Here are a few I have come across the last week or so.
Note: Each link is followed by a title and a few paragraphs. For the full article click on the link above title of the article. Note also that full access to some links may require site registration or subscription payment.
General Comment
A big week with the Board for the Australian Digital Health Authority being announced and NEHTA slipping off down the River Styx - and totally unmourned by yours truly!
Other than this the echo of the letters to the dead continued and all sorts of other spin around the myHR also continuing.
Some interesting private sector initiatives also came to light this week. Enjoy the browse.
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RACGP pounces amid embarrassing e-health gaffe
19 April 2016
THE RACGP has leapt on embarrassing revelations that e-health records have been set up for dead Australians to repeat its plea for the government to reconsider parts of the program affecting GPs.
The Department of Human Services has apologised after revelations that My Health records have been mistakenly set up for a "small number" of deceased people.
Media reports over the weekend quoted several people who had received letters informing them that records were being established for relatives who had died.
The department says the error happened because it had not been notified about deaths prior to letters being sent out.
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Concern over MyHealth Records after dead people signed up
Revelations that dead people are being signed up to the MyHealth Record system has sparked RACGP warnings that the system is flawed.
The Department of Human Services has admitted it has sent letters to people who were deceased, telling them they would be automatically signed up to the system under a new trial.
Officials said the letters were mistakenly issued because the department did not have a death date recorded against the patients' records.
Alison McLaren told News Limited that her family got a letter telling them that her grandmother, Muriel Stratton, who had passed away 20 years ago, would get her own MyHealth Record.
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Digital health records created for dead people
April 22, 2016, 2:25 p.m.
Not good enough: Alison McLaren with Susan Templeman and the letter advising a digital health record had been created for her nanna who died 20 years ago.
Two Blue Mountains families got the shock of their lives when they received a letter from the federal health department advising a digital health record had been created for their loved ones who had died more than 20 years ago.
Mountains residents are among the first to trial My Health Record which is an online summary of a person’s health information, a system being created at a cost of $485 million over three years.
Alison McLaren’s nanna Muriel Stratton died 20 years ago, and the letter arrived at her mum Lyn McLaren’s Winmalee home.
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Australian Medical Association concerned about online health service trial proposed by Chinese company for Prospect Council
April 17, 201610:56pm
THE Australian Medical Association fears patients would use online health services in preference to their local GP if a trial proposed by a Chinese company is approved by Prospect Council.
Prospect Mayor David O’Loughlin discussed the deal with executives from Hisense during a trade mission to Shandong this month.
He said the company, which is the third-largest TV manufacturer in the world, was keen to trial the service in Prospect because of the district’s high-speed fibre internet connections.
The AMA is concerned about the potential deal and says patients should seek advice from their GP instead of overseas doctors.
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Transforming Health boss Vickie Kaminski ready for intense political scrutiny of change agenda
The overseas recruit now in change of implementing major changes to South Australia's public health system says the medical arena cannot avoid intense political scrutiny.
Vickie Kaminski quit her last job in Canada because the Alberta health system was unable to achieve planned changes due to the politics involved, but now she has taken on the role as chief transformation manager for SA Health.
Ms Kaminski told 891 ABC Adelaide her more than three decades of healthcare and management experience would help South Australia achieve the changes outlined in the State Labor Government policy known as Transforming Health.
"I don't think we'll ever find a place where healthcare doesn't have high politics and high scrutiny because we are often 40 per cent of the budget, so politicians are going to want to know what's going on," she said.
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Concern over plan to connect patients with overseas GPs
19 April 2016
THE AMA is concerned that an online global health service proposed by a South Australian council could fragment care and potentially expose its users to medical errors by overseas doctors.
Mayor of the Adelaide suburb of Prospect, David O’Loughlin, has discussed a deal with executives from Chinese tech firm Hisense to trial a service that will allow locals to access health practitioners both in and out of the country.
It would also allow people overseas to access healthcare from Prospect GPs.
Mr O’Loughlin says there is a huge market for such a service, and Hisense is keen to partner with Prospect because of the district’s blanket high-speed fibre internet connections.
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Pilgrim warns data de-identification is 'rocket science'
Privacy holy grail elusive in its execution.
