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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 were dated 6 December, 2018 and we have seen none since!
It is worth pointing out that it was only in last little while ( beginning end July 2020 ) the ADHA took down the notification regarding the most recent minutes notification. Embarrassed I guess – as they should be! I wonder will the new CEO make a difference?
The new CEO has been in place 7+ weeks – no new minutes obvious yet, or any other major improvements!
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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New smartwatch to help keep DV victims safe, record evidence of abuse
· NCA NewsWire
Secret and secure technology that can be programmed to a smartwatch could be the key to helping at risk women stay connected and get much needed help at the time of crisis.
The StandbyU Foundation have developed a world-first solution to put control back in the hands of the victim with technology that can record what is happening so it can be used as evidence against the predator.
Women who face high to low risk family and domestic violence can simply click a button on their watch to activate an alert, allowing chosen support networks to listen in, find the victim and organise help for them.
The alert loops through a caller list of selected contacts – which comes through as a regular phone call – and can allow a conference call for all members who answer and so they determine their next move in order to help.
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Jan. 07
Get Connected Kilkivan - My Health Record
by Gympie Regional Libraries ADHA Propaganda
Event Information
How to use myGov and the My Health Record service to keep all your health information together in one convenient place.
About this Event
Introduction to Online banking
Using your computer to control your finances can be done safely and securely at any time of the day or night. We show you how online banking works, how to get started and we have our very own pretend bank, Squirrel Bank, to help practise common online banking tasks on a desktop or laptop computer.
Kilkivan Library – Thursday 3 December 10am
Under COVID-19 Stage 3 Restrictions we are required to:
• keep contact information about all participants, families and staff who attend an event.
• limit numbers of people attending an event
• maintain 1.5 metre social distancing
NOTE: do not attend if you have returned from overseas or a COVID-19 Hotspot in the last 14 days, have cold or flu like symptoms or have been in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the last 14 days.
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When it comes to national security, artificial intelligence is a sovereign risk
Marie McInerney on: November 11, 2020
Introduction by Croakey: Policy development on artificial intelligence (AI) is setting a pace, nationally and internationally and within health.
That includes Artificial Intelligence in Health: Exploring the Opportunities and Challenges, released in June by the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences, and the work of the Australian Alliance for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare.
Earlier this year the OECD announced it would host the Secretariat of the new Global Partnership on AI (GPAI), a coalition that aims at ensuring that Artificial Intelligence is used responsibly, respecting human rights and democratic values.
Professor Enrico Coiera, Director of the Centre for Health Informatics at the Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University is one of four Australian representatives on the GPAI.
In the article below, he calls for investment in Australia to provide AI development, analysis and testing onshore, warning that while some nations are investing heavily in AI, Australia seems largely comfortable being a data primary producer and algorithm importer – which may not be a safe place.
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https://digitalhealth.org.au/blog/industry-alliance-will-work-on-integrating-genomics/
Industry alliance will work on integrating genomics
The genomics industry has launched InGeNA, a new alliance to strengthen collaboration, coordinate on key issues and realise opportunities for all Australians to benefit from precision healthcare. The Industry Genomics Network Alliance has 13 founding member companies in healthcare and life sciences who will collaborate on programs to embed genomics across Australian healthcare.
The founding companies, from pathology, technology and biopharma sectors, contributed funding to start InGeNA matched by $300,000 from MTPConnect Industry Growth Centre, an Australian Government initiative supported by the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources.
InGeNA will be hosted by the Australasian Institute of Digital Health and undertake a targeted program of work to address a range of genomics opportunities and challenges from screening and testing through to treatment. Projects include white papers, consultation and policy positions on key areas including access and equity, genetic screening, dynamic consent, workforce planning, and Australia’s adoption of new drugs and novel medical technologies.
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https://www.digitalhealth.gov.au/news-and-events/podcasts
Electronic Prescriptions - A guide for practice managers
10 November, 2020: Find out what practice managers can do to get ready for implementation with advice from leading heath professionals currently benefiting from electronic prescriptions in their practices.
Speakers: Dr Andrew Rochford (Facilitator), Vandana Chandnani (Agency Manager Provider Adoption), Argyro Pantelios (Practice Manager, Registered Nurse) and Dr Peter Del Fante (Clinical Reference Lead, General Practitioner, Public Health Physician).
