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This weekly blog is to explore the news around the larger issues around Digital Health, data security, data privacy, AI / ML. technology, social media and related matters.
I will also try to highlight ADHA Propaganda when I come upon it.
Just so we keep count, the latest Notes from the ADHA Board are still dated 6 December, 2018! How pathetic is that for transparency? Secrecy unconstrained!
Note: Appearance here is not to suggest I see any credibility or value in what follows. I will leave it to the reader to decide what is worthwhile and what is not! The point is to let people know what is being said / published that I have come upon.
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https://digitalhealth.org.au/blog/patient-centred-virtual-and-innovative-healthcare-post-covid-19/
Patient-centred, virtual and innovative: Healthcare post COVID-19
22 July, 2020
Virtual healthcare in the future needs patient-centred models, equitable access, regulatory oversight and a digitally capable workforce if we are to build on advances made in telehealth during COVID-19.
Australian healthcare organisations say while telehealth has been around for several decades, a sector-wide, proactive effort is now needed to make a transformational shift in the way we practice healthcare in the digital age. Innovations, new health tech and telehealth models introduced during COVID-19 have let the “genie out of the bottle” for healthcare consumers with new expectations around how healthcare could be delivered.
Australasian Institute of Digital Health CEO Dr Louise Schaper said: “A truth of the pandemic is that it has led to a massive increase in the use of telehealth and virtual care. However, now is the time for us to create a new truth for health that goes wider than telehealth and virtual care: A truth that is centred on a transformational shift in the way we view and practice healthcare.”
“We need to squarely emphasise patient-centred care which acknowledges and leverages the innovation that our health sector has proven it can do.”
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Relaunched national survey on the Usability of Electronic Health/Medical Records
The digital health community is invited to take part in a national survey on the Usability of Electronic Health/Medical Records.
The survey, supported by the Institute’s UX Network, is being conducted by Griffith University researchers and aims to capture the broad experience of clinicians across all health disciplines.
It is anonymous and only takes five minutes to complete. Participants should work in a healthcare organisation and use electronic health record systems.
- The survey will take approximately 5 minutes to complete
- Participation is voluntary
- Data collected in this study will remain anonymous
- Requirements:
- Aged 18 or over
- Reside in Australia
- Work in a healthcare organisation and use electronic health record systems
- Lead investigator: Dr Sheree Lloyd, Griffith University
Griffith University Ethics Approval 2019/749
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Media release - International collaboration on digital health best practice supports global response to COVID-19 pandemic
23 July, 2020: Four reports – White Papers – have been published by the Global Digital Health Partnership (GDHP) of over 30 nations including Australia detailing what GDHP member countries are doing to deliver digital health services and improve patient health outcomes.
The GDHP is currently chaired by India. Mr Lav Agarwal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India is the GDHP Secretariat Lead.
Mr Agarwal said “Sharing digital health information is now more important than ever as individual nations and the global community respond to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“These White Papers will provide both participant and non-participant countries and territories with guidance on the key digital health enablers that can lead in improving the health and well-being of citizens at national and sub-national levels through the best use of evidence-based digital technologies.”
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https://www.zdnet.com/article/the-tech-within-canberras-economic-and-fiscal-update/
The tech within Canberra's economic and fiscal update
Funding for the Consumer Data Right, no comment on robo-debt, and a bit of funding for cyber.
By Asha Barbaschow | July 23, 2020 -- 23:08 GMT (09:08 AEST) | Topic: Innovation
With the federal government postponing its Budget until October, it published an economic and fiscal update on Thursday that revealed the economic impact COVID-19 has had.
The document [PDF], aside from containing a trove of already announced COVID-19 schemes, such as financial support for businesses, individuals, and families, as well as telehealth, provided an update on a handful of tech-related initiatives.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) will be given a total of AU$19.2 million to continue its work on the Consumer Data Right (CDR).
The government will also provide AU$6.2 million in funding to the Department of the Treasury to support an information and awareness campaign to introduce CDR to consumers and businesses and drive uptake, it said.
