinet in May 2008, will also fund such programs as Ontario Telemedicine Network, which provides over-the-phone medical advice to hundreds of people annually. Dennis Darby, head of the Ontario Pharmacists' Association, welcomed the new strategy. "It certainly will allow pharmacists to provide better patient care," he says.


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CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

ACUMEME is seeking articles, commentary and ideas on the state of electronic health records (EHR) and e-Health 2.0 in Canada. Have something to say? Here’s your sounding board. Anonymity assured. E-mail us at acumeme@yahoo.com.

Government of Canada Supports Electronic Health Record System that Will Save Time and Lives

Wed., Feb. 11, 2009 | OTTAWA, ONTARIO
The Honorable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, today announced that the Government of Canada, through its Economic Action Plan, is continuing to support the creation of health information systems designed to benefit Canadians by saving time and lives, while also creating economic stimulus.

Support from Budget 2009 will assist Canada Health Infoway in implementing electronic health records. It will also speed up the implementation of electronic medical record systems for physicians, as well as connect hospitals, pharmacies and community care facilities.

"An electronic health record system will improve the safety and accountability of the overall health-care system," said Minister Aglukkaq. "It will save time and lives by reducing duplication, improving the management of chronic disease, improving access to care and boosting productivity. This will result in a positive contribution to Canada's economy, including the creation of thousands of sustainable, knowledge-based jobs throughout Canada."

Many other countries are following Canada's adoption of electronic health records, which give health-care providers a complete picture of their patients' health history and help them to provide better care. Electronic health records will also help to reduce wait times by speeding the flow of information through the system, eliminating duplicate or unnecessary tests, and reducing hospital stays due to adverse drug events. Automated alerts and reminders will help to reduce medication errors and remind health-care providers of necessary tests or vaccinations.

Funding of $500 million announced today is in addition to $400 million in support provided to Canada Health Infoway in Budget 2007. This brings the Government of Canada's total commitment to this initiative to $2.1 billion. Since its inception, Infoway and its provincial and territorial partners have made good progress in making electronic health records a reality in Canada. Across the country, increasing numbers of Canadians and health-care providers are gaining access to health information through secure electronic systems.

"The Government of Canada's continued investment in the development of electronic health record systems across Canada will result in continued modernization of the health-care system, with tangible results for Canadians in every corner of the country," said Richard Alvarez, President and CEO, Canada Health Infoway. "In addition to benefiting the health system, electronic health records are also reducing operating costs and stimulating the economy by creating thousands of jobs."

Canada Health Infoway is an independent, not-for-profit corporation established in 2001 to accelerate the development of health information and communication technologies such as electronic health records (EHR's), telehealth, and public health surveillance systems on a pan-Canadian basis. Its members are the 14 federal, provincial and territorial Deputy Ministers of Health.

See Health Canada News Releases

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Canada Health Infoway Launches new Canadian e-Health Certification

The government-funded organization works to accelerate the adoption of electronic health records in Canada. Its new e-health certification aims to make consumer health vendors bake more security, privacy and interoperability features into their applications.

Canada Health Infoway is launching a new certification service for vendors who create consumer e-health applications. The non-profit organization hopes its new e-Health Certification Service will encourage health IT vendors to take advantage of the considerable progress Canada has made in setting standards and deploying interoperable electronic health records. With interest in consumer health products continuing to grow, ensuring these solutions work well with technologies used to store Canadian health data is essential.

These products can help individuals organize their health information and gather medical records from doctors, hospitals and pharmacies. It can also help doctors keep up-to-date on changes to your digital health records.

“The key word is interoperability and this should be the driving force for technology solutions in all sectors,” John Reid, president and CEO of the Canadian Advanced Technology Alliance (CATA Alliance), said. “In the health care sector, you want solutions and information to be portable from one geography to the other and that’s the whole idea behind these standards.”

Bernard Courtois, president and CEO of the Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC), also applauded the national standard and said it could boost the confidence of the market considerably.

“It’s a sign that electronic health is making progress and reaching the consumer world, not just the health care system world,” he said. “Canadians will realize that e-health is something they can’t do without in a modern health care system.”

In addition to better interoperability, organizations investing in certified e-health solutions can also expect a high degree of confidence that the products they buy meet stringent security standards. When applying for certification, a vendor will need to fill out a self-assessment form on how well their product meets Infoway’s standards. After passing this stage, vendors will have to “provide an overview of their privacy policy” and “demonstrate very specific test scripts through their applications,” according to Shelagh Maloney, Infoway’s executive director of external liaison.

“Our ultimate goal is that buyers of these systems, especially the health organizations, will make it a mandatory requirement in their buying process to purchase consumer health platforms certified by Infoway,” she said.

Maloney, however, did not want to comment on the specific costs vendors can expect to pay for going through the certification process. Courtois said that whatever the costs might be, they need to be affordable in order to allow smaller companies a chance at becoming certified.

Traditionally, the problem with certifications is that there’s just too many of them, he added, “if you have to obtain multiple health certifications, it can waste lots of time and money, and really doesn’t provide much help for the buyers,” Courtois said. “This makes things tougher for smaller companies, but it’s also an expense for larger companies and it would be naïve to think that the cost doesn’t get factored back into when they sell the application.”

Reid added that by creating cost-effective – but also well-respected – national standard, vendors can truly differentiate themselves and improve the e-health application market.

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White Paper | Electronic Health Information: The Key to Evidence-Based Medicine and Improved Patient Care.

Sponsored by: BEA/Oracle8/ OCT 08.

This (U.S.-based) Government Insights White Paper provides background information on the healthcare industry in the United States and the challenges and opportunities associated with leveraging technology and electronic health information to promote more effective care delivery across a broader patient community.