Subscribe and listen to the podcast on SoundCloud, iTunes, Google Podcasts and Spotify
Australian Digital Health Agency Podcast · Electronic Prescriptions - A guide for practice managers
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Collaboration, engagement and innovation: Australia’s road to resilience from natural disasters
CON BALASKAS
The highly anticipated final report from the Royal Commission into Natural Disasters, of which all recommendations were accepted by the Government, highlighted many ways that technology can help to protect our communities from bushfires and other natural disasters.
The Commission’s final report highlighted that robust, mission-critical communications including land mobile radio (LMR) remains the most reliable technology for public safety agencies. Additionally, it stated that increasing LMR’s interoperability between responding agencies and beyond state borders will further enhance the capabilities and safety of first responders.
The report also examined what public safety mobile broadband can do to further enhance emergency communications, better equipping fire agencies and other emergency services in Australia to safely combat major crises.
In all circumstances and in all countries around the world, LMR has proven to be the most resilient, reliable and secure technology to withstand the impacts of natural disasters including bushfires.
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Card payment data to be used to track people in coronavirus hotspots
By Katina Curtis and Rachel Clun
November 13, 2020 — 5.50pm
Credit card payments will be used to track visits to coronavirus hotspots while people will have to provide contact details to enter restaurants, workplaces and public venues to help authorities stay ahead of any outbreaks.
A national assessment of contact tracing systems says the use of digital technology is critical and information collected must be able to be easily and quickly shared between states, not via phone calls and emails.
The national cabinet on Friday agreed to all recommendations in the review, led by Chief Scientist Alan Finkel. It also agreed to a national vaccine strategy, which may require people coming from overseas to show proof they've been inoculated against coronavirus.
"In the event of an outbreak, every effort should be made to go hard and go early. The driving principle for contact tracing must be to never fall behind," Dr Finkel says in the contact tracing review. "No jurisdiction can afford to let down its guard."
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https://www.tenders.gov.au/Atm/Show/e42a8b1a-e8bb-4b68-af20-6313c396cefe
Provision of Health API Gateway Services
ATM ID: RFT DH2843
Agency: Australian Digital Health Agency
Category: 43200000 - Components for information technology or broadcasting or telecommunications
Close Date
& Time: 22-Dec-2020 2:00 pm (ACT
Local Time)
Publish Date: 13-Nov-2020
Location: ACT, NSW, VIC, SA, WA, QLD, NT, TAS
ATM Type: Request for Tender
APP Reference: DH2843
Multi Agency Access: No
Panel Arrangement: No
Multi-stage: No
Description:
The Australian Digital Health Agency is seeking a service provider to implement a solution and supporting services that will create a standalone, contemporary capability for digital health products and services, including the My Health Record System.
The solution included in the Health API Gateway Services will provide a single point of access to the National Digital Health Ecosystem. The services include a range of support services and business processes that will need to be delivered by the Successful Tenderer.
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https://medicalrepublic.com.au/the-adha-needs-a-new-camel/37113
13 November 2020
The ADHA needs a new camel
The last straw for the My Health Record (MHR) surely arrived this week with an FOI revelation that all the research the ADHA has done to prove to us the worth of this $2 billion project is meaningless fluff (we suspected that might be the case).
If the agency is going to survive in any meaningful form it’s going to need a new camel, and fast.
This week, an enterprising journalist working for our medical newspaper cousin, Australian Doctor, revealed he had followed up claims by the Office of National Audit (ONA) that the My Health Record was delivering on hard benchmarks of progress it had it set itself, by putting in a Freedom of Information request to gain access to the research the ONA was using to justify its claim. That full story is HERE. It’s a really good piece of journalism, although it’s unlikely to get the credit it deserves because there is so much happening around COVID, the ADHA has almost entirely turned over all its leadership, and most people are suffering MHR fatigue.
The premise of the piece is very simple and one we at The Medical Republic and Wild Health often push. The MHR is a project that is now in its 10th year if you trace it to its illogical birth as a thought bubble of a largely incompetent Labor health minister in about 2010. In that time it has:
•
Cost the commonwealth the better part of $2 billion
• Traversed three different government agency structures and been rebirthed
twice
• Most recently been championed by the ADHA and a charismatic UK based CEO who
decided the only way to push it through was make it opt-out
• Never been set meaningful benchmarks for measurement of project success and
therefore proceeded on what is really still “a gut feeling” that it’s a good
idea.