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COVIDSafe's problems aren't Google or Apple's fault despite government claims
Australia's COVIDSafe app is unreliable, and so far has proved to be of little practical benefit, but it doesn't have to be an ongoing political sideshow.
By Stilgherrian | July 21, 2020 -- 04:51 GMT (14:51 AEST) | Topic: Security
The iOS version of Australia's troubled COVID-19 contact tracing app, COVIDSafe, tries to connect to every device a user's phone has ever connected to, indefinitely, and that's just one of the lingering bugs.
Every time the Bluetooth controller disconnects from a device, such as when COVIDSafe successfully exchanges data with another app user, it will attempt the reconnect 15 seconds later.
"When devices go out of range or switch identifier, these connections will stay pending indefinitely," wrote Richard Nelson, when reporting the bug some 16 days ago.
"This is almost certainly the cause of COVIDSafe causing some (maybe not all) issues with connections to Apple Watch and other devices."
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US and Australia set to launch campaign to counter disinformation
By Anthony Galloway and Eryk Bagshaw
July 25, 2020 — 12.01am
Australia and the United States are set to launch a joint bid to counter disinformation campaigns from countries like China and Russia, as Beijing and Washington trade consulate closures in a sharp escalation of diplomatic tensions between the world's two largest economies.
Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Defence Minister Linda Reynolds will fly to Washington on Sunday for major talks with their US counterparts at the most tense time for relations with China since diplomatic links were established in the 1970s.
The ministers plan to agree on measures to counter disinformation campaigns by authoritarian states, boost health security in the Indo-Pacific and help the region recover from the coronavirus crisis.
Senator Payne and Senator Reynolds, who will have to self-quarantine for 14 days when they return to Australia, will have a series of meetings with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defence Mark Esper as part of the Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations.
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https://www.myhealthrecord.gov.au/news-and-media/my-health-record-stories/are-you-crisis-ready
Are you crisis ready?
24 July, 2020 ADHA Propaganda
In the city of Townsville, Hospital Nursing Director Debbie Maclean has been on the frontline of numerous crisis events – it’s even earned her the nickname, 'Disaster Debbie'. But what happens when she’s on the other side of the disaster?
Are you crisis ready? Make sure your shared health summary in your My Health Record is up to date. Whether you’re visiting a GP for a check-up, or in an emergency room following an accident and are unable to talk, healthcare providers involved in your care can access your important health information, including your allergies medicines, medical conditions and pathology test results.
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https://www.gphn.org.au/webinar-digital-health-standards-selection-process/
Webinar on ‘Digital health standards selection process’
- July 24, 2020
The Australian Institute of Digital Health is working with the Australian Digital Health Agency to develop a process for digital health standards selection for national use and adoption.
This session on Tuesday 28 July from 1-2pm is titled ‘Digital health standards selection process’ and will be followed up by targeted industry and key stakeholder consultation sessions through August coordinated by the AIDH.
Leading healthcare executive, Dr Tim Smyth, will facilitate the discussion with senior representatives from the standards community, the AIDH and the Agency.
Specifically, webinar participants will talk about ways to develop a process of digital health standards selection for national use and adoption to form part of a broader strategic approach to standards and standards lifecycle management.
To find out more or to register visit the Australasian Institute of Digital Health (AIDH) event webpage
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https://itwire.com/open-sauce/queensland-says-covidsafe-app-has-not-caught-even-one-infection.html
Author's Opinion
The views in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of iTWire.
Have your say and comment below.
Friday, 24 July 2020 09:28
Queensland says COVIDSafe app has not caught even one infection
The Queensland Department of Health has indicated that not a single COVID-19 positive individual has been identified as a COVIDSafe user in the state.
The department was sent a query — as were all other health departments in the country barring a few territories which had no email addresses for contact — on 15 July.
Not a single other health department from the bigger or smaller states has responded, though many may have not bothered to do so because I did not state a deadline. And then again, who is iTWire?
