Vendor working groups will contribute to a draft standards catalogue due to be published by the end of this year, the full contents of which are yet to be decided. Additional clinical data specifications are soon to be published on the Nehta Web site but are waiting on the consensus procedure of Standards Australia.

According to Nehta, the funding appropriated to e-health initiatives under the 2006-07 Federal Budget is appropriate to meet priority work identified as creating a unique healthcare identification number for all individuals, and a unique identification number for each healthcare professional in Australia (more than 400,000).

Nehta and the HealthConnect projects largely missed out in the 2006-2007 Federal Budget, although A$128 million (US$97.1 million) committed to the project in the 2004-05 budget remains current until June 30, 2008.

Health Minister Tony Abbott has since confirmed A$65 million in funding for standards projects specifically to be carried out by Nehta, with funds matched by the states for a total of A$130 million as was announced in February by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG).

Reinecke said he believes the funding is appropriate for the priority work being developed.