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https://medicalrepublic.com.au/if-telstra-health-buys-medicaldirector/37109
13 November 2020
If Telstra Health buys MedicalDirector
How many tipoffs does it take to turn a conspiracy theory into a news story?
No number will suffice, unfortunately. So we’re going to have to call this a fake news story with a lot of logic to recommend it.
Telstra Health is said to be on the verge of acquiring our oldest, second biggest, and maybe most iconic patient management software group, MedicalDirector.
Why might this not be crazy, and what might it mean for the medical software market, GPs, and the few specialists who use the specialist version of the product?
Why might it be happening?
1.
Telstra Health is the largest digital health company in the country with a
parent who has pockets deep enough to buy MD without causing a blip in the
balance sheet.
2. One plus one is almost certainly going to equal something like three and a
half in overall value (at least) given the gaping hole in Telstra Health’s
strategy that MD would at least appear to fill.
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November 13, 2020
ANDHealth Announces FY21 Q1 Cohort Outcomes
ANDHealth, Australia’s leading organisation in accelerating the commercialisation of evidence-based digital health technologies, today announced new outcomes achieved by the Australian companies which participated in the two-year pilot of the ANDHealth+ Program.
These outcomes demonstrate that during the past 6 months, where widespread job losses and stagnant business growth have been the norm for many industries, the digital health companies supported by ANDHealth have grown substantially.
The industry’s resilience, remarkable growth across all metrics and its significant impact on patients, during the 6 month peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, clearly highlight the need for Government investment into and support of our nascent digital health sector, as it looks to rebuild the economy and reshape our healthcare system.
ANDHealth+ companies report quarterly against key growth metrics. At the end of the September 2020 quarter cumulative (since first data was collected in December 2017) outcomes included:
- $31.6M in capital raised
- $17.6M in revenues
- 217 jobs created (including 12 C-suite jobs)
- 117,885 patients served
- 38 clinical trials and studies commenced
- 326 operational sites
- 850 commercial pilots commenced
- 171 new commercial customers
- 18 new international markets entered
- 120 new product releases
Demonstrating both the growth potential of this nascent industry, and also its ability to support the health of Australians during significant disruption to the health system, over the last 6 months cohorts reported increases of:
- 10% in new capital raised ($4.6M)
- 48% in revenue ($5.2M)
- 32% in new jobs (FTEs) and 40% in new C-suite roles
- 68% in new patients served
- 36% in clinical trials and studies commenced
- 12% in operational sites
- 30% in new product releases
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https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2020/11/government-to-test-new-mygov-features-before-the-end-of-the-year/
Government to Test New MyGov Features Before the End of the Year
November 11, 2020 at 2:02 pm -
Minister for Government Services, Stuart Robert, has revealed a second beta of MyGov’s replacement should be rolled out by the end of 2020. This will include the integration of its Digital Identity service.
The announcement was made during Robert’s keynote speech at the Digital Transformation Agency (DTA) summit on Tuesday. During the speech Robert outlined how integral MyGov has been for Australians during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This year, it has played a crucial role in enabling Australians to access government support during the pandemic. On our busiest day, myGov recorded over 4 million users – all successfully lodging claims or conducting other business with government,” Robert said during the speech.
Back in March MyGov crashed after the second coronavirus stimulus package that was announced by Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Robert incorrectly identified this as a DDoS attack before admitting it was due to a lack of preparation and server capacity.
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https://www.aapm.org.au/Knowledge-Hub/Latest-News/services-australia-a2ws-update
11 November
Services Australia A2WS update
November 11, 2020 By Laura Jolley
Aged Care, Announcement, Communication, Digital Health, Services Australia
Over the last 12 months, Services Australia has been updating their digital health and aged care channels.
13 March 2022 may seem like some time away, however if your practice hasn't begun to transition to upgraded web services, you won’t be able to transact with Services Australia. This could result in practices having to submit their claims using manual channels, creating additional administrative pressure and costs for the business.
Download the guide to transition services by November 2021 below.
Attached Files
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'Stop the Steal' supporters, restrained by Facebook, turn to Parler
Elizabeth Dwoskin and Rachel Lerman
Nov 11, 2020 – 6.30pm
Washington | Facebook and other social media platforms are facing a wave of conservative backlash over their crackdowns on efforts to delegitimise the results of the presidential election.