This paper also highlights two case studies that demonstrate how technology can serve as a key component of effective healthcare by creating the data framework for evidence-based medicine (EBM).

DOWNLOAD WHITE PAPER

Global Snapshot: National and Regional Electronic Health Projects

Global Perspective: Electronic Health Records (EHR)

HIMSS Global Enterprise Task Force (GEFT) investigates implementation of EHR’s in 15 countries around the world.

Recognizing common threads that affect all Electronic Health Records (EHR) implementations in 15 countries, the Global Enterprise Task Force of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) has released “Electronic Health Records: A Global Perspective.”

The extensive study reviewed healthcare IT progress in Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and North America. A 16-member task force looked at various EHR components within each country, including, security, quality, financing sources and barriers to adoption. The 119-page report presents findings on EHR implementation by country. Each chapter features an overview of the country’s electronic health record status followed by a review of achievements, barriers and recommendations in the different areas.

DOWNLOAD REPORT (.pdf)

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The HIMSS Global Enterprise Task Force (GEFT), formed in 2006 under the HIMSS Enterprise Information Steering Committee, includes industry leaders from around the world who provide expert analysis from a local perspective. The work group plans to update and expand the report in future editions and calls on interested health IT experts throughout the world to contribute. Contact the HIMSS Europe office at europe@himss.org for more information on participation.

About HIMSS.

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Health Care in Canada Report (HCIC 2008)

Health Care in Canada 2008 (HCIC 2008) is the ninth in a series of annual reports on Canada's health care system by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI.)

The Health Care in Canada (HCIC 2008) Report provides a review of key analytic work undertaken at CIHI that highlights CIHI's health care research priorities (access, quality of care, health human resources, funding/costs, etc.). Also included in this report is a review of seminal national and international health care research as it maps onto these health care priorities. HCIC 2008 is a tool for health care researchers, persons involved in strategic decision-making in health care, the media and Canadians in general to identify current priorities in health care.

DOWNLOAD HCIC 2008 REPORT (.PDF).

About CIHI
The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) collects and analyzes information on health and health care in Canada and makes it publicly available. Canada’s federal, provincial and territorial governments created CIHI as a not-for-profit, independent organization dedicated to forging a common approach to Canadian health information. CIHI’s goal: to provide timely, accurate and comparable information. CIHI’s data and reports inform health policies, support the effective delivery of health services and raise awareness among Canadians of the factors that contribute to good health.

KLAS announces top-performing Healthcare IT software and services vendors for 2008

The 2008 Top 20 Best in KLAS Awards lists top Healthcare IT vendors in a number of software categories (view Top 20,) as well as several professional services categories.

KLAS Founder and Chairman Kent Gale said more than 1,500 interviews were conducted. Gale added that KLAS is developing new categories and refining others based on the comments received during the interview process. The company has added cardiology as a category, he pointed out, while it is working on designations for RFID assets and labor and delivery and others.

As the Clinical Portal category is relatively new, KLAS does not yet extend a “Best in KLAS” rating, however MEDSEEK is the Category Leader for Clinical Portals in the recent report. (View Report)

"Since 1998, the Top 20 Best in KLAS Awards report has been shining a light on the performance of vendors throughout the healthcare industry," said KLAS President Adam Gale in a press release. "Today the objective of the report remains the same: To help healthcare providers make informed decisions, whether they're looking to buy technology, review a current vendor, validate an operational decision or determine the right products to remain after a merger."

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Top 50 Health 2.0 Blogs

It’s clear the Internet is transforming how we practice medicine, biomedical research, and empowering health care stakeholders. While we have seen many new concepts and terms appear and disappear, the term “Web 2.0” is increasingly being discussed.

Recent advances in web technologies and user interfaces has greatly changed the design and pervasiveness of Web applications, and in many cases actually transformed the way users interact with them. As eloquently argued by Mandl and colleagues in the New England Journal of Medicine, these developments represent “tectonic shifts in the health information economy” with far-reaching consequences for patient involvement, as the gravity shifts away from health care providers as the sole custodian of medical data.

Health 2.0 embraces the idea of bringing health care into the community of physicians, patients, and those in the health care industry together with technology and the Internet to provide the best possible health care environment.

What better way for the various parts of this community to share their thoughts and communicate ideas than through their blogs? From corporate blogs to blogs that are a part of social networks to individual blogs touching on technology or health care policy, these blogs will help bring you into the community, provide information and resources, and may perhaps help you find your voice as well.

2.0 CORPORATE BLOGS
From popular medical websites such as WebMD and Healthline to Health 2.0 sites like Organized Wisdom, these blogs bring you health information on a variety of topics.

1. WebMD Community Blogs. This trusted source of medical advice offers blogs ranging from ADHD to men's health to urology. Select one or more topics to learn the latest in that field.

2. Mayo Clinic Blogs and Podcasts. Stay on top of subjects such as pregnancy, stopping smoking, nutrition and more with the blogs and podcasts available at this site.

3. Healthline Health Matters . Read the blogs available through Healthline here. Topics include cancer treatment, reproduction, teen health, nutrition, and much more.

4. MedlinePlus Health News. Click through the daily news updates on this government-sponsored site or sign up for the RSS feeds to have the news delivered straight to you.

5. ENURGI. This company works to connect families, patients, and health care givers. The blog provides updates about the company as well as helpful advice on topics such as checking references for caregivers and exercise and health.

6. The Revolution Manifesto. RevolutionHealth offers a community resource to find information about health and wellness, illness, and connecting with others. Their blog highlights important health care issues and how those issues affect changes within the company.

7. HealthNex. From IBM employees concerned with health care innovations that help the global community, this blog brings topics such as e-records, health policy, and technology to Health 2.0 readers.

