Outcome 10: Health System Capacity and Quality > Performance Information

Result: Indicator substantially met.

The Department, in collaboration with Cancer Australia, administered elements of the Strengthening Cancer Care initiative to improve the coordination of the national cancer effort; to provide increased research funding for cancer care; and to enhance cancer prevention and screening programs. The Department, through funding of the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre to improve approaches to the early detection and management of breast and ovarian cancer, and funding of the Breast Cancer Network Australia, to produce and distribute resources for women diagnosed with breast cancer, provided better support and treatment for those living with cancer and increased support for the professionals who care for cancer patients.

To increase the number of, and access to, services able to provide quality care for palliative patients both in an in-patient setting and during their transition to home, the fourth round of Local Palliative Care Grants focused on fit out and equipment and transition to home support. Fifty-eight organisations received funding of up to $100,000. The projects are scheduled for completion by April 2009.

Result: Indicator met.

Key stakeholders in the health sector, such as general practitioners, and pathology and radiology service providers, used more than 300 million clinical communications in 2007–08. These communications included specialist referrals, hospital discharge summaries, prescriptions and reports such as pathology and diagnostic imaging. While a large proportion of clinical communications were produced in electronic form, a small but growing number of these were machine-readable, enabling enhanced decision support by clinicians.

Result: Indicator met.

In 2007–08, there were over 16,000 information items on the websites of 84 Information Partners accessible to users of HealthInsite , compared with over 14,000 items in 2006–07. HealthInsite Information Partners are authorative health organisations that have gone through a quality assessment process to ensure that their sites are of the highest standard and provide reliable and relevant information.

There was a 29% growth in the use of HealthInsite from 2007 to 2008, compared with 18% from 2006 to 2007. During this time HealthInsite demonstrated a 99.9% measured availability.

On average approximately 15,000 unique users per day visited the HealthInsite website during 2007–08 (accessible at http://www.healthinsite.gov.au).

Result: Indicator met.

The Department administered funding for 38 grants to establish managed health networks which provide improved connectivity, shared information and access to digital applications as follows:

• 20 Seeding Grants – aimed at the development of a business case for future e-Health activity;
• 10 Development Grants – to develop infrastructure which established a managed health communications network, or extended an existing network; and
• eight Application Service Provider Grants – innovation grants for development of products which added value to new or existing health networks.

Result: Indicator met.

The Department ensured timely and high quality input to National e-Health Transition Authority programs by actively contributing to the Stakeholder Reference Forum and the National Health Chief Information Officers Forum.

The Department contributed to the development of nationally consistent e-Health standards and basic infrastructure through the National e-Health Transition Authority, Jurisdictional Reference Group and other National e-Health Transition Authority Project Reference Groups. This support ensures the alignment of e-Health standards and infrastructure development. It also impacts across jurisdictions and facilitates the progress of:

• the Individual Electronic Health Record project;
• the Australian Catalogue of Medicines project; and
• Council of Australian Governments e-Health initiatives including the Clinical Terminologies, Healthcare Provider Identifier and Individual Healthcare Identifier projects.

Result: Indicator met.

In accordance with Australia's domestic priorities, the Department continued to have significant input into decisions (for example, avian influenza virus sharing and public health innovation and intellectual property) made by global organisations, such as the World Health Organization and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, in international health policy. The feedback the Department received from these organisations assisted in the development of domestic health policy such as avian virus sharing.

The Department continued to strengthen its engagement in the region by taking a prominent role in the management of the Pacific Senior Health Officials' Network and chairing the new APEC Health Working Group on 12-13 February 2008. Several APEC Economies have sought Australia's support to sponsor their project proposal.

Result: Indicator met.

The Department made all payments on time and in accordance with Memorandum of Understanding arrangements.

Result: Indicator met.

In 2007–08, the Department distributed $11.5 million to 24 medical research organisations for a range of medical research activities aimed at improving the health and well being of Australians.

Result: Indicator met.

Ministers were satisfied with the advice provided by the Department for Australian Government decision-making. This is on par with ministerial satisfaction in 2006–07.

Result: Indicator met.

In 2007–08, the Department provided additional funding to the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre to improve the care and support of cancer patients affected by lymphoedema. As part of the funding, the centre undertook an evidence base review on the incidence, prevention, risk factors and treatment of secondary lymphoedema, to inform the development of evidence-based education and information programs for health professionals and consumers.

Result: Indicator not met.

There were underspends in a number of Outcome 10 programs which resulted in a -9.9% variance from budgeted expenses.

Result: Indicator met.

Palliative Care Australia was an active participant in the Palliative Care Medicines Working Group, which provided advice to the Department on palliative care medicines. The organisation, in concert with other stakeholders, provided useful input into the development of a more targeted approach to consumer information on access to, and quality use of palliative care medicines.