Facebook and Twitter are banning hashtags, individuals and groups – including President Donald Trump's former chief strategist Stephen Bannon and groups affiliated with him – altering search results, labelling posts, down-ranking problematic content and implementing a host of measures to ward off misinformation.
That is driving millions of new users to Parler, an alternate social media platform where conspiracy theories can thrive. The app, which has a free-speech doctrine, became the top new app download over the weekend on Apple's App Store.
Social media reflects the fragmented nature of the current political divide, as many liberals celebrate a new President-elect while some conservatives hope to use tech platforms to sustain and organise a movement to challenge the election outcomes.
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https://apo.org.au/node/309148
Australian perspectives on misinformation
11 Nov 2020
Mathieu O’Neil, Michael Jensen
Publisher News and Media Research Centre (UC)
Resources
|
2.92 MB |
Description
Concerns about the health of democracy and the public sphere are increasing due to the ease with which foreign and domestic malign actors can spread misleading and manipulative claims. Misinformation, or misleading information spread unwittingly, is often distinguished from disinformation, which is misleading information spread with the intent to cause harm. Yet many successful disinformation campaigns contain true information, covertly disseminated to embarrass political targets: the quality of the information matters less than the nature of the operation it is part of. Although the content of messages need not be false to deceive, the ability to identify and protect true claims remains critically important. Misinformation and disinformation and their effects are complex and interwoven with countless socio-political and psychological issues.
This report brings together several sources of data. The background to the report is the results from two existing N&MRC reports: Digital news report: Australia 2020 and COVID-19: Australian news and misinformation report, both of which tracked perceptions of misinformation in the Australian news consumers in 2020.
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https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=1f5c1318-b837-49c8-b06e-87ce93edd1ba
Privacy reform across the ditch: New Zealand Privacy Act commencing soon
We are now less than a month away from a new privacy law in New Zealand. The Privacy Act 2020 (NZ) (the NZ Privacy Act), which commences on 1 December 2020, will repeal and replace the Privacy Act 1993 (NZ). The NZ Privacy Act will better align the law in New Zealand with the ever-evolving consumer sentiment and conceptions of privacy in the digital age. Australian privacy laws are also under review after much anticipation. The terms of reference were released in late October 2020 and are available here.
In this alert, we highlight the headline updates under the new legislation in New Zealand and what it means for Australian organisations who operate their business “across the ditch”.
What is changing?
The NZ Privacy Act introduces a number of reforms that impact the way organisations can collect, use and disclose personal information.
- Clarification of the extra territorial scope: The NZ Privacy Act now clarifies that the privacy laws have an extraterritorial effect. This means that “overseas agencies” based outside of New Zealand, including in Australia, who “carry on business” in New Zealand will be subject to the privacy obligations imposed by the NZ Privacy Act if they hold information about New Zealand individuals. The definition of “carry on a business” is broad, such that an organisation may be captured even if it does not have a physical presence in New Zealand, receive any monetary payment for its goods or services or intend on making a profit in New Zealand.
- Cross border transfers: A new Information Privacy Principle (IPP) will be introduced to regulate the way personal information can be transferred out of New Zealand.[1] Under the new IPP 12, an organisation covered by the NZ Privacy Act will be restricted from disclosing personal information to an entity outside of New Zealand unless the receiving party is subject to equivalent protections and safeguards to those in the NZ Privacy Act.
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https://www.seek.com.au/job/50915343?type=standard
Chief Technology Officer - Digital Health
Australian Digital Health Agency
Chief Technology Officer (CTO) -
Strategic & Operational Leadership
Operating as part of a new Executive Leadership Team and reporting to the CEO,
you will help steward the Agency to deliver on its national vision, mission,
and strategic objectives. As CTO, you will strategically lead enterprise-wide
technical infrastructure into the future and manage the internal operational
functions of the Agency. You will develop the Agency's ICT infrastructure
strategy, architecture roadmap and implementation planning. This will deliver
contemporary government technology systems that support the needs of consumers
and healthcare providers. Service management frameworks, design and delivery,
integration, interoperability, security, investment and budget management,
complex agreements and performance management will be part of an end-to-end ICT
solution - at scale
The Opportunity & Organisation -
Australian Digital Health Agency
There couldn't be a more exciting time for a dynamic, innovative and high
performing Senior Executive to join the Australian Digital Health Agency
(ADHA), to lead the critical Infrastructure Operations Division into the
future. With its strong foundations, the Agency is perfectly positioned to lead
acceleration in digital enablement; and further the design and delivery of
seamless, safe and secure digital health services for the better health of all
Australians. In this career-defining opportunity, the CTO will re-cast
Australia's national digital health infrastructure and help shape digital
health for the nation. Could there be a more important career proposition?