8. The Health Wisdom Blog. From Organized Wisdom, the site that gives you information on your health with WisdomCards, be sure to follow this blog for updates on the latest 2.0 tools.

9. NeoTool Healthcare IT Blog. From NeoTool, a hospital systems integration software, this blog offers the latest IT trends with a focus on hospitals in particular as well as information about the NeoTool software as well.

10. SharpBrains Blog. This blog keeps you updated on the latest brain health news and research. Don't miss their Medicine 2.0 blog carnival where they offer the best of the blogs offering 2.0 information.


SOCIAL NETWORKING BLOGS
Medical social networking sites offer lots of information on their blogs, usually with the angle of reader-based research. Check out these blogs written by highly informed patients and medical professionals alike.

11. The Value of Openness. From PatientsLikeMe, this blog brings the best of patient-led research to you. Recent posts have touched on young-onset Parkinson's, MS, and genetics discrimination.

12. Doctor Blogs at Daily Strength. From Daily Strength, these physicians share their knowledge on topics ranging from why men don't seek health care treatment to high school sports to the five stages of grief.

13. PeoplesMD Blog. Get the latest on both social networking and health issues--especially as they have to do with one another--on this blog from PeoplesMD.

14. Trusera Blog. Trusera is a social network of patients who are sharing their health experiences. The blog brings you updates in the world of health care as well as updates on Trusera itself.

15. change: healthcare. This social networking site allows patients to compare and support each other on health care topics such as illness, prescription drugs, and many other health care topics. The blog keeps you updated on health care news such as how to spot an online medical scam or whether or not you should get married for health care benefits.

16. HealthCareVox. Not actually a part of any one social networking site, this blog focuses specifically on how social networking plays into the world of health care and technology. Recent topics have included the success of specific online communities and a global study on social technology.

17. PsychCentral Blogs. PsychCentral, an online psychology community, offers this blog to keep you updated on the latest in the field of psychology such as face recognition and the relationship to social culture and non-drug approaches to treating ADHD.

18. The SoberCircle Guy's Blog. The official blog of SoberCircle, you can find posts about both social networking and the 2.0 technology used to create a supportive and healthy environment.

19. New Media Medicine Blogs. Read the blogs from physicians, med students, and pre-med students from this social networking sites for doctors. Sponsored by a university in New Zealand, these blogs definitely have a distinctive feel separate from similar U.S. blogs.

GENERAL HEALTHCARE AND WEB 2.0
From the latest in health 2.0 tools to a listing of current medical blogs, these 2.0 blogs will keep you current and in the know.

20. Health 2.0 Blog. A blog written by leaders in the health 2.0 movement, these posts will keep you abreast of all the latest trends and technologies occurring in the health care world.

21. The Health Care Blog. A sister site to health 2.0 Blog, this blog expands coverage in its posts to include not only the 2.0 aspect, but also the latest news and inside happenings in the health care industry.

22. The Doctor Weighs In. Five physicians post on this health care blog that frequently features plenty of health 2.0 topics such as the future of health 2.0 tools.

23. Diabetes Mine. This comprehensive site detailing all aspects of managing diabetes offers a blog with a strong focus on the 2.0 aspects of online technology and community connection.

24. Medical 2.0. Written by a pediatrician and health 2.0 guru, this blog offers great tips and resources for enhancing your health and medical 2.0 library.

25. Frankie Speaking Frankly. This blogger from the U.K. brings you interesting posts about the world of health and medical 2.0. As the creator of MedWorm with a strong interest in medical research, her experience in the field is sure to provide great insight to the current and future trends of health 2.0.

26. Web 2.0 and Medicine. Find reviews and updates on the latest web 2.0 tools that affect the field of medicine on this blog written by a physician with a strong interest in the progress of health 2.0.

27. Medgadget. This hugely popular blog provides the latest in medical technology both on and off the Internet.

28. Clinical Cases and Images--Blog. This blog brings the world of medicine together through their informative and interesting blog. Get the latest news, interesting blogs, and newest technologies here.

29. ScienceRoll. This medical student with a strong interest in web 2.0 technology writes about the intersection of these two fields in his blog.

30. Informaticopia. Blogging about the world of eHealth around the world, this blogger is based in the U.K., but also touches on health 2.0 in Canada and the U.S. as well.

31. Medlogs. For a listing of medical blogs, this news aggregator brings the latest medical blogs to you in one spot. Read through the most current blog list or browse through the categories of blogs on the left-hand menu.


HEALTH AND TECHNOLOGY BLOGS
Health 2.0 is inextricably linked to technology, so read about how technology and health care affect each other in these blogs.

32. Health Populi. Written by a health economist, this blog looks at how health care and technology intersect. Recent posts include health care debt trends and the economic impact on health insurance, medical treatment, and prescription drug use.

33. iHealthBeat. Actually more of a journal than a blog, this site offers updates on Monday through Friday on how technology affects the health care industry. A part of the California HealthCare Foundation, some of the news is a bit more geared to California and the west coast.

34. HIStalk. This Health IT blog serves primarily as a news aggregator for all the HIS inside industry scoops, but it also provides reader-written posts about the industry.

35. The Healthcare IT Guy. Written by a CEO of a health care IT company, this blog offers plenty of reviews for great health 2.0 sites as well as updates about health care as it pertains to technology.

36. eHealth. Blogging on the nuances of eHealth, health 2.0, and medicine 2.0, this writer discusses the various aspects of technology and health care systems.

37. Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog. Read about podcasting, blogging, open source, privacy and more as these aspects of technology pertain to the health care industry.

38. Future of Health IT. This news aggregator blog lets you know the latest news on IT trends and happenings as they relate to the health care industry.

