Mr. Granger Bids Adieu

Richard Granger is stepping down after five years at the helm of the UK NHS’s National Program for IT. This is probably the largest single eHealth initiative in the world. Subject to scathing criticism, particularly in a recent report by the UK Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, Granger gives his parting shots in an interview with CIO Magazine.

I recall some remarks made by Canada Health Infoway President Richard Alvarez during his keynote speech at eHealth 2007 in Quebec City. Alvarez commiserated with Granger and recognized the challenge of implementing national health information infrastructures. Like it or hate it, the UK NHS is on the bleeding edge of eHealth blazing trails that other nations will inevitably follow…. or avoid. Either way the global eHealth community will benefit from the UK’s learnings.

I recommend reading the Summary and Conclusions and Recommendations sections of the Parliamentary report (pages 3 - 7) before reading Granger’s interview. The two viewpoints provide an interesting counterpoint. Which account is truer? I’d be interested in your views.