TORONTO -- The Liberal government's privatization czar, Ed Clark, is recommending an expanded role for eHealth Ontario, the troubled provincial agency that once cost a former cabinet minister his job.
Clark, the former TD Bank CEO, says the government should set firm goals for eHealth such as having all health care providers able to access and contribute to patients' electronic health records within five years.
Clark says the government needs to recognize the value that the agency continues to create for the health care system, and re-scope its mandate to focus on technology and service delivery.
He also recommends eHealth Ontario be expanded to a front-line service delivery agency.
Former health minister David Caplan was forced to resign in 2009 when a report showed eHealth had spent $1 billion to create electronic medical records, but had practically nothing to show for what was spent.
Current Health Minister Eric Hoskins had asked Clark to provide a value assessment of eHealth's digital assets and related intellectual property and recommend ways to maximize the value of the assets.