39. The Healthcare Information Systems Blog. While currently undergoing a re-focusing of direction, this blog generally examines health care and its association with technology innovation.

40. Efficient MD.com. This site offers the latest on technology, best practices, and lifehacks. Stay on top of what technology your physician has available in her field.

41. Kidney Notes. Not necessarily just focusing on kidneys, this blog offers a good mix of medical technology news, funny journal articles, and other random fun-ness. Medical professionals and laypeople alike will enjoy reading this blog.

42. davidrothman.net. Combining medical librarianship and Internet technology, this blog offers great 2.0 tools and tips for those in the health care industry.

43. Laika's MedLibLog. Another blog heavy on the medical library end of health 2.0 and written by a Dutch medical information specialist, this blog offers topics such as WikiMindMap, Dutch medical blogs, and more.


HEALTHCARE POLICY AND LAW BLOGS
The current state of health care in America just begs for health 2.0 intervention with communities and technology working to make a change for the better. These blogs let you know how the struggle to improve the system is going.

44. Kathleen's Blog: Second Opinion. A part of CodeBlueNow!, the founder writes this blog with inspirational and thought-provoking calls to arms for those working to make a change in health care policies.

45. Crossover Health. This blog is a great example of the Renaissance nature of health 2.0 as it strives to find a way to make policy changes through inclusion of physicians, patients, and policy makers as they incorporate aspects of technology and finance to improve health care for all.

46. Health Care For All. This non-profit works to create a better health care system through creating a consumer-centered system, and their blog provides the latest developments in their pursuit of better quality care.

47. A Scanner Brightly. This blogger is going about making changes in policy by bringing more medical transparency to the field. As a supporter of this movement, you will find topics comparing U.S. healthcare to other countries and examinations of current transparency policies.

48. Amateur Economists. While not strictly a health blog, the economic topics here frequently touch on health care policy and how economics affects changes. This blog is geared towards those who are not well-versed in economics, but want to understand the implications on current events.

49. Health Care Law Blog. This lawyer blogs about the intersection of health care, the law, and technology. Topics frequently touch on electronic health care records, social networks as they pertain to health care, privacy, and more.

50. HealthBlawg. Lawyer David Harlow writes about health care, technology, the law, and health care policy on his blog.

Published on RNCentral.com Wednesday September 17th , 2008 | Read original article

Global Perspective: Australia’s Electronic Health Record (EHR) Resources

Coalition for eHealth Australia
The Coalition for eHealth was formed to improve the strength and coherence of the voice from those with expertise in eHealth. View Members of the Coalition for eHealth.

The National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA) published specifications for both messaging and connectivity architecture which underpin the approach to e-health communications for NEHTA’s ePathology, eDischarge Summary, eReferral and eMedications Management. Strategic policy alignment takes a strong focus on the monitoring and analysis of trends and technology, in order to drive the Australian Governments' e-Health agenda. Read Specifications.

Australian Health Ministers Advisory Council (AHMAC).
In early 2008, Australian Health Ministers, through the Australian Health Ministers' Advisory Council, commissioned Deloitte to develop a strategic framework and plan to guide national coordination and collaboration in E-Health. Read Summary.

HealthConnect Australia Archive

National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA) Privacy Blueprint for the Individual Electronic Health Record
The Consumers Health Forum's National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA) Privacy Blueprint for the Individual Electronic Health Record considers a range of key issues including governance, audit functionality, sensitivity labels, what controls individuals have over information on the Individual EHR, and secondary uses.

e-Health is a Valuable Tool
As the e-health movement continues to gain momentum across Australia, consumers are playing a greater part in driving the e-health direction to meet consumer needs.

Keeping Consumer e-Health Transparent
Ethics is central to the culture of health provision in Australia; however, when it comes to looking at e-health things can get a bit clouded. This article looks at just one aspect of e-Health and consumer sponsored (and run) websites.

e-Health and the Quality Use of Medicines - Getting Better All the Time
Computers have revolutionized the way pharmacists work, delivering many improvements to consumers. However, e-Health offers ongoing opportunities.

e-Health - A Consumer's View
There are benefits and drawbacks with the development and implementation of e-Health systems, but with consumer involvement, concerns can be addressed

e-Health for Consumers - Practical Strategies
The e-Health strategies were developed out of the CHF 2005-06 Electronic Health Records project for maintaining a high level of well-informed consumer participation and input in the development and implementation of e-Health systems. The strategies also reinforce the need to consider important issues for consumers, such as privacy, governance, and shared decision-making between health providers and consumers, to ensure these issues remain on the e-Health development agenda.

Global Perspective: NHS Scotland’s e-Health Strategy

The potential of information technology to support improved healthcare is recognized across the world. There are many approaches to delivering this potential; Scotland is building an approach that best fits the needs of NHS Scotland.

In Scotland, the e-Health Strategy is setting a course which focuses on improved healthcare more than technology. It also seeks to build on the significant progress we have already made to move to progressively stronger and more integrated support for the provision of care. The e-Health Strategy targets the key priorities set for health while also looking to build the wider vision of more integrated care and the use of information to promote better, more efficient and safer care for patients.

Read NHS SCOTLAND’s eHealth Strategy.

CanadianEMR Roundtable Forum Podcast- The Convergence of EMR and EHR

The Convergence of EMR and EHR Podcast
Where are we now? Where are we going? The Convergence of EMR and EHR in Canada. Featuring Panelists: Sam Marafioti, Dr. Steve Edworthy, Dr. Stephen McLaren, and Mary Atkinson.

Listen to the Podcast (Length: 34:44.) Visit CanadianEMR Online.