By Paris Cowan
Apr 20 2016 11:25AM
Apr 20 2016 11:25AM
Information commissioner Timothy Pilgrim has warned that effective data de-identification remains an elusive goal in the "data space race" consuming Australia’s enterprises.
He told the business community he was willing to consider de-identified data outside of the strict protection demands of the Privacy Act, but only when the ID stripping process meets the highest standards.
The OAIC is set to clarify these standards in upcoming draft guidance.
In a blog post written in the lead up to his CeBIT address in two weeks, Pilgrim reiterated the risks posed by undercooked de-identification.
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Health department spruiks MyHealth Records
GPs are the only specialists getting paid incentives to use the MyHealth Record system because they are “key to the wellbeing of all Australians”, the Department of Health has declared.
In two weeks' time, GP clinics will have to upload a fixed number of shared health summaries to the billion-dollar system in order to claim e-health Practice Incentive Program payments.
Under the change, it will be necessary for the average full-time-equivalent GP to upload around five health summaries a quarter.
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NEHTA Board welcomes the Australian Digital Health Agency and pays tribute to its outgoing CEO Mr Peter Fleming
Created on Thursday, 21 April 2016
The Chair of the Board of the National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA) Dr Steve Hambleton has welcomed the news that the disallowance period for the Australian Digital Health Agency (the Agency) had passed and looks forward to the next stage, the transition to the Agency.
"It is with much enthusiasm that I report that digital health is alive and well with confirmation that The Agency has the support of the Parliament and will be fully operational by 1 July 2016," Dr Hambleton said.
This announcement comes just three weeks after the Turnbull Government announced its support for the establishment of 'Health Care Homes' in General Practices that will rely on the My Health Record and digital communication as an enabler to provide personalised comprehensive care and enhance health system integration.
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Govt names new e-health leadership
Preparing for the abolition of NeHTA.
By Paris Cowan
Apr 22 2016 11:51AM
Apr 22 2016 11:51AM
The federal government has named the 11 board members set to steer its new e-health directive as it prepares to establish the Australian Digital Health Agency in place of the soon-to-be-abolished NeHTA.
The ADHA will lead the Commonwealth’s revised approach to electronic healthcare, which has been driven by the recommendations of the 2013 Royle review into the failings of the personally controlled electronic health record (PCEHR).
That review (pdf) found that the agency in charge of implementing the government’s e-health policy, the National e-Health Transition Authority, “does not have the confidence of the industry or audience that it is attempting to represent”.
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Data access inquiry casts the net far too wide
April 18, 2016 11.14am AEST
David Glance
Director of UWA Centre for Software Practice, University of Western Australia
The Australian Productivity Commission has launched a public inquiry into access and use of public and private data.
The agenda of the inquiry is ambitious in both its timescale and its scope. So much so that it risks failing to achieve anything meaningful.
The inquiry will cover:
- Increasing the availability of public and private data sets to others in the public and private sectors
- Improving individuals’ access to data that relates to themselves
- Standards for the collection, sharing and release of public and private data
- Issues around privacy, confidentiality and data security of access
The promise of data
At the heart of the inquiry is the desire to uncover the range and extent of benefits coming out of the increased provision, access and use of this data. These benefits could be anything from better health and lives for Australians to increased productivity and opportunities for private and public organisations.
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Coroner calls for real-time drug monitoring system after death of Hampton park man
April 20, 2016 2:05pm
Berwick Leader
THE death of a Hampton Park man has sparked calls for the Victorian government to adopt a real-time reporting prescription monitoring system to combat ‘doctor shopping’.
Frank Edward Frood, who died in 2012 at age 47, used benzodiazepines and methadone in place of heroin, which he had been addicted to for 20 years.
As well as having bipolar disorder he also had severe asthma and had a chest infection before he died.
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18 April, 2016
One hack can pretty much bring your practice to its knees
Posted by Ruby Prosser Scully
Hacked Healthcare data sells at a premium so it’s on the rise. But losing your data is your first problem. Then there’s the money, the downtime, the lost records and…the lost patients.
Cyber security is like going to the dentist: expensive and unpleasant, but necessary.
Cyber security in health is underinvested and underappreciated, and a spate of hospital attacks this year have drawn attention to the value that healthcare information holds, security experts say.
“The records that GPs keep of seemingly mundane information, like names, addresses, Medicare information, are really valuable to criminals,” said Robert Merkel, a lecturer in software engineering at Monash University.
