This year's district annual plan (DAP) process had been more fraught than usual because of "redirections" from the new Government.
Preparation of draft plans between January and May did not allow for a meaningful consultative mechanism, he said.
He could understand frustration over this aired by primary health organisations at this month's board meeting.
He told that meeting the situation was "absolutely hopeless".
"We cannot engage with the people we need to be engaged in the process while the system operates the way it does."
Speaking last week, Mr Millar said he had no difficulty with the Government introducing new policy priorities, as that was its role, but it would have been desirable for the board and community health providers to " sit down and have a reasonably settled think".
He would make his views known to the ministerial review group.
The lack of time also posed difficulty for board members to have input in the plan.
Mr Millar said a joint Otago Southland workshop in February allowed the most input by members.
Because ministry deadlines had to be met, the consideration of it did not fit meeting cycles with the board audit and risk committee "having to do the hard yards", although all members were permitted to attend such committee meetings.
The DAP is not discussed in the public section of the board's meetings and is not made public until negotiations over it with the ministry are complete and the plan is approved by the Minister of Health.
This year that approval was not given until February.
Mr Millar said he did not know whether the system would want to replicate the consultation process used by territorial local authorities, but it would be good to be able to seek the views of "key players" on the board's direction.