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https://apo.org.au/node/309290
Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan: October 2020–October 2021
8 Nov 2020
Australian Digital Health Agency
Resources Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan: October 2020–October 2021 6.59 MB
Description
The Australian Digital Health Agency has developed a Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), which is designed for organisations starting out on their RAP journey.
Reflect
RAPs clearly set out the steps taken to prepare an organisation for
reconciliation initiatives in successive RAPs. Committing to a Reflect RAP
allows an organisation to spend time scoping and developing relationships with
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders, deciding on a vision for
reconciliation and exploring a sphere of influence, before committing to
specific actions or initiatives.
Key findings:
- The Agency is undertaking an analysis of Aboriginal Medical Services in the Northern Territory who have demonstrated high use of My Health Record to identify key enablers and best practices that can be communicated to and replicated by the sector nationwide.
- To ensure appropriate communication materials were developed prior to and during the My Health Record opt out period, the Agency translated audio and video materials into fifteen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages (languages chosen based on 2016 Census data).
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff will mentor Agency employees – cultural awareness and capability building Senior and Executive Leadership team to mentor Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees looking to move in to more senior roles. Providing unique work opportunities for current staff, both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander to share knowledge and upskill, in a variety of locations, offers an innovative and progressive approach towards closing the gap.
Publication Details
Copyright: Australian Digital Health Agency 2020
Post date: 9 Nov 2020
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https://nwmphn.org.au/news/new-health-record-quality-improvement-workbook/
New My Health Record Quality Improvement Workbook
10 November 2020 ADHA Propaganda
If you are looking for a simple place to begin with quality improvement this My Health Record workbook is the place to start.
As of April 2020, 22.74 million consumers have a My Health Record, and 13.97 million records now have data in them. A persons’ My Health Record may contain a range of documents uploaded by primary health care providers and other health care providers. 93 per cent of GPs, 95 per cent of hospitals and 95 per cent of pharmacies are registered. My Health Record has become an important tool for general practices and can help to improve a person’s health outcomes.
North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network (NWMPHN) has released a new quality improvement workbook for My Health Record. The workbook will support practices to undertake quality improvement related to My Health record and improve patient outcomes.
While other quality improvement workbooks encourage practices to identify their own ‘priority areas’ for improvement, this workbook is presented as a single, unified plan. While each practice will have a different level of experience with My Health Record, the goals will be the same. That is, to ensure consistent use and contribution to My Health Record for all patients who have one, including uploading Shared Health Summaries.
Visit the NWMPHN Quality Improvement page to download the workbook. The workbooks have been created by general practice, for general practice, with input from NWMPHN teams and subject matter experts, and through consultation with the community and the broader primary care sector.
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https://www.croakey.org/aged-care-royal-commission-missing-the-digital-health-opportunity/
Aged Care Royal Commission missing the digital health opportunity
Marie McInerney on: November 09, 2020
Baby boomers heading into aged care in Australia may be shocked to find themselves living in the past when it comes to digital access, according to Dr Tim Smyth, a health management consultant, Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Health at the University of Technology Sydney and a former Deputy Secretary at the NSW Ministry of Health.
In the article below, Smyth says the 124 recommendations made to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety by its Counsel Assisting last month, as hearings closed, were both wide-ranging and welcome.
But he writes, they did not recognise the synergy and potential that is possible with the right balance of mandated requirements, incentives and accountabilities under an integrated digital health agenda for Australian aged care – both in the home and in residential aged care facilities.
Tim Smyth writes:
Counsel Assisting’s 475 page submission to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety on 22 October, containing 124 recommendations, is an interesting read.
The recommendations range across key aspects of aged care and seek to address many of the long-standing problems in the sector.
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https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=8f4906b1-a4f1-41a3-996f-010de2103a80
Privacy Act review: Are changes required?