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Government prepares to unveil $231.1m cyber security strategy
Details of funding revealed ahead of strategy’s release later today
21 April, 2016 08:45
The government will today publicly release its long-awaited cyber security strategy. The strategy, details of which will be released at midday, includes initiatives worth $233.1 million over four years.
That funding will include $38.8 million to establish a new facility for the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) to boost its growth and increase opportunities for partnerships with the private sector.
The government will look to significantly increase the capabilities of CERT Australia through a $21.5 million funding boost as well as $10 million for awareness raising programs and $2 million for a program focussed on non-government partners.
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Malcolm Turnbull launches $230m cyber security strategy
- The Australian
- April 21, 2016 1:01PM
Supratim Adhikari
E-Safety Commissioner Alastair MacGibbon has been named Malcolm Turnbull’s adviser on cyber security.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has appointed Children’s eSafety Commissioner Alastair MacGibbon as his special adviser on cyber security and urged Australian businesses to break down the culture of denial around cyber breaches.
Mr Turnbull made the announcement as he officially launched the government’s Cyber Security Strategy, adding that collaboration between the public and private sector is crucial in tackling the perils of cybercrime.
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My Health Record: eLearning course now available!
Wednesday, 20 April 2016
The online training is a combination of existing and new material and will continue to be updated, incorporating feedback from users as the My Health Record system continues to evolve.
The Department of Health has released an eLearning course to support healthcare providers wanting to use the My Health Record.
This online training material provides self-paced learning and aims to allow healthcare providers to become familiar with, and confident in using, today’s My Health Record system.
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RACGP reiterates calls for Government to re-think suggested ePIP model
18 April 2016
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) today repeated its call for the Federal Government to urgently revisit the proposed changes to the Practice Incentives Program (PIP) eHealth Incentive (ePIP) that would establish mandatory requirements for the uploading of clinical documents to My Health Record.
“In light of the revelations this weekend about incorrect records, I repeat my call for the Government to reconsider its position,” RACGP President Dr Frank R Jones said.
In November, Dr Jones wrote to Health Minister Sussan Ley suggesting the changes were “misaligned, ill-timed, superficial, will not support meaningful use, and – as a result – will not improve patient care and safety”.
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Ray & Lorraine's story
Ray & Lorraine Gardner, North Richmond
A decade of travelling vast distances and rugged terrain both in Australia and overseas has taught Ray & Lorraine Gardner to be prepared. Before setting off, their motorhome is checked for mechanical issues, food and water supplies are stocked, their phones are charged and their My Health Record information is up to date.
The retired couple from North Richmond signed up for the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record (PCEHR) as it was then known in 2012. Since then, they have shared the record with their local GP, Dr Michael Crampton, so he can add health information that can assist GPs or healthcare professionals in other states.
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Growing ‘lack of trust’, concerns over privacy by Internet users
- 18 April 2016
- By Peter Dinham
Consumers are increasingly worried about their online privacy and security, especially when it comes to how their personal data is handled by private corporations and governments, according to a newly published global study commissioned by the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI).
The study, conducted by global research company Ipsos, of 24,143 Internet users across a number of countries, found that a majority of global citizens (83%) believe that there need to be new rules about how companies, governments and other users use personal data.
Released on Monday at the United Nations Conference on Trade & Development E-Commerce Week in Geneva, the study also found that a strong majority (85%) of those surveyed also believed that their governments should work closely with other governments and organisations to make the Internet more safe and secure.
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Telstra Health director Kelsey says wi-fi must be free
Edwin Mitson Tuesday April 19, 2016 1
Tim Kelsey, strategy and commercial director of Telstra Health, told a conference in Wellington that wi-fi must be free as a public utility to ensure everyone can reap the benefits of digital health-care changes.
Speaking at the Powering Up Our Future event, Kelsey conceded it was a "ridiculous" thing for someone working for a telecommunications company to say. But he told his audience that "somehow or other we need to come to a new accommodation where wi-fi is free as a public utility so that all parts of the community are respected with access to these services. The future of health care I think requires equity of access to wi-fi as a matter of course iso that not just specific services can be accessed but more broadly people who can't have access to information get it."
