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
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Clearly the big news in Digital Health is the ADHA asking who can do what for them with all sorts or emerging technologies with which they have exactly zero experience and whose role and utility is hardly clear – good luck with that! I think I am safe in suggesting we won’t see much from this in the next few years!
Otherwise the usual seems to roll on!
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Govt begins search for future My Health Record provider
As Accenture's $915m deal nears expiry.
The Australian Digital Health Agency has kicked of its search for a new national infrastructure provider for the My Health Record system ahead of the 2020 expiry of its deal with Accenture.
Just two weeks after informing industry of a potential request for information later this year, the My Health Record system operator has begun seeking information from prospective future providers.
The agency is after information “about potential future options” for the e-health system, which switched from opt-in to opt-out earlier this year, as well as other digital services it delivers.
It is particularly keen to embed bots, AI, big data and IoT into the platform where possible to deliver an improved user experience for more than 20 million Australians that now have a record.
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ADHA to overhaul underlying infrastructure of Australia's health services
The government agency has its eyes on a future that includes AI, blockchain, and IoT.
The Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA), the My Health Record system operator, has turned to the market for help with shaping the future of its underlying national infrastructure for all of the services under its care.
The future, according to the ADHA, could include the likes of "bots" and robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, big data and analytics, Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, and mobile applications to "facilitate access, data collection, management, and utilisation of data".
Where big data and analytics are concerned, the ADHA said it is keen to explore the use of high performance analytic systems that are capable of collecting, organising, and analysing large sets of data, in both structured and unstructured form from multiple sources to "discover patterns and trends to improve social health and shift to a 'push/pull' ecosystem".
For IoT, the agency wants to exploit the network of intelligent physical devices that enable the exchange of data.
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Govt mulls blockchain, IoT and big data in future of health service
Looks for ‘next-generation’ technology’ to power national health infrastructure
The Australian Digital Health Agency has dipped its toes in the water for its future platform delivery ahead of Accenture's impending contract expiration next year.
The Federal Government agency has issued a request for information (RFI) seeking advice on the ‘next-generation technology” to power its future digital health platform as Accenture’s $529 million deal comes to a contracted end in 2020.
On the agency’s radar are technologies ranging from blockchain to underpin its electronic health record (EHR) system, big data and analytics, cloud computing and ‘the internet of medical things (IoMT) -- essentially a more connected infrastructure.
“[There is] increased demand and spending are forecasted for the next decade [and so a] need to focus on an EHR system that seeks an efficient and cost-focused system,” RFI documents revealed.
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26 September 2019
ADHA commits to measuring, reporting MHR effectiveness
Now the dust has settled on the federal election, everyone seems to be getting used to a government they didn’t think they’d have – unfortunately, a government no policy agenda on mostly everything, including health.
A quick trip to the Australian Digital Health Agency to check on what’s next suggests there might be a few people still getting their heads around the idea that there won’t be any major changes taking place now they are staying with their old overseers. So it’s back to the wheel and the job of proving to the professional digital health world that the My Health Record actually is a good idea, and that our interoperability quagmire is finally close to being sorted.
In providing The Medical Republic with their near term agenda, ADHA CEO Tim Kelsey said that with more than 11 million MHRs being activated in the last year (that is, by either a patient, a clinician, or both), there was some clear evidence that the record is in play and getting used.
But with the hard work of “opt out” behind them, the next big job, he said, was developing a set of clear and measurable KPIs which could track the success of the MHR. With that, presumably, the agency can talk down some of the naysayers.
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Government eyes health insurers' data to help uncover Medicare fraud
My Health Data excluded from proposed data-matching push
The Department of Health has launched a public consultation on proposed legislation that would lay the basis for increased data-matching between government entities in order uncover fraudulent or incorrect Medicare claims. The proposal could also see the data provided from private health insurers automatically matched against government data holdings to red flag potential fraud.
A consultation guide released by the department states the proposed Health Legislation Amendment (Data-Matching) Bill 2019 and associated regulations won’t give the department new powers to conduct compliance activities and will not “authorise the automation of compliance outcomes or raising of debts” (although such activity could be conducted with human oversight on the basis of anomalies flagged by data matching).
If passed, the bill would enable Medicare Benefits Scheme (MBS) and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) data to be automatically cross-matched against data from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, the Therapeutic Goods Administration, data from private health insurers and registration information from the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, as well as immigration data provided by the Department of Home Affairs.
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Govt proposes Medicare data matching scheme for fraud crackdown
Could source data from private health insurers.
The Department of Health is set to expand its data matching activities to better detect fraudulent or incorrect Medicare claims under proposed new laws that would make it possible to pull data from private health insurers for compliance purposes.