White Paper: The Critical Role of Integrated Patient Information in the Delivery of High Quality Healthcare

Find out how an SOA-based solution for HIE and interoperability can provide both caregivers and applications with comprehensive and accurate integrated patient information that facilitates the delivery of high quality healthcare. Download the White Paper.

The Promise of eHealth 2.0 | Clinical Portal Technology

The past few years have been busy ones for those involved with automation of processes within the healthcare industry.

As a result of these efforts, people everywhere are increasingly benefiting from web-based information technology, and savvy web-users are finding the outdated information systems traditionally associated with delivering healthcare nonsensical. Antiquated systems and processes combined with poor information flow are increasingly resulting in under-use, and misuse of healthcare services. Add to this the pressure from the full spectrum of consumers, payers, and policy makers, and all eyes are on the sources of wasted resources, operational inefficiencies, and unsafe care.

The call for a significant restructuring of our healthcare system is coming from the highest levels of government, demanding that the industry take advantage of the time, cost, and resource efficiencies promised by healthcare information technology– including electronic health/ medical records (EHR/EMR) and web-based information exchange.

To put the fundamentals in place requires investment; however, returns would be enormous in the form of improved quality of care, better safety and greater productivity.

Healthcare executives today have a unique challenge in responding to the e-Health call to arms, as even new systems may also create inefficiencies and added risk to patients if not utilized properly. Somehow, leaders must enable their organizations to evolve while simultaneously protecting the financial stability of the institution and the well being of the patients. This includes providing the modern tools, training and support required to move forward and evolve their health delivery platform.

This can be accomplished incrementally by growing the universal understanding of viable, effective web 2.0 e-Health technologies and sharing successes and failures as an industry. There is no longer any choice about joining the e-Health revolution. It is becoming the rule, not the exception—and it’s gaining momentum everywhere.

We are quickly moving away from the traditional models of medicine and towards a patient-centric model with the intent to deliver more efficient care, whilst simultaneously improving patient outcomes. This is why tools have been introduced to help realize the promise of e-Health. A proven portal solution not only leverages, enhances, and augments existing IT investments, but also evolves information delivery platforms towards a more open, vendor-neutral, patient-centric environment.

OUR TANGLED, HIGHLY FRAGMENTED NETWORK
According to Frost & Sullivan, increasing integration is creating the need for a single point of contact to healthcare IT (HIT) systems, which in turn, is driving the e-Health market.

Today's health systems are tangled, highly fragmented networks that often waste a great number of resources by duplicating efforts, leaving unaccountable gaps, and failing to build on the strengths of our health professionals and clinical expertise. With an aging population, extended wait times, and chronic conditions reaching epidemic proportions, our healthcare system will not survive without radical change. e-Health, the application of web-based information technology to healthcare, can profoundly change the way the business of healthcare is conducted— making it safer, more affordable, and significantly more efficient.

However, transforming traditional modes of delivering care will require Health Care Organizations (HCO) to take advantage of the enormous potential offered by information technology in far more complex ways. Previously, e-Health was stalled by interoperability issues and a lack of workflow-driven, secure information exchange. Today however, progressive technology and innovative solutions are enabling unprecedented advancements.

The relatively brief history of Health Information Technology (HIT) has taught organizations the high costs of failure, which has caused Health Care Organizations to prudently proceed with guarded optimism. Although there is recognition of the benefits of e-Health, when combined with a market already crowded with HIT vendors attempting to help HCO’s realize a return on investment (ROI,) it becomes increasingly difficult to identify a vendor with a meaningful track record. As such, the majority of Health Care Organizations have been watching the progress of vanguard organizations before they commit their time and money.

Waiting to join the e-Health movement has its own disadvantages. Besides prolonging current inefficiencies, laggard organizations may miss an important window of opportunity, and the benefits of adopting e-Health strategies are too great to ignore. For HCO’s determined to take advantage of the current Infoway driven EHR environment, the next imperative action is to outline an appropriate technical platform for their e-Health strategy.

Fundamentally, organizations are seeking a platform that allows the seamless delivery of information across the continuum of healthcare and multiple locations. Fortunately, this objective can be met without cost prohibitive, universal replacement of existing HIT. Moving forward with a proven e-Health portal communications strategy can bind the information technology of disparate facilities and stakeholders into an interactive user community using advanced, but proven, web portal technologies.


WEB PORTALS: DEFINITION AND DESCRIPTION
From the user perspective, a web portal is technology that allows an individual or user community to gain convenient access to a broad range of information and services through their web browser.

Most HCO’s serve a variety of stakeholder communities, including providers, payers, patients, employees, and consumers. Each of these stakeholder communities benefits from a portal that is targeted specifically to meet their needs, aggregating information of value for them and allowing them to communicate freely with the host organization and each other.

For the hosting HCO, a portal is an integration tool that incorporates service and data management applications with workflows and business processes to present a unified, personalized, and streamlined gateway to their enterprise for its stakeholders. The HCO establishes a portal strategy to offer timely access to real-time information resulting in better customer service that is accessible from a single point of entry, regardless of which system generates the information or where the information resides.

While a provider portal, patient portal, employee portal, and a consumer portal each appear independent of the other, they are clearly interrelated. Since healthcare consumers may be patients, employees, or even providers, their needs will overlap. Therefore, each stakeholder may require access to the others’ data as well as additional common data sources.

A portal solution can serve to aggregate information stored in disparate, incompatible systems using a Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA). SOA describes a product architecture that allows tight integration with underlying applications, without requiring system interoperability. This also allows users to access software functions independent of the underlying platform and/or programming language.