Still, it is instructive that Queensland, a state which people from Victoria and NSW are often prone to criticise and class as somewhat uncivilised, was the only state that bothered to reply.
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https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/asia-pacific/digital-maturity-ecosystem-perspective
Digital maturity: An ecosystem perspective
The new HIMSS Digital Health Indicator is a new way of thinking about system-wide insights into digital maturity, said Tim Kelsey, SVP, HIMSS Analytics International.
By Dean Koh
July 23, 2020 03:29 AM
Summarizing one of the key questions from the examples of how technology is being used to support healthcare systems in China, Malaysia and the Philippines during the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, Tim Kelsey, Senior Vice President, HIMSS Analytics International asked: “How do we bank on those advances and build on the momentum?”
At the closing keynote of the HIMSS APAC Malaysia Digital Health Summit, Kelsey said that one of the key priorities that have emerged or is emerging, in a very accelerated manner during the course of the pandemic, is the importance of digital maturity. That means the ability to measure the impact that digital investments (in healthcare) are having on service outcomes.
“Without the ability to measure (the impact of digital maturity), we can’t expect to be able to manage,” he added.
HIMSS Digital Health Indicator
HIMSS has worked for a number of years in supporting healthcare providers, health systems and payers to be able to measure their digital maturity. In April, the new Digital Health Indicator (DHI) framework was launched and it helps a health system, geography, region or even a country to assess their current levels of digital maturity and how they can improve that over time.
The DHI looks at four key measurements/outcomes: governance and workforce, interoperability, person-enabled health and predictive analytics. It builds on HIMSS seven maturity and adoption models, which include the Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model (EMRAM) and Infrastructure Adoption Model (INFRAM). The assessment of DHI is carried out virtually, so as to reduce administrative burdens.
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How AI can help in a pandemic
Jason Waller
The latest COVID-19 outbreaks in Victoria and southern Sydney highlight exactly how quickly this virus can wrest itself from the control of health authorities and how deeply unprepared Australia is to cope with a pandemic. Changes need to be made to our healthcare system now, not just to deal with this coronavirus, but so we can deal with the next one (and there will be a next one) more effectively.
Initial modelling of the healthcare system showed we needed to instigate measures to flatten the curve, which in return was supposed to relieve our hospitals, and prevent avoidable deaths arising from an overloaded healthcare system. ‘Flattening the curve’ involves community isolation measures that keep the number of daily infection rates at a manageable level for medical systems. This means the total number of infections do occur, but just over a longer period. The next step after flattening the curve is a controlled transmission curve, whereby the virus dies out after ‘herd immunity’ is reached. For this to happen, 60-70 per cent of the population needs to be infected. If initial indications show that underlying immunity exists from other similar viruses, that figure may be less. This approach ultimately sees the virus die out.
Australia began flattening the curve but then it failed to adopt the second half of the approach. We seem to have gone from buying time, to zero tolerance. In my opinion, this is a grave mistake because there are no other viable options open to us. Even the most optimistic virologist acknowledges a vaccination is at least 12 months away. And it’s worth noting too that a coronavirus vaccination has never been successfully developed. Either way, we don’t have the economic balance sheet to fund 12 months of lockdown, never mind the current never-ending cycle while ever politicians adopt an eradication mindset.
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https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=8e485fa1-3439-433f-8d52-577e289d2e01
Cybersecurity best practices in Australia
Best practice
Increased protection
Do the authorities recommend additional cybersecurity protections beyond what is mandated by law?
Yes. The ASD provides cybersecurity advice in its publication Strategies to Mitigate Cyber Security Incidents. The guidelines are designed for implementation by IT specialists and are based on the ASD’s analysis of reported security incidents and identified vulnerabilities. The guidelines address targeted cyber intrusions, external adversaries with destructive intent, ransomware, ‘business email compromise’ and industrial control systems.
How does the government incentivise organisations to improve their cybersecurity?
