Is the project 'E-health in Latvia' a step towards the right direction?
Objective of the audit was to verify efficiency and productivity of the actions by the institutions in charge for implementation of the e-health, as well as to audit economy and productivity of use ... of funds invested in the project for achievement of set objectives and gaining the planned benefits. Audit covered such main questions: 1) Will the e-health policy be able to solve problems and achieve ... the objective? 2) Are the actual activities performed by the National Health Service justified for achievement of the set objectives? 3) Will necessary information security and personal data protection be ensured ... E-health is a step forward in right direction, but not all objectives will be reached! ... Project “E-health in Latvia” supports healthy lifestyle, it will provide valuable and accessible information and will promote more efficient provision of services to patients. It is undoubtedly ... a step towards the right direction then. However, as found the Latvian SAI, the e-health policy will not be implemented within the initially planned scope and deadline and within set data security levels ... , thus the objective of this policy – to promote more effective provision of healthcare services will be attained only partially.
Full description

The implementation of national IT projects in social and health care
IT management expenditure in public administration totalled about 2.1 billion euros in 2009. IT management expenditure by local authorities and federations of municipalities in the field of health ... care totalled about 270 million euros ino 2009. Health care's share of IT management expenditure in public administration thus amounted to about 13 per cent in 2009. ... ... IT-centred manner of project implementation can harm IT investments' results ... SAI Finland perfomed a vast review of IT projects in health and social protection. Many interesting findings cover structural problems, as 'Many separate systems with no future' and characteristics ... of poor governance, as 'No cost monitoring - unclear objectives - arguable usefulness'.
Full description

Activities of the state in implementing the e-health system - Do the state, doctors and patients benefit from ehealth?
Estonia’s population is aging and the share of elderly people is increasing, as fewer children are being born and people are living longer. This creates a constantly growing need for health ... and social services and patients are also becoming more and more demanding about the volume and quality of the services provided. The more extensive and systematic implementation of e-health solutions helps ... make the health system more efficient, improves people’s health via more effective prevention, raises the awareness of patients and also contributes to the more reasonable use of health resources ... ... Why state, doctors and patients do not benefit from e-Health as much as they could? ... The report reviews whether the objectives set to the e-Health – ambitious multiyear program of Estonian Government - have been achieved. They are: higher quality of the health service and more ... efficient organisation of health care. As SAI Estonia found out, wide range problems started from two basic points: lack of strategic manager and unrealisitc schedule.
Full description

Peering Point Betriebs GmbH
In 2004 the Peering Point Betriebs GmbH was established to provide an effective and secure IT network for the operation of the e-card (a smart card which replaced health insurance vouchers ... in the course of the introduction of the electronic administration system) and other services in health care. Since its foundation the company has suffered losses. Net losses were covered by the two owners ... – the Main Association of Austrian Social Insurance Institutions and the Austrian Medical Chamber – to 50 % each, and since 2011 in a proportion of 60 to 40. The Main Association failed to give an objective ... ... Safe but expensive ... Network safety of a healthcare e-card system has been provided at a high cost. As the Austrian Court of Audit discovered - there was no concept to reduce the expenditure.
Full description

The development and use of identification services in public administration
The audit examined the implementation and coordination of projects aimed at developing identification services in public administration, cooperation among authorities in this area and compliance ... with legislation in procuring services. The audit also examined development, control and monitoring structures regarding identification services. The audit focused on electronic identification services that are used ... in public administration's electronic transactions. ... ... Unhealthy competition linked with lack of coordinatnion and with procurement irregularities ... See what may go wrong with the IT public procurement. Check out what is the basis to avoid irregularities or omissions in complying with public procurement legislation. National Audit Office ... of Finland identified also risks resulting from lack of horizontal coordination.
Full description

Improved Planning and Performance Measures Are Needed to Help Ensure Successful Technology Modernization
Massive modernization effort needs coordination Social security issues can touch lives of many. Information technology in this area are increasingly costly and difficult to maintain. GAO is recommending to develop comprehensive metrics to effectively gauge modernization progress; complete comprehensive strategic planning, including its enterprise architecture; and define the new roles and responsibilities to help ensure effective oversight.
Full description