It permits services to be rolled into larger applications that can be incorporated into portals, without locking the enterprise into a specific vendor. While the SOA concept has been around for quite some time, emerging standards-based integration technologies like Web services and XML have recently made it practical. The benefit for your healthcare organization is clear – a SOA enables eHealth while protecting the enterprise’s investment in legacy software. As organizations search for viable tactical path to leverage a Service-Oriented Architecture, many can use portal products as a first step.

EMPOWERING COMMUNICATION
By empowering patients, providing rapid, real-time data access, greater efficiency, and increased patient/physician collaboration, everyone benefits. Although eHealth applications serve the needs of many different stakeholders, there are four major stakeholder groups, which illustrate the value of this solution: patients, physicians, consumers and employees.



In spite of the differences in type and format of information and services each group requires, there is significant overlap and common desire for:
+ A more positive physician/patient experience between clinicians and patients
+ A more satisfying and effective clinical experience for patients and caregivers
+ A more transparent technology experience for all of the stake holders, but particularly the care givers and IT staff, easy to use and easy to maintain
+ Better IT cost control to make the CIO and CFO’s job of keeping costs down easier
+ More referrals and admits because of streamlining and efficiency improvements that expand a facility’s capacity
+ Brand advancement, fulfilling the goals of the marketing department and CEO of improving community awareness and market position
+ Better recruiting retention because of more effective use of staff time and skills, and easier access to human resources and other employee information
+ Improved operations for administrators and clinicians, building on existing skills and significantly reducing unnecessary mundane tasks.

However, while many vendors offer partial solutions, few offer a comprehensive portal communication solution.

Legacy HIS/CIS vendors offer applications targeting information access and management, and while they improve the physician/patient experience and provide operational efficiencies, the needs of the other stakeholders are not addressed.

Traditional web vendors, on the other hand, tend to focus on content management systems that excel at promoting an organization’s brand but leave the needs clinical and operations stakeholders unpreserved.

Somewhat more comprehensive, electronic medical record (EMR/EHR) vendors offer vital elements of the big picture solution, but cannot accomplish the complete transformation that browser-based systems promise.

e-HEALTH EVOLUTION: INTO THE FUTURE
The Gartner Group identified five levels of eHealth development using Portals, the elements that comprise them, and what it takes to move from one level to the next (see figure 1).

Health Care Organizations continue to significantly use portal products to build and deploy a variety of customer, citizen, partner and employee facing enterprise portals.

Portals have evolved through four generations of technology and are embarking on their fifth generation. In the beginning, eHealth bore relatively simple websites that provided new levels of information accessibility to healthcare consumers.

As the technology evolved to Level 2, searchable directories and more interactive features were added, providing dynamic new options for HCO marketing and administration departments. It was possible to promote classes and services, help people find reliable current health information and appropriate specialists, make human resources information readily available to employees, and collect and manage data using the Internet.

Since Generation 2, portals have leveraged service-oriented (SOA) capabilities. Generation 2 portals provided a rudimentary method of composite application assembly known as inter-portlet communication. Organizations can use inter-portlet communication to build composite applications by linking portlet’s related to a specific business process. This type of composite application is referred to as "on the glass" because the integration is at the presentation layer rather than deep in the business logic. This integration approach is effective for user-driven processes, and advanced enterprise portals use inter-portlet communication extensively.

Level 3 applications required a broader revolution within healthcare from paper to electronic medical records, which was reliant on emerging data standards and the willingness of HCO’s to empower their users with more control and access.

Generation 3 portals enabled systems to handle basic web services. These portal products could consume web services. The addition of workflow, which is a feature of most portal products, introduced a new way to orchestrate composite applications.

Over time, the experiences of the early adopters and results of pilot projects generated sufficient results to compel cautious HCO’s to pursue the promise of eHealth. With Level 3 adoption no longer stalled by technological limitations and the pervasive wait-and-see mentality, the next wave in eHealth is cresting.

Transformational web portals will offer business process management with workflow automation, alerts, and reminders, integration with patient records, medical device uploads and a host of other equally exciting advances. Together, unified data resources and user interaction will radically alter best-practices for patient care and healthcare efficiency.

As far back as February 2006, a survey of healthcare CIO’s ranked the area for which they would be most likely to offer increased functionality via their web presence. Offering patients the ability to schedule appointments through their website was most frequently identified, followed by utilizing a physician portal link and providing consumer health information. However, only a handful of the CIO’s report that their website is used to offer patients secures and authenticated access to medical records.

On the cutting edge of eHealth, vanguard organizations are evaluating the appropriate technical platform for Level 4 applications. With Generation 4, portals started to leverage advanced web services. This included the ability to provide web services, as well as consume them. It also supported the first web services standard for portlets, Web Services for Remote Portlets (WSRP), which enables one portal to consume a portlet from a different portal, using web services protocols. Thus, portal pages could include local and remote portlets, all supporting a single set of processes.

Generation 5 is emerging (see figure 1). Advanced features include support for business process management (BPM), service-oriented applications (SOBAs) and orchestration, critical features to support advanced composite applications. Business Process Execution Language will become the standard orchestration language for portal products and will extend beyond the capabilities of their current workflow features.

INFORMATION CONSOLIDATION
A portal strategy should be built on a stable, secure framework, offer single sign-on, single-patient/single-view access to all information using a coherent system of portals — simultaneously serving the needs of the wide variety of stakeholders.

A comprehensive portal communications solution should include broad-based applications through:
+ Flexible, easy-to-use web content management tools for rapid application development by both non-technical staff and programmers
+ Interoperability between incompatible legacy HIS systems, and real-time data access
+ Secure communication allowing patients and providers to communicate conveniently
+ Integrated third party applications for additional functionality.