The government is investing significantly in cybersecurity research and development. The Australian Cyber Security Growth Network (AustCyber), coordinated by the Cyber Security Growth Centre, is an independent not-for-profit organisation funded by federal government grants that facilitates enhanced cybersecurity innovation and research and development. AustCyber seeks to develop workforce skills in the cybersecurity sector and seek opportunities for Australian cybersecurity businesses to access global markets. Data61 is a branch of the government-funded agency CSIRO that is encouraging information-sharing, cross-collaboration and growth across Australia’s cybersecurity research, government and industry cohorts. The Department of Industry, Innovation and Science is also improving the capabilities of its Entrepreneurs’ Programme Business Advisers to assist businesses facing a high cyberthreat and provide advice about cybersecurity.
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Lightbulb moment in the fight against hack attacks
In our daily lives, routine actions have predictable outcomes. Turn on a tap, water runs. Flick a switch, a light comes on. Dial a phone number, it rings.
These are ordinary, mundane yet essential actions that we take for granted. But we should not.
Critical infrastructure — the functions and services that make life run smoothly — underpins almost everything we do. So, imagine if these services just stopped.
When people think about cyber crime and its intentions, data theft generally comes to mind. This is undoubtedly often a prime objective of cyber criminals, but disruption to critical infrastructure has increasingly been highlighted as another key goal. Simply making a network (and its functions and services) unavailable can wreak havoc. The federal government’s decision to exclude high-risk vendors from Australia’s 5G network is an example of protecting a critical network from such risk.
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https://www.facebook.com/MyHealthRec/videos/1015303582228620/
My Health Record for nurses
My Health Record ADHA Propaganda
2020 is the World Health Organization (WHO) #YearoftheNurseandMidwife and we’re proud to support these #healthcare providers as they continue to play a critical role in keeping all Australians safe. Learn more: http://bit.ly/MHRforNurses
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Telehealth roll-backs are short-sighted and dangerous
By Dr Catriona Melville
July 21, 2020 — 4.34pm
COVID-19 has tested the world’s healthcare systems. Movement restrictions and second wave infections have forced healthcare providers to innovate to deliver medical services to patients. Telehealth is one innovation that healthcare providers globally have expanded to provide timely services to patients during the pandemic.
At the start of the pandemic the Australian government acted swiftly to broaden the Medicare Benefits Schedule, or MBS, to support expanded telehealth services. This included broadening the criteria for access to the MBS item numbers for telehealth consultations by GPs and other health professionals to new patients. This has meant that patients have had more choice in the doctors they can consult via telehealth for services that are not provided by their regular GP. This includes the medical termination of pregnancy, STI testing and treatment including HIV prevention services.
On Monday, the criteria for MBS support of telehealth during this pandemic was wound back so that patients can only access telehealth services under the scheme if they are a regular patient of a GP or practice and have been an active patient within the last 12 months.
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https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=1ee96acd-54e0-474f-ba0e-86409f1f46e6
OAIC and UK ICO announce joint investigation into Clearview AI
Australia, United Kingdom July 20 2020
On 9 July 2020, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) and the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) announced they have opened a joint investigation into the personal information handling practices of Clearview AI Inc.
The OAIC has stated the investigation will focus on ClearView AI’s use of “scraped” data and biometrics of individuals.
The OAIC and ICO’s announcement follows the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada’s announcement earlier this year that it had opened an investigation into Clearview AI.
Clearview AI is a facial recognition technology company that advertises itself as a “new research tool used by law enforcement agencies to identify perpetrators and victims of crime”. Its most well-publicised app, Clearview, is a facial recognition app that apparently allows a user to upload any photo of an individual and retrieve matching photos of that person from the Internet, with links to where those photos are located.
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https://www.fnarena.com/index.php/2020/07/22/the-future-of-healthcare-has-already-arrived/
The Future Of Healthcare Has Already Arrived
Australia | 10:00 AM
Covid-19 and lockdowns have accelerated the success of telehealth services with Australian companies among key beneficiaries
-Global
pandemic has accelerated adoption of telehealth services
-ASX-listed healthcare companies among beneficiaries
-More telehealth small caps to IPO next six months
By Anastasia Santoreneos & Mark Woodruff
The covid-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the Australian share market, but one sector that’s skated around the major economic downturn is the health sector, thanks to the quick-thinking of medical tech companies.
