Govt wants firm to grade e-health roll-out

The Department of Health and Ageing has issued a tender calling for a vendor to establish an oversight framework for the implementation of personally-controlled e-health records in Australia.

(Doctor Themed Cupcakes image by Clever Cupcakes, CC2.0)

According to the tender documents, published today, the successful company will develop software and tools to monitor the roll-out of the program. From there, the company will be required to analyse the roll-out and produce five quarterly evaluation reports over the life of the program. The successful tenderer will also be required to evaluate how well e-health test sites have implemented the e-health record infrastructure within their organisations.

Health Minister Nicola Roxon said the company would be responsible for ensuring the government's $466.7 million investment in e-health realises its full benefits.

"This organisation will have a key role in ensuring the implementation of e-health records will deliver real benefits for patients," Roxon said in a statement. "The successful tenderer will put in place the analytical and evaluation framework that will underpin the development of e-health records."

The company will be required to submit its final report on the project at its scheduled completion in June 2012

Applications for the tender are due by 11 February 2011.