Current, partial solutions can be made whole with interpretable portals through which all healthcare stakeholders will exchange information and engage the enterprise regardless of geographical location. Enterprise portals are intended to consolidate and streamline a vast array of information from multiple sources into a single screen. Portal technology enables different IT systems and software applications to communicate, to exchange data accurately, effectively, securely and consistently, and to use the information that has been exchanged, making the most out of your investments.

TECHNOLOGY THAT OVERCOMES: ELIMINATING ADOPTION ISSUES
With billions being invested in the migration from paper to electronic records, rapid ROI is a determining factor on the minds of executives and administrators concerned about their bottom line. Speedy, enterprise-wide adoption is critical for any eHealth initiative to realize the full benefits of their investment.

ELUSIVE RETURN ON INVESTMENT
Delays and patchwork systems negatively impact the organizations’ ROI. Still, adoption continues to be spotty, despite incentives. In part, the gradual adoption curve can be ascribed to common complaints of HIT; accompanying workflow and systems integrations require process changes that can be intimidating. Reengineering the way work is done presents challenges that extend far beyond use of the technology. Changing the enterprise culture and convincing busy professionals to adopt and learn new systems are essential but challenging components.

A study conducted back in 2001 found 121 administrators and physicians working for HCOs agreed that in order to remain competitive, providers must move toward interactive consumer web self-service capabilities (e.g. scheduling services, pre-registering for services and bill payment) and online Physician patient communication. However, the reluctance to proceed was tied predominantly to a lack of funding followed by a lack of commitment, fear, politics and other intangibles that must be overcome if an organization is to be able to achieve the advanced website functionality. These findings were reiterated in the 2006 HIMSS CIO Leadership survey, which found that for the sixth consecutive year, respondents identified a lack of adequate financial support for IT as the most significant barrier to a successful implementation of IT at their organization.

Certainly, ROI is an important factor in any healthcare IT acquisition. A prudent capital investment is measured by its contribution to the sustained financial strength of the organization. However, the use of capital assets for eHealth objectives cannot be measured solely on the balance sheet. When capital investment improves clinical outcomes, reduces preventable medical errors, and eliminates common sources of waste, the return is evident in healthier patients.

CLINICAL SYSTEM INTEROPERABILITY
The fragmentation of legacy HIT systems causes interoperability issues that can undermine an organization’s confidence in their ability to successfully implement a comprehensively integrated web solution. The data systems needed for an outpatient setting require a different level of sophistication than those that regulate admissions, discharges, and transfers within in a large hospital. Each system is defined by unique vendor standards, some of them decades old. These hurdles make a seamless, rapid data sharing format seem out of reach. However, integration can be tackled with the latest web technology.

Using a “virtual electronic health record” (EHR) model, any HCO can connect underlying systems rapidly and cost effectively to deliver views of clinical information through secure, single sign-on, web-browser technology. The virtual EMR is dependent on a decentralized, federated data model. Using this architecture allows HCOs to leverage legacy HIS/CIS investments, avoiding the ongoing maintenance of an expensive Central Data Repository (CDR).

A federated data model eliminates system integration hassles and overcomes patient identification challenges with master patient indexing logarithms. It seamlessly integrates disparate clinical and census data, transforming fragmented data into a clean and concise dashboard of information.

For example, a Clinical Portal can present admitting, attending, and referring Physicians with real-time access to all of their patients’ clinical information across multiple sites and when combined with systems such as computerized physician order entry (CPOE), provides the ability to input patient order entry and review via a web-browser. Additionally, online continuing medical education (CME), calendars, scheduling, clinical trial information, grand rounds, physician newsletters, and other relevant clinical content may all be presented in a customizable view for each user.

PHYSICIAN ACCEPTANCE
The biggest concern for busy Physicians is the time and energy required to transfer data and learn new systems. They are understandably reluctant to spend time away from patient-facing activities to address administrative business. To reduce training time, leading eHealth solution providers devote considerable resources to researching and designing intuitive applications that build on existing user experiences best practices.

Additionally, a federated data-model eliminates the need for Clinicians to learn underlying applications for checking labs or reviewing films, for example, as the GUI they use does not require any understanding of the host IT system, only to view the relevant clinical data that resides on it.

PATIENT IDENTIFICATION, PRIVACY AND HIPAA COMPLIANCE
Understandably, HCOs, Physicians and Clinicians are sensitive to their responsibility to protect confidential patient information and may see rapid, real-time online access to vital information as a threat to privacy. Understandably adequate security measures and an architectural design must be engineered to allow an organization to implement eHealth applications with demonstrable compliance with regulations and respect for the patients’ rights. Todays web 2.0 eHealth technologies including authentication protocols and CAPTCHA, encryption of secure messages, automatic audit trails of information access, controlled workflow and secure servers guard patient information from unauthorized access.

FOLLOW THE LEADERS
e-Health is certainly no longer in its infancy, yet sustained concerns about implementing new technology is understandable. It’s a real challenge for most organizations to create a tactical plan to ensure that their web capabilities support current corporate objectives.

It is far more difficult for HCOs to devise a long term plan that serves the evolving needs of the organization, adapts to technological advances, and meets new societal demands. The pressure to deliver on high-priced projects adds gravity to the matter. The initial expenses are just a small piece of the overall financial commitment an HCO makes in the transition to eHealth, and the failure rate for EHR implementations is estimated at 30 to 50 percent. False starts and implementation time-line overruns are too costly for most HCO's to risk.

To overcome these barriers, part of doing it right the first time requires research to learn from organizations that have been successful in their own eHealth initiatives. Over the past decade, a wide variety of HCOs have achieved eHealth success, from early-adopting visionaries constantly striving for better ways to engage their stakeholders, to more cautious pragmatists waiting for proven solutions to their online needs.