The government’s swift action on social distancing measures meant regulatory changes came in thick and fast for companies like Cochlear ((COH)) and ResMed ((RMD)), as they could develop remote patient monitoring tools for medical professionals to continue their work without needing to physically be with the patient.
The adoption of these services was phenomenal.
As a direct result of Covid-19, the utilisation of telehealth, that is remote GP consultations, now accounts for 35% of government benefits paid for GP attendances, according to a report by Morgan Stanley.
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https://www.ddwmphn.com.au/news/digital-health-update-july-2020
Digital Health Update July 2020
July 21, 2020
Electronic prescriptions - new training courses now available
The Australian Digital Health Agency electronic prescriptions eLearning courses for both prescribers and dispensers are now available. The eLearning courses are free and can be accessed at training.digitalhealth.gov.au. The courses have been accredited by the Australian Pharmacy Council, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, and Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine. Practitioners completing the courses can claim CPD/PDP credits/points upon the successful completion of each module.
The eLearning courses include three modules:
- Introducing electronic prescriptions
- Using electronic prescriptions
- Preparing for electronic prescriptions.
After completing the course learners will be able to:
- describe what electronic prescriptions are and where they are stored
- discuss the token model and how it is used to prescribe and dispense medicines
- identify key legislative and software conformance requirements
- outline the steps that healthcare providers need to follow to prepare the organisation for electronic prescriptions
- respond to common patient questions about electronic prescriptions.
Do you have a good news story to share about how different digital health tools helped you provide care during COVID-19?
Our PHN is looking for good news stories and examples of how digital health has enhanced health outcomes providing a more efficient provision of healthcare. This could include accessing critical information through My Health Record or the benefits of providing care through telehealth and video consultations during COVID-19. We would like to hear from you, email communications@ddwmphn.com.au
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https://www.itnews.com.au/news/hackers-that-hit-australian-targets-need-clear-consequences-550696
Hackers that hit Australian targets need "clear consequences"
By Justin Hendry , Ry Crozier on Jul 21, 2020 1:09PM
Telco-laden advisory panel to 2020 cybersecurity strategy pushes for reform.
“Clear consequences” are needed for attackers that target Australia or Australians, with local defenders better resourced and willing to publicly attribute the source of attacks more often, an industry panel of mostly telco executives says.
The consequences against attackers could include "enhanced law enforcement, diplomatic means, and economic sanctions".
The industry advisory panel to the Government’s forthcoming 2020 cyber security strategy made public its recommendations today. [pdf]
The telco-heavy panel includes representatives of Telstra, NBN Co and Vocus, alongside Tesla and Northrop Grumman Australia.
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TikTok is the mere tip of our digital privacy problem
By Judith Bessant
July 20, 2020 — 6.49pm
TikTok is one of the hottest new social networks today. There are 1.6 million Australians among the 800 million worldwide users of the platform, owned by Beijing-based Byte Dance. Basically TikTok is a video sharing app very popular among young people, who are switching from other platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp. More than two thirds of TikTok’s user base are women and girls. So why are some Australian politicians getting so hot under the collar and demanding that we follow in India’s footsteps, where the Modi government banned it along with 59 other Chinese-produced apps in early July?
It is true that TikTok faces questions about its links with the Chinese state and alleged data harvesting. Lee Hunter, its Australian general manager rejects suggestions it should be investigated let alone banned. Prime Minister Scott Morrison wants an investigation because he is concerned the Chinese government requires the company to hand over user information, creating a security risk. Labor senator Jenny McAllister, chair of a Senate social media inquiry, says "when we have national security and tech experts raising concerns about TikTok we have to take those concerns seriously". That seems to be the position taken by an Age editorial, in which it cautiously suggests that before it considers "following suit, Australia must provide a strong case on national security grounds that a ban is justified, as it did with the banning of Huawei's involvement in Australia's 5G network".
