Premier McGuinty and a pair of former Ontario health ministers might wish they could turn the eHealth mess over to the police as has happened in British Columbia. At least here, as of today, there have been no allegations of criminally fraudulent behaviour by an assistant deputy minister laying the groundwork for a future career in information technology.
"The RCMP are alleging a senior health bureaucrat and a technology contractor schemed to defraud the British Columbia government as it moved to implement its eHealth initiative."
link: RCMP probe alleged fraud of B.C. Health ministry - The Globe and Mail
This report came as a surprise here – maybe it's been known in BC – where attention has been so focused for months on eHealth Ontario, but it is consistent with the theory that there is a problem with the interface between the information technology (IT) industry and government bureaucracy. It may be that the bureaucracy has lacked the skills or expertise to deal with rapid technological evolution and the IT industry has grabbed at that deficiency to make a exorbitant profits. That, and a willingness by unscrupulous individuals to put personal interests ahead of the public good.
More on that in an upcoming post. For now, it's sadly reassuring to know the problem is not limited to Ontario.
