•  "Implementing a rational e-health system in Australia [1]": GAP Report

On 19 September 2007, Global Access Partners (GAP) held a strategic workshop discussing the challenge of implementing a rational e-health system in Australia in Parliament House, Canberra. It featured a paper [2] commissioned by the Australian Centre for Health Research and written by Professor Michael Georgeff, CEO of Precedence Health Care Pty Ltd and Director of e-Health Research at Monash University.

The paper "E-Health and the Transformation of Healthcare" [3] discussed the cost to the nation and the individual of continuing with Australia's current disjointed chronic health care system. It is estimated that improved knowledge sharing and better care plan management for patients with chronic diseases could generate direct savings to the health care system of $1.5billion per annum. Savings to the community from associated non-healthcare costs are of the same order.

The full report of the proceedings is available here [4].

• "On The Front Lines Of Care: Primary Care Doctors' Office Systems, Experiences, And Views In Seven Countries" [5] - by Cathy Schoen at al; Health Affairs 25 (2006): w555-w571, November 2006

ABSTRACT: This 2006 survey of primary care physicians in Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States reveals striking differences in elements of practice systems that underpin quality and efficiency. Wide gaps exist between leading and lagging countries in clinical information systems and payment incentives. U.S. physicians are among the least likely to have extensive clinical information systems or incentives targeted on quality and the most likely to report that their patients have difficulty paying for care. Disease management capacity varies widely. Overall, findings highlight the importance of nationwide policies: Policy changes in the United States could lead to improved performance.