But unlike Service Australia’s controversial robodebt program, the department has ruled out using the changes to introduce any automation or perform any compliance activity without human oversight.
Draft laws released for consultation late on Monday are aimed at improving the existing Medicare compliance program by introducing a new “scheme of data matching for permitted Medicare compliance purposes”.
Around 1 percent of the $37 billion handed out through Medicare and other health services claims each year are estimated to be fraudulent, with up to a further 4 percent falling into what the department labels “occasional or inadvertent non-compliance”.
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Leidos announces key partners for JP2060 Phase 4 bid
24 September 2019
Louis Dillon
Leidos Australia has announced its local key partners for their Joint Project 2060 Phase 4 team.
Australian companies MediRecords, Coviu and Nous will partner Leidos to provide a “modern, intuitive, patient-centric and secure health knowledge management system that supports the delivery of health services to the Australian Defence Force (ADF)”.
“Leidos has created an exceptional team to deliver this critical capability to the ADF,” said Christine Zeitz, chief executive for Leidos Australia.
“This includes partnering with leading Australian SMEs, within the health sector, who we will further support through our Global Supply Chain Program.”
“The JP2060 partnership brings together healthcare experts from MediRecords, providing the primary and allied healthcare solutions; Coviu, providing the telemedicine capability; and Nous, leading the organisational change management to support the delivery of business transformation,” Leidos said.
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25 September 2019
When BP goes cloud a new era will begin: Summit 2020
The BP Premier summit, to be held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre between May 22 and May 24 next year, might be the most interesting gathering of BP users yet, with the market-leading software brand on the cusp of releasing a cloud version of the software and a much-talked-about patient-side app. CLICK HERE to register.
Best Practice is generally thought to be the market share leader in practice management software across the country with something north of 45% share of all GPs. Not that far behind, and once a market behemoth with nearly 90% share (before the days of BP), Medical Director has staked much of its evolving market and brand position around being the only major brand to release a cloud version of its software, called Helix.
Deadlines have come and gone for BP and the mooted release of its cloud product, called Titanium, and each time the release date has shifted. Initially some analysts feared that might turn out to be a critical strategic error for the BP group. But at no point in the last few years, while Helix has entered the market, and two new cloud players, MediRecords and Clinic-to-Cloud (CTC), started up, did enigmatic BP founder Dr Frank Pyefinch seem to flinch about how long BP was going to take. Not in public nor in interviews anyway.
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Using My Health Record data to assist with mental health issues
Select SA patients will have access to ‘robust safeguards for self-management of serious mental illness’ with a new software trial.
The software program is said to be the first use of My Health Record to promote self-management safeguards for people experiencing issues of mental health.
25 Sep 2019
A trial of the AI2 software program, developed by digital health experts at Flinders University, will get underway with a community mental health clinic in Gawler, north of Adelaide, with support from local psychiatrists.
Patients in the Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network will be the first to trial the new program, which is billed as the first use of My Health Record to promote self-management safeguards for people experiencing issues of mental health.
The AI2 software program (AI2 represents ‘actionable in-time insights’, or ‘AI-squared’) compares Medicare data from My Health Record against standard care plans. It is designed to allow early intervention in order to prevent relapse and hospitalisation.
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Patients in the Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network will be the first to trial the new program, which is billed as the first use of My Health Record to promote self-management safeguards for people experiencing issues of mental health.
The AI2 software program (AI2 represents ‘actionable in-time insights’, or ‘AI-squared’) compares Medicare data from My Health Record against standard care plans. It is designed to allow early intervention in order to prevent relapse and hospitalisation.
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Pharmacists should be embedded wherever there are medicines: McBride
The head of the Australian Digital Health Agency has given pharmacists two examples of how My Health Record prevented serious adverse outcomes
Members of the PSA gathered at the Hotel Realm in Canberra on Wednesday, World Pharmacists Day.
This was one of a series of events held by the PSA to launch its My Health Record Guidelines for Pharmacists, which provide pharmacists with guidance on the use of the My Health Record system.
PSA national president Dr Chris Freeman called My Health Record a “gold nugget” for pharmacists due to its ability to facilitate communication with other health professionals, and introduced Tim Kelsey, chief executive of the Agency.
“I’ve got an instinct, a feeling that the 21st century is going to be the century of the pharmacist,” Mr Kelsey said.
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Evidence on efficacy of drinking app trickles in
Antony is a medical reporter with a special interest in technology and pharmacy.
24th September 2019
If judged by its ability to generate publicity, the Aussie app Daybreak has been a success.
It has been widely covered in the papers. Maybe the unique story behind it helps — the CEO is a former nightclub promoter who swore off booze for a year.
The app allows people who want to cut down their drinking to instant-message counsellors for support. It also hosts community discussion forums and provides tips for cutting back.
