I noticed this a few days ago.
The National Health Services Directory (NHSD)
About Us
The National Health Services Directory (NHSD) is a convenient and accessible new resource. It builds on and consolidates some existing regional healthcare directories to provide detailed information on available health related services to anyone with internet access.
The directory provides access to reliable information, and will assist you to choose and connect with the most appropriate health services for your current needs.
The NHSD covers the nation. It will be freely available and will include both public and private health sector providers from all Australian states and territories.
Implemented by the National Health Call Centre Network (NHCCN) on behalf of, and with the support of, all Australian Governments, the NHSD will initially provide service information for GPs, Pharmacies, Hospitals and Emergency Departments.
Developed to support health providers’ delivery of services in addition to facilitating public access to reliable information, the NHSD will be enhanced to include secure access to practitioner information as well as mental health, allied health and local hospital services data information.
To assist your planning and health service selection the NHSD will be further extended to include allied health providers and human services in the coming months.
The NHSD is being developed using national and emerging international standards based largely on the successful implementation of the Victorian Human Services Directory (VHSD) and other directories of significance around Australia.
Coverage will include but not be limited to healthcare and related human service providers. Information provided will include: service types and location; opening hours; languages spoken; access to bulk billing and supported types of communication.
The full website is found here:
This page I found very interesting.
Health Departments
The NHSD is a strategic component of the National Health Reform Agenda. It is a joint initiative of all Australian governments which will not only support existing services but help enable many eHealth activities.
The National Health Services Directory will make use of existing data sets and directory information held by the various state and territory health departments.
This information will be updated, checked for consistency and extended to provide a national data set which can be used by all government health departments and other groups within the health sector.
Benefits of a shared and consistent national directory
- Make available accurate and current provider and service information to support health professionals in their delivery of care planning and referrals
- Help Australians search for and locate healthcare services and providers where and when they need them.
What the future holds
The NHSD creates a platform for ongoing inclusion and enrichment of data and functionality. The directory is expected to provide an Endpoint Locator Service (ELS) to assist in secure clinical messaging and to incorporate information for telehealth over coming years.
The page is found here:
From the FAQ we have the following:
Why was the National Health Services Directory (NHSD) created?
The NHSD has been developed to support health providers’ delivery of services in addition to facilitating public access to reliable information. It will be enhanced to include secure access to practitioner information as well as mental health, allied health and local hospital services data information. It is expected to provide an Endpoint Locator Service (ELS) to assist in secure clinical messaging and to incorporate information for telehealth over coming years.
The time line for development is interesting:
When will Health Service Information be available via the NHSD?
Now
Service information for GPs, Pharmacies, Hospitals and Emergency Departments.
Late 2012
Increased secure and detailed information on services and practitioners for primary care, mental health and local hospital network services.
2013
Extensions to allied health and human services.
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The partners with the National Healthcare Call Centres Network (NHCCN) are the Jurisdiction and NEHTA.
As the site points out:
TR 5823-2010 - Endpoint location service.
Published: 05 Mar 2010
It is expected to provide an Endpoint Locator Service (ELS) to assist in secure clinical messaging and to incorporate information for telehealth over coming years”.
In the meantime our various messaging providers each have their own directories for their users.
Also, of course, it seems NASH remains in a hole with all sorts of rumours around just what work is going on and just who, if anyone, is doing anything.
Essentially of the three parts you need we maybe have one at best - with the other two being just ‘twinkles in DoHA’s/NEHTA’s eyes’.
Just where this leaves a securely accessible NEHRS is anyone’s guess. So much for getting the ducks aligned before starting a project like the NEHRS.
Updates / answers as to what it all means on a postcard please (a comment will do!).
David.