"The eHealth sites have been set up to progress elements of the PCEHR system in practical settings. This will allow the Australian Government to be confident that the different components of the system work as intended."

- e-health sites fact sheet

Healthbase Australia collates information about Australia's PCEHR program, trying to bring you aspects of the design, implementation, cost, key characteristics, issues, governance and other snippets as they become available. Initial implementation has apparently started prior to the system having been designed.

These initial 'implementations' are named "e-health Lead Sites" and so far we have heard announced Wave 1 projects and Wave 2 projects. Australia has not had a good track record in government funded and managed electronic health record projects to date. The success of these particular projects will depend on good governance, good management, high levels of collaboration and cooperation between the parties, and the recognition for, and adoption of a range of important information and IT standards.