Key telecommunication vendors have signed an agreement to interconnect their secure health networks. Telecom/Gen-i, TelstraClear and Healthlink have defined an industry solution and interconnection agreement based on a neutral switch that connects their respective secure VPN networks.  The solution will be available from July 2008.  The Health Information Strategy Action Committee (HISAC) initiated the agreement with the support of the Ministry of Health.  Datacom has been selected to run the switch. 

The major benefit for health professionals using an accredited health network is that they have access to all possible health systems and applications as they become available without needing to know which network those systems run on.  The implementation of a neutral switch will bring the Health Network into line with industry best practice.

Existing Ministry applications such as National Health Index lookup and Pharmac Special Authorities will be progressively moved to delivery via this interconnection point.  A range of new applications are signalled for exclusive delivery via the interconnection switch and to customers of accredited network services.  These new applications include:

·          online pharmacy claiming

·          eReferrals and discharges

·          electronic prescribing

·          Health Practioner Index lookup

·          General practice patient notes transfer

·          B4 School checks

·          Secure email

·          laboratory test orders and results transfer

The interconnection agreement is a key milestone in the establishment of the ‘Connected Health’ environment which is currently under development by the Ministry of Health.

Graeme Osborne, Chair of the HISAC Infrastructure Sub-Committee said,

“This is a major step forward for the New Zealand Health Network.  It provides health professionals with choice and certainty, and ensures information exchanged between health care providers is secure.  HISAC has been pleased to work with the industry in arriving at this agreement.”

The third accredited provider of health network services Healthlink has chosen not to join the interconnection agreement.  Healthlink have been actively engaged throughout the development of the interconnection agreement, but have decided not to be a foundation signatory to the agreement.  Healthlink raised a number of issues which they suggested precluded them from joining the interconnection agreement at this time.  While HISAC acknowledged these issues, they were in themselves not material to the interconnection agreement.

Over time, Healthlink customers will not be able to access health applications which are available exclusively through accredited networks and the neutral interconnection switch.

 “We have made it clear to Healthlink that they are welcome to join the interconnection agreement at any time.  However, we were not prepared to further delay the implementation of the interconnection switch.”

ENDS

For more information please contact:

Graeme Osborne

Chair - Infrastructure Sub-Committee, Health Information Strategy Action Committee

021 832-693

Dougal McKechnie

Office of the Health Information Strategy Action Committee

04 816-3355

027 446 4801