Users set their own goals: going teetotal, cutting back or keeping current habits in check.
It did cost $13 a month – but in January the Federal Government provided $3 million to make it free for Australians.
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Robodebt's collection agency owned by company being sued by ACCC
Awarded $3.3 million contract in July.
A debt collector recently awarded a $3.3 million contract by the Department of Human Services (DHS) to chase money for Centrelink is wholly owned by a company being sued by Australia’s consumer watchdog for a raft of coercive and unconscionable practices.
In an embarrassing twist to the ongoing Robodebt controversy, iTnews can reveal ARL Collect (Pty Ltd), which is wholly owned by Queensland based Panthera Finance, snared a plum debt recovery deal from DHS just weeks before its parent company was hit by landmark legal action from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
The ACCC’s case against Panthera accuses the firm of coercing payments from people – including identity fraud victims – for bills they did not actually owe.
The direct ownership link between the two companies, which technically are separate legal and financial entities, raises fresh questions around the adequacy of vetting and due diligence surrounding government outsourcing deals, especially those dealing with vulnerable people.
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New toolkit at Brisbane hospital reduces pain of opioid prescriptions
By Stuart Layt
September 25, 2019 — 10.53am
Far fewer opioid-based painkillers have been prescribed in the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital emergency department following the implementation of a new framework for clinicians.
The Opioid Prescribing Toolkit has been developed to reduce reliance on opioids by educating emergency department staff about strategies to manage pain.
The latest report on the issue from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare found about three deaths in Australia every day, a rate higher than the road toll, could be linked to opioid use.
RBWH pharmacist Champika Pattullo said the toolkit was credited with reducing the amount of opioid painkillers being prescribed to patients by 21 per cent over the trial period.
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Digital health support for mental illness
The first use of the national My Health Records to promote more robust safeguards for self-management of serious mental illness is being rolled out in South Australia.
Commencing with a community mental health clinic in Gawler, with support from local psychiatrists, patients in the Barossa Hills and Fleurieu Local Health Network will be the first to trial the AI2 software program developed by digital health experts at Flinders University.
“It adds value to the usual care as it will promote more timely communication, and support for people in their treatment needs, remembering appointments with their GPs and their medication, and occasional extra help with their condition,” says senior consultant psychiatrist Dr Jörg Strobel, based at SA Country Health’s Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network clinic. “We see it as a vital safety net for people living in the local community,” he says.
The Flinders University Digital Psychiatry and Personal Informatics Team describes the ‘AI2 ‘ program (Actionable Intime Insights, or ‘AI-Squared’) is a powerful e-health solution that compares Medicare data from My Health Record against standard care plans to allow clinicians to intervene early to prevent relapse and hospitalisation.
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QUT’s AI eye exams overcome gaps in software market
To spot and track disease.
Researchers at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) are overcoming a gap in the eye health market by turning deep learning tools to eye scans in a bid to better identify diseases like glaucoma.
In a paper recently published in scientific journal Nature, the researchers outlined how a number of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques were used to analyse Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) scans to give optometrists and ophthalmologists more information about eye health.
OCT scans are commonly used to measure and monitor the thickness of tissue layers in the eye, indicating changes to health over time.
The study’s lead author, Dr David Alonso-Caneiro, said that while standard OCT processing tools define and analyse retinal tissues layers well, “very few clinical OCT instruments have software that analyses choroidal tissue”.
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Monday, 23 September 2019 23:57
Dementia treatment project among new projects to get $3.1 million in government grants
A nasal spray for the treatment of dementia is among eight new projects to receive a total of $3.1 million in funding from the Australian Government as part of its program to drive innovation in the country’s businesses.
Announcing the new funding the Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said the accelerating commercialisation grants are also designed to make businesses more globally competitive and resilient – and in turn grow the Australian economy and create new jobs.
“The Morrison Government is committed to supporting Australian businesses to innovate because we know that will see us build on our record 28 years of economic growth and will push us toward the creation of 1.25 million new jobs over the next five years,” Minister Andrews said.
“We are backing Australian businesses that have what it takes to make a mark at home and around the world.
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Video technology is changing the healthcare industry
Healthcare reform in Australia is driven by many factors, not least of which is cost per capita.
According to a 10-year projection from the Department of Treasury, the Commonwealth Government’s spending (per person) on health is set to rise from $2800 in 2014–15 to $3400 in 2024–25, under current policy settings. Some projections see state governments using up to 50% of their budgets on health by 2030 to fund the running of public hospitals. Additionally, according to the government’s most recent report, real health expenditure is growing at just under 5% per annum — outstripping its GDP.1
To compound the issue, the government is becoming increasingly aware that it’s not just about the money. The health workforce challenges that we face from an increasing and ageing population will lead Australia to require an additional 120,000 nurses and over 400,000 aged-care workers. This expanded workforce will put additional challenges on healthcare leadership and test the industry’s capacity to manage and innovate in new models of care.2
In the face of such an increase in demand, governments and healthcare providers in Australia are turning to technology to bring efficiencies and improve patient care.