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https://www.afr.com/rear-window/covidsafe-app-still-has-fans-20200720-p55dmi
COVIDSafe app still has fans
Myriam Robin Columnist
Jul 20, 2020 – 8.15pm
The COVIDSafe app has, it's fair to say, fallen far short of expectations, having not helped identify a single extra coronavirus close contact beyond those already detected by manual contact tracers. Despite being downloaded by 6 million smartphones users.
But it still has some supporters. Among them: those the government paid handsomely to build it.
"COVIDSafe app does work, but like sunscreen, it only works if you have it on," said Boston Consulting Group partner Miguel Carrasco to his LinkedIn contacts last week, mimicking Scott Morrison's barely cogent analogy (sunscreen, unlike the app, works just fine in the background).
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https://provincialmedical.com.au/healthrecord.html
My Health Record
ADHA Propaganda
Provincial Medical Centre strongly supports the federal government’s implementation of the My Health Record system and encourages all patients to register for their own My Health Record. My Health Record is a secure online summary of your health information which was previously known as the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record (PCEHR).
Until recently, patients' healthcare information has always been held in separate locations by different medical practitioners, pharmacists and hospitals. Most of these records have not been shared electronically. This has meant that a patient's access to health records has often been onerous and inefficient, resulting in patients not always receiving the best care available. The My Health Record system overcomes these problems and helps ensure health care is delivered more efficiently and effectively by minimising unnecessary repeat tests, managing medication better and improving continuity of care.
Your My Health Record allows you and your doctors, hospitals and other healthcare providers to view and share your health information to provide you with the best possible care. However, control of your My Health Record lies with you: you control what goes into it and who is allowed to access it.
To find out more and to register for your own My Health Record click on the following link: http://www.ehealth.gov.au/internet/ehealth/publishing.nsf/content/home
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https://www.afr.com/technology/user-security-vital-to-twitter-s-subscription-dreams-20200719-p55dez
User security vital to Twitter's subscription dreams
Twitter does need to bump up sales. But if users feel that their accounts are unsafe they will never want to pay for them.
The Lex Column
Jul 19, 2020 – 12.44pm
Twitter’s “tough day” could turn into a tough year. On Thursday AEST, bitcoin spammers appeared to hack the accounts of Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Kanye West and other notable Tweeters.
Concerns about account security could jeopardise the company’s hopes of launching a future subscription service.
Twitter users already love to complain about the platform, which is accused both of excessive censorship and not being censorious enough. Boss Jack Dorsey is also under pressure from activist investors such as Elliott Management to raise revenue.
It is proving difficult to parse Twitter’s business plan. To pacify Elliott, it has agreed to a $US2 billion ($2.9 billion) share repurchase plan and appears to be making an effort to squeeze more from users.
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Why the private sector is missing out on cyber threat intelligence
Australia's promising Cyber Security Centre is now a sock puppet for the Australian Signals Directorate, a statutory authority within the defence department.
James Turner
Jul 20, 2020 – 12.00pm
The formation of the Australian Cyber Security Centre created an organisation that held enormous potential. The ACSC was an amalgam of cyber expertise from six different government agencies and promised to enable collaboration across government and also between government and the private sector. It was supposed to focus on the transference of information to enhance operational capabilities.
The outcome we were all hoping for was a structure that would facilitate government and private-sector organisations being better able to protect themselves.
The ACSC was meant to be the cyber equivalent of the neighbourhood policeman walking down main street, popping into each shop and telling the owners to remember to lock their doors at night because of criminal activity in the area.
The cyber equivalents of nearby criminal activity include the various activities that rob us of our national treasure: money laundering, unauthorised crypto-currency mining, unauthorised access of computer systems, and electronic theft of either intellectual property or money. These examples are all crimes, and should be responded to as crimes, not as acts of war.
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Australia faces a pandemic-led crunch in AI, industry warns
John Davidson Columnist
Jul 20, 2020 – 1.00pm
A coronavirus-led explosion in the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning means Australia urgently needs to figure out a national AI strategy if it is to even keep up with the rest of the world, some of the nation's top AI start-ups have warned.