COST AND TRAINING
In the 2006 HIMSS CIO Survey, lack of staffing resources was identified as the second most common barrier to IT adoption. Time and resource efficiencies enabled by eHealth have been demonstrated to pay for themselves in as little as a year. Fewer chart pulls and phone calls, speedier access to accurate information, lower record maintenance, and staffing costs, and revenue enhancements together create a synergy of efficiency—that more than compensates for the up-front investments.

For example, reducing the need for just one administrator/ trainer can save significant financial resources. One estimate based on a 40 hour work week over 50 weeks, and an average annual salary of $50,000, suggests that reducing one full time trainer can yield a savings of $61,000 USD a year. The architecture and design of today’s eHealth products are focused on allowing nontechnical users the maximum flexibility to manage their websites and portals. Additionally, intuitive design reduces the need for training and results in an immediate cost saving.

COMPETITIVE HOSPITALS: TRANSFORMING DELIVERY PLATFORMS
To remain competitive hospitals will soon have no real choice but to further transform their delivery platform. Organizations unable or unwilling to keep up are in danger of losing their competitive edge. The trick is to survive the transformation without multi-restarts, multi-level failures and multi-millions wasted.

However, the potential to succeed has never been clearer. A proven, cost effective model is available that delivers rapid, convenient access to any and all historical patient medical information from anywhere, regardless of when and where the care was delivered. Such a system is easily deployed, satisfies the need for cost effectiveness (ROI), dramatically increases productivity, efficiency, and makes the best use of existing resources. Ultimately, such a platform creates a healthcare environment that provides both patients and providers with improved outcomes and higher satisfaction.

Portals will allow transactions (and information) to flow rapidly and seamlessly over the web, but first the groundwork must be laid. Thankfully, proven technology exists to help healthcare organizations transition smoothly from one level of eHealth to the next at a fraction of the time and cost of competing models. Ultimately, confidence in proven solutions will embolden the willingness of responsible managers to move forward with and capitalize upon the promise of e-Health.

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TELUS named 2008 Canadian Health Company of the Year

ITAC Award presented for excellence in corporate initiatives, customer satisfaction and exceptional quality of service

Toronto, ON, November 21, 2008 — On the heels of a significant announcement around its continued commitment to the healthcare sector, the newly branded TELUS Health Solutions has been named the 2008 Canadian Health Company of the Year by the Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC).

The award, presented at a gala event in Toronto, honours TELUS as a distinguished for-profit healthcare information technology company that has demonstrated excellence in the Canadian health informatics industry within the past 12 months. TELUS was nominated as a private sector company that has excelled in corporate initiatives and client satisfaction, delivering exceptional quality of service.

“It is a tremendous honour for the TELUS team to be named Health Company of the Year by ITAC,” said Joe Natale, president, TELUS Business Solutions. “The transformation of healthcare in Canada is a huge undertaking that will take the collaboration of all key stakeholders - government, healthcare providers and business. At TELUS, we are committed to taking a leadership role in healthcare transformation through leveraging innovation and the strength of our people.”

The award was presented on behalf of ITAC Health, formerly the Canadian Healthcare Information Technology Trade Association (CHITTA), and was specifically focused on the successful implementation of TELUS iScheduler and Call Centre Anywhere at CritiCall Ontario, a 24-hour-a-day emergency referral service for physicians across the province of Ontario.

"The TELUS solution will allow CritiCall to invoke the entire circle of care anywhere and anytime, regardless of physician or patient location," said Kris Bailey, executive director of CritiCall Ontario.

“Without a doubt, IT has the potential not only to save lives by providing doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers access to essential information, but to lower the overall cost of healthcare,” said François Côté, president, TELUS Health Solutions. “We are proud that TELUS Health is at the forefront of the eHealth movement, and couldn’t be happier about the acknowledgement of our leadership through this distinguished award.”

TELUS Health Solutions has years of expertise in successfully implementing healthcare applications and information communication technology processes through industry leading solutions and consulting services to customers in Canada and around the world. It is backed by more than 1,500 TELUS Health Solutions team members including healthcare professionals. For more information, please visit telushealth.com.

About ITAC Health
Representing more than 120 Canadian ICT companies that are actively involved in the health sector, ITAC Health is the healthcare division of ITAC, the Information Technology Association of Canada. Our mandate is to provide our members with access to public and private leaders of the healthcare industry, provide access to information and collaboration opportunities, and provide a consolidated voice for the industry when interacting with local and international governments in the promotion and governance of our industry. As a consolidated, single voice, members help influence the Canadian healthcare ICT market through active participation in our standing committees and various working groups.

About TELUS
TELUS (TSX: T, T.A; NYSE: TU) is a leading national telecommunications company in Canada, with $9.5 billion of annual revenue and 11.5 million customer connections including 6 million wireless subscribers, 4.3 million wireline network access lines and 1.2 million Internet subscribers. TELUS provides a wide range of communications products and services including data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, entertainment and video. In support of our philosophy to give where we live, TELUS, our team members and retirees have contributed $113 million to charitable and not-for-profit organizations and volunteered more than 2.1 million hours of service to local communities since 2000. For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com.

Telus to invest $100M in Electronic Health Records (EHR)

Telus Corp. announced Tuesday (18 Nov 2008) it will spend $100 million over three years on its Emergis division, now known as Telus Health Solutions. Burnaby, B.C.-based Telus acquired Longueuil, Quebec-based Emergis for $763 million last year. The company’s products include claims management, electronic health records and pharmacy management.

Read original article.

TELUS (TSX: T, T.A; NYSE: TU) is a national telecommunications company in Canada that provides a wide range of communications products and services including data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, entertainment and video. The company is based in Burnaby, British Columbia.