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Research centre to focus on the life of the 'Digital Child'
Nathan Eddy | 27 Sep 2019
The Australian Research Council announced the establishment of a new research centre tasked with investigating the effects of digital technology on children.
The ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child will be funded with $34.9 million from the Morrison Government and will be based at the Queensland University of Technology and led by Professor Susan Danby.
The research centre will also conduct a longitudinal study of the digital lives of Australian children from birth to eight years of age to develop a better understanding of how children live in a digital world.
The centre's research will also involve experts from education, health and digital and social connectedness, who will aim to produce policy guidelines to better enable students' digital learning.
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Mobile technology key to improving patient-provider relationships – Soprano
23 Sep 2019
Article by Soprano Design founder and executive chairman Dr Richard Favero
In his opening comments at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) AsiaPac18 conference in Brisbane last year, eHealth Queensland CEO and CIO, Dr Richard Ashby spoke of the changing dynamic between healthcare providers and patients and how we can expect to see patients taking charge of the management of their own healthcare within the next 10-15 years, largely enabled by their mobile devices.
At the same event, a global panel of experts discussed the changes that need to come to ensure healthcare systems are sustainable in the future by utilising technology to reduce pressure on resources.
Australian Digital Health Agency CEO Tim Kelsey advised that empowering patients to manage their own healthcare was an important step and one that is being encouraged by Governments around the world and certainly in Australia and the UK.
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TIO sees an increase in complaints about NBN services
However the numbers are sliced and diced, complaints about the NBN are up in absolute and relative terms.
As Australia shifts from its legacy fixed broadband infrastructure onto the National Broadband Network (NBN), it should come as little surprise that the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) is receiving increasing numbers of complaints.
However over the last six months, those numbers have increased in relative, as well as absolute, terms.
Contained in the TIO's annual report, NBN services make up the bulk of complaints received by the TIO in the categories of switching providers, at 56% versus 31% for non-NBN networks and 13% for mobile networks. This uptick in NBN complaints also extends to service quality, with 48% of complaints being from NBN services compared to 40% on non-NBN networks and 11% on mobile.
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Phone and internet complaints down but fixes taking longer
By Tim Biggs
September 25, 2019 — 12.01am
Australians are making fewer complaints about their phone and internet services but, when things go wrong, they're taking longer to be rectified, according to new data from the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman.
The TIO's annual report shows it received 132,387 complaints from consumers and small businesses during the last financial year, a 21.1 per cent decrease over the previous year.
However in 2017–18, when complaints were marked unresolved and so escalated by the TIO, 77 per cent of them were closed within 60 days. In the past year that fell to only 47 per cent of cases, meaning half of the unresolved cases took more than two months to close following TIO action.
"The volume of complaints coming back to us unresolved shows an emerging picture of complexity in technical and small-business issues," Ombudsman Judi Jones said in a statement, noting that special teams had been formed to handle those escalated complaints.
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“The future is dire”: Why the NBN will get worse as more people connect
Isabelle Lane / Monday, September 23, 2019
The National Broadband Network’s (NBN) speed and reliability issues will only worsen as more households and businesses connect, experts have warned.
Dr Steven Conway, a senior lecturer in games and interactivity at Swinburne University of Technology, is scathing in his assessment of the $51 billion taxpayer-funded project.
“In a nutshell, the future is dire. In contemporary terms, it’s not great,” he told The New Daily.
Australians hoping to use high-definition, cloud-based streaming services such as the newly launched Apple Arcade, or Google’s forthcoming Stadia, will need to shell out for an “upper-tier” NBN plan “assuming that’s even possible in your area”, Conway said.
FTTN v FTTP: Congestion time bomb
Under the Rudd Labor government’s plan, the NBN was to be a cutting-edge fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) network, with fibre optic cable plugged directly into 93% of premises by 2021.
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NBN disconnects with consumers
Internet affordability has become a bargaining chip between the telcos and NBN Co and with both parties yet to see eye-to-eye on the issue, the prospect of internet access becoming more expensive is putting consumers on edge.
Despite the efforts of NBN Co, the telcos and regulators, consumers are reluctant to switch over to the NBN, and for many making the switch has delivered a less than an ideal experience.
For Goulburn resident Melanie Sinclair her NBN connection is $10 more expensive than what she was paying for her ADSL service but hasn’t delivered an improved service.
“I am paying more but it’s hasn’t been money well spent,” she says.
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Enjoy!
David.