Siksek stated that there is no doubt that eHealth is the emerging practice in public health and information technology at the heart of day-to-day business, but recommended from a regulator’s perspective that the industry change with technological advances.
“Over the last ten years technology has improved patient safety through, housing information, allowing access to information, acquiring information, monitoring information and supporting the prevention of errors,” he said.
However, agreeing that technology has advanced significantly over the last decade — especially with mobile technology — Siksek reconfirmed that regulators globally had a common problem, not losing sight of the three critical issues — access, cost and quality.
“Healthcare stakeholders should adopt a role to ensure information technology drives improved quality, access and affordability in healthcare,” he added.
Siksek also put forward his recommendations, highlighting key elements such as research and education, leadership, transparency, realism and levels of governance that enable innovation rather than stifle it.
However, Siksek had one clear piece of advice regarding the issue of ‘Big Data’ — the huge amounts of information already collected and stored.
“Make sure your analytical capability is as good as the information technology itself, because there’s no point otherwise if you can’t make sense of it or deliver change based upon it,” he added.
The two-day conference at the Rocco Forte Hotel Abu Dhabi, which is ending on Monday, focuses on integrating healthcare information systems and technology for medical service solutions, under the theme of health IT leadership.
Following Siksek on the podium was Dr Mohammed R Al Yemeni, Deputy Minister for Planning and Health Economics at the Saudi Ministry of Health,who reminded delegates of the major challenges faced by the Saudi healthcare system.
Highlighting the progress being made by local and regional hospitals, four hospitals were honoured for achieving Stage 6 on the EMR Adoption Model (EMRAM). The four healthcare providers were, King Faisal Specialist Hospital (KFSH) in Riyadh and Jeddah, University Hospital Sharjah and Corniche Hospital in Al Ain.
“Major regional healthcare providers are now committed to EMRAM, and the enormous benefits it brings to healthcare quality and patient safety,” said John Hoyt, executive VP, Organisational Services, HIMSS Analytics USA.
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Quelle/Source: The Gulf Today, 21.05.2012
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