Mr Kelsey is a former director of NHS England, which spearheaded access to data under the 2010-2015 coalition government in the UK. He took up his role with Telstra Health at the start of the year. The Australian telecommunications giant aims to turn its health division into a billion dollar business by 2020 and has been buying up small e-health providers to generate growth. In March last year, Telstra Health bought Dr. Foster, the health-care analytics company Kelsey founded in 2000.
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- Updated Apr 18 2016 at 9:06 AM
ResApp taps investors in $10m placement
ResApp Health has kicked off a placement to raise at least $10 million, according to a term sheet sent to investors.
The digital healthcare company has priced the offer at 20¢ a share in a raising being managed by Jett Capital Advisors. Firm bids are being called for by 6pm AEST.
The placement price represents a discount to the 24.5¢ the stock last traded at on Friday.
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Compumedics Ltd secures two major contracts worth $1.8M
Tuesday, April 19, 2016 by Proactive Investors
Compumedics Ltd (ASX:CMP) has secured two major contracts to supply both its sleep and neuro diagnostic equipment to US and Sydney based hospitals.
The $1.125 million and $700,000 contracts result in a record sales week for the company.
The $1.125 million contract is to university hospital in the US state of Wisconsin and the $700,000 contract is to supply Sydney's Westmead Children's Hospital.
The new contracts re-enforce Compumedics' strategy to expand its core business in major global medical devices markets.
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Labor would bring on data breach-notification laws 'as soon as practicable'
Under a Shorten Labor government, Australia may finally receive data breach-notification laws.
By Chris Duckett | April 22, 2016 -- 06:28 GMT (16:28 AEST) | Topic: Security
Should Labor win the impending July 2 election, Shadow Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has said the incoming government would look to get the stalled data breach-notification laws passed with support from the conservative parties.
"Mandatory data breach legislation was a Labor commitment, and it is one that we maintain," Dreyfus told ZDNet.
"If elected, a Labor government would once again bring forward the legislation as soon as practicable, with the expectation of bipartisan support."
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Australia number one target for ransomware attacks in the Southern Hemisphere
April 18, 2016
Symantec’s (Nasdaq: SYMC) Internet Security Threat Report (ISTR), Volume 21, reveals an organisational shift by cybercriminals: They are establishing professional businesses and adopting corporate best practices in order to increase the efficiency of their attacks against enterprises and consumers. This new class of professional cybercriminal spans the ecosystem of attackers, extends the reach of enterprise and consumer threats, and fuels the growth of online crime.
“Advanced criminal attack groups now mirror the skill sets of nation-state attackers. They have well resourced and highly-skilled technical staff that operate during normal business hours – they even take weekends and holidays off”, said Kevin Haley, director, Symantec Security Response. “We are even seeing low-level criminal attackers create call centre operations to increase the impact of their scams”.
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All the bottom-line action
April 18, 2016
Orion Health signs largest Queensland Health Service
Orion Health (OHE:NZX/ASX) has signed an agreement with Metro North, the largest health service in the Australian state of Queensland, to deliver its ground-breaking Referrals Management platform. Metro North Hospital and Health Service serves over 900,000 people, and employs more than 16,000 staff in five hospitals and eight community health centres, along with oral and mental health facilities. The Referrals Management platform will enable healthcare professionals to submit, track and manage patient referrals as the individual moves from home to hospital to community care.
Orion Health (OHE:NZX/ASX) has signed an agreement with Metro North, the largest health service in the Australian state of Queensland, to deliver its ground-breaking Referrals Management platform. Metro North Hospital and Health Service serves over 900,000 people, and employs more than 16,000 staff in five hospitals and eight community health centres, along with oral and mental health facilities. The Referrals Management platform will enable healthcare professionals to submit, track and manage patient referrals as the individual moves from home to hospital to community care.
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Thousands of students stranded without enrolment as TAFE chaos continues
Date April 23, 2016 - 8:25PM
Eryk Bagshaw
Education Reporter
Up to 2000 students at TAFE's Sydney Institute have not been enrolled because of continuous problems with the NSW government's $531 million bungled IT system, teachers say.
There have been delays in students' ability to borrow library books, log on to computers and access on-campus facilities such as printers because of the systems failures halfway through the teaching semester.
A leaked email chain to TAFE's new managing director Jon Black also reveals that students who graduated last year after spending thousands of dollars on their education have been unable to receive their diplomas because of the ongoing glitches.
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Enjoy!
David.
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