The Brisbane-based AI and machine learning (ML) software company Max Kelsen said that in much the same way COVID-19 has led to the rapid uptake of video-conferencing and remote work around the world, demand for AI and ML has surged dramatically in recent months.
There is increased demand for AI and ML skills in research, as scientists scramble to figure out how to deal with the coronavirus, but moreover there has been huge demand from the corporate sector, which is turning to AI and ML to help solve supply-chain issues and to take the load off its human workforce, now that workers are forced to work remotely.
"We're seeing a decade worth of progress in just a few months," Nicholas Therkelsen, co-founder and CEO of Max Kelsen, told The Australian Financial Review.
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Digitisation in the Year of the Nurse
By Jane Allman
Tuesday, 14 July, 2020
Kate Renzenbrink, Chief Nursing and Midwifery Information Officer at Bendigo Health, is encouraging nurses and midwives to lead the digital transition and use informatics to improve patient care.
Digitisation of Australian health care is transforming how patients are navigated through the system and is changing the working lives of doctors, nurses, midwives and allied health professionals.
Kate Renzenbrink is currently working at Bendigo Health to support the implementation of the electronic patient record and to ensure the nursing and midwifery workforce has the health informatics skills to meet the challenges of contemporary practice.
She spoke to Hospital + Healthcare about the exciting space of health informatics and digital health.
“Patient care and safety is a critical part of the role of nurses and midwives. Digital health is about collecting, accessing and sharing patient information and overcoming barriers to continuity of care. What we’re aiming for is a flow of information through the health system that stays secure and private but supports the best possible care.
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https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=025639ba-a8bd-497b-aca7-bd684c478177
Is it time to hit the delete key on tik tok?
A Brisbane cyber lawyer says calls to ban video app TikTok amid claims it‘s a data gathering tool of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) may be justified, if extreme, due to Australia’s stand off with China.
Brisbane cyber lawyer Sandy Zhang says media reports of fears that Tik Tok, owned by a Chinese company, is being used by the Chinese Communist Party to track users is heightening fears amid a stand off between Australia and China and a deteriorating relationship between the countries.
Tik Tok is used by 1.6 million Australians including Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews.
Mr Zhang, a Senior Associate with Brisbane Intellectual Property and Privacy law firm EAGLEGATE Lawyers, which handles matters of Commercial, Patent law, Copyright law, Trade Marks, Domain names and general Cyber law says in many regards Tik Tok is no different to all social media apps which track their users.
“I very much doubt that Tik Tok is a worse offender than any other typical social media platform like Facebook or Snapchat, or even search platforms like Google. All social media apps track their users.
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CBA calls for consumer data right extension to global tech players
James Eyers Senior Reporter
Jul 20, 2020 – 12.00am
Major banks are concerned the new open banking regime has created an unlevel playing field that will allow global technology companies like Amazon or Facebook to use bank customer data without having to provide anything in return.
In the original open banking blueprint, the concept of "reciprocity" was a central element. This would require that a company wanting to receive data from banks, or other sectors designated for the government's consumer data right, to be able to provide their own customers' data into the regime, if those customers provided consent for that.
However, the reciprocity concept was narrowed down during the process of making the rules for open banking.
Banks are now nervous that global players, whose profits are booked offshore, will be able to use the regime to get insights about banking without allowing the banks any quid pro quo, such as data that could provide insights on customers' retail, or social media, behaviours.
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https://www.afr.com/technology/covidsafe-a-tale-of-two-apps-20200717-p55cze
COVIDSafe: A tale of two apps
Ronald Mizen Reporter
Jul 20, 2020 – 9.21am
It was the best of apps, it was the worst of apps; which one exactly is a matter of some contention.
Scott Morrison said downloading the COVIDSafe app was like putting on sunscreen before going out in the sun.
"Slip, slop and slap on the app!" the Prime Minister said. "If you want to return to a more liberated economy and society, it is important that we get increased numbers of downloads when it comes to the COVIDSafe app."
Some people suggested the analogy encouraged a "delusion" the app would somehow prevent infection; others said it encouraged complacency over social distancing; and some even hinted at a surveillance state conspiracy.
"I treasure the government knowing as little about me as possible," former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce declared. "McDonald’s can tell you where I am, and this app will tell you who I’m speaking to."
One newspaper described it as Joyce donning a "tin hat".
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Coronavirus: Privacy concerns over contact tracing of personal details in public venues
3:38pm Jul 19, 2020
Coronavirus: Concerns over who can access contact tracing information
Serious concerns have been raised over the safety of Australians' personal information and the risk of it being compromised by COVID-19 record-keeping requirements imposed by law on businesses.
As states look to slowly ease coronavirus restrictions, venues such as cafes, bars and restaurants have been ordered by public health authorities to log the details of patrons who enter for contact tracing purposes.
Dr Suelette Dreyfus, a cyber privacy and security researcher at Melbourne University, says the risk currently posed to everyday Australians is "very real" and breaches could be happening regularly.
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https://insightplus.mja.com.au/2020/28/telehealth-latest-changes-may-exclude-some-patients-in-need/
Telehealth: latest changes may exclude some patients in need
Authored by Andrew Baird
CHANGES to eligibility for Medicare benefits for GP telehealth and phone services will solve one problem but potentially disadvantage many patients as a result.
In May 2020, the most recent month for which data are available, 67% of Medicare services at levels B, C and D were provided face-to-face, 32% were by phone, and 1% were by video.
As of today, Monday 20 July, eligibility for Medicare benefits for the temporary Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) telehealth (video) services and phone services will be contingent on a patient having an existing and continuing relationship with the GP who provides the service. This relationship is defined as the patient having had at least one face-to-face in-person consultation in the previous 12 months with the GP, or with another GP at the GP’s practice.
There are four exemptions to the requirement for an existing and continuing relationship with the GP providing the service:
- homeless people;
- children under the age of 12 months;
- patients referred to a GP by a non-GP specialist; and
- people living under Stage 3 restrictions in Victoria (it is implied that this would also apply in the event that Stage 4 restrictions are imposed).
The temporary COVID-19 telehealth service and phone service item numbers will still expire on 30 September.
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Australian Digital Health Agency’s Digital Health Security Awareness eLearning course
- July 19, 2020
Digital Health Security Awareness eLearning course is now available on the Agency’s training platform.
This free Digital Health Security Awareness course is designed for people who work in a variety of healthcare settings and roles. It includes examples that relate cyber security concepts to people’s work in healthcare organisations. The course has been developed by the Agency’s cyber security team, in consultation with representatives from a range of healthcare settings and disciplines, including medicine, nursing, pharmacy, practice management and allied health.
The Digital Health Security Awareness eLearning course includes five modules and will enable learners to:
- Describe common cyber security risks and recognise that they are continually evolving
- Adopt positive security behaviours to protect sensitive information
- Identify ways to reduce the likelihood of being impacted by cyber security threats
- Outline what to do in the case of a cyber security incident
- Identify key legislation and data breach reporting requirements
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Comments more than welcome!
David.
Two items, next to each other:
ReplyDeleteCOVIDSafe app still has fans
"COVIDSafe app does work, but like sunscreen, it only works if you have it on," said Boston Consulting Group partner Miguel Carrasco to his LinkedIn contacts last week, mimicking Scott Morrison's barely cogent analogy (sunscreen, unlike the app, works just fine in the background).
My Health Record
Your My Health Record allows you and your doctors, hospitals and other healthcare providers to view and share your health information to provide you with the best possible care. However, control of your My Health Record lies with you: you control what goes into it and who is allowed to access it.
Who are these techno-loons? Digital Health is so good, you have to know how and remember to keep turning it on and you have to take control of your My Health Record.
And the government is scratching its collective heads wondering why people are not embracing all this new beaut technology.
What a joke.