A number of significant changes have been made to the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) since 2000, including the extension of the Act into the private sector in 2001 and the introduction of the Australian Privacy Principles in 2014. But how effective were those changes and is the Act still fit for purpose in a continuously evolving digital environment?
Does the Privacy Act continue to strike the right balance between addressing increasing concerns about the ability of organisations to protect our personal information; versus creating an overly complex regulatory environment for businesses?
To answer these questions, the Federal Government announced at the end of 2019 that a review of the Privacy Act would be conducted. At the end of October 2020 the terms of reference for the review were released. Some of the areas that will be examined include:
- the scope and application of the Privacy Act. This includes a review of the current exemptions from the Privacy Act such as whether the small business exemption threshold (which broadly provides that companies with a turnover of $3 million or less are not covered by the Privacy Act) is still appropriate;
- whether the Privacy Act effectively protects personal information and provides a practical and proportionate framework for promoting good privacy practices;
- the effectiveness of current enforcement powers and whether individuals should have the right to enforce privacy obligations in relation to their own information to give more control over their own information and another incentive for compliance by organisations;
- whether a statutory tort for serious invasions of privacy should be introduced and if so, should it only apply to intentional breaches or extend to negligent conduct;
- a review of the recently introduced notifiable data breach scheme including whether data security practices have changed as a result and what challenges in complying with the scheme have emerged; and
- whether an independent certification scheme to monitor and demonstrate compliance with Australian privacy laws should be introduced
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https://itwire.com/open-sauce/no-full-financial-figures-for-you,-nbn-co-tells-journalists.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.
Monday, 09 November 2020 19:08
No full 1Q financial figures for you, NBN Co tells journalists
The NBN Co has indulged in various kinds of spin over the years to project itself as an organisation that is doing a brilliant job at rolling out a broadband network in Australia and thus its latest stunt, to keep some of its accounts hidden and reveal them only at the half-year and full-year results stages, should not come as a surprise to anyone.
The company sent its first-quarter results over for publication on Monday morning, with two essential figures missing: the average revenue per user, a figure which the NBN Co itself has advanced as a means of judging whether or not it has broken even, and the actual profit or loss.
The communication from the company said in part: "We will announce our Q1 and Q3 results by media release only. NBN Co will continue to host a teleconference call to present our half-year and full year results to media and analysts."
The financial figures provided were only for revenue for the quarter and EBITDA. No prizes for guessing, both figures reflect well on the company.
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https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=548d304d-b3a1-4618-b0c7-31ac4bed035c
Australian Privacy Act Review
The Terms of Reference and Issues Paper for the long-awaited review (Review) of the Privacy Act, 1988 Cth (Act) has finally been released by the Government (AG’s Department).
A commitment to review the Act was first announced by the Government following the ACCC’s Digital Platform Enquiry in 2018/19 – it is good to see proposals for this Review finally taking shape, notwithstanding COVID priorities.
Public submissions are being requested to respond on the ToR and the 68+ other questions in the Issues Paper, accompanying the TOR, with a closing date for submissions of 29 November 2020. A second consultation on specific outcomes from the preliminary review will take place in early 2021, including any possible options for reform.
What exactly is being reviewed?
This Review builds on reforms already announced by the Government in March 2019, to increase the maximum civil penalties under the Act (to align with those applicable to breaches of the ACL), and to develop a binding privacy code for social media / online platforms that trade in personal information.
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https://www.ausdoc.com.au/practice/how-navigate-medicolegal-waters-your-telehealth-consult
How to navigate the medicolegal waters of your telehealth consult
As remote care becomes increasingly routine, it's important to understand the risks
26th October 2020
Pete is Dr Park’s first patient this morning and the consult will take place via telehealth. Pete is a regular patient of the practice, but Dr Park has not seen him before.
When she calls the number in the appointment booking, his daughter answers. She says she’s putting the phone on speaker as her father is in the car with her. His gout has flared up, she says, and he just needs a repeat of his usual medication.
According to his medical records, Pete is in his 70s and lives alone.
He has a history of longstanding type 2 diabetes. He is on insulin. He has hypertension and gout.
He has had several previous episodes of gout and has been prescribed naproxen on multiple occasions.
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https://insightplus.mja.com.au/2020/44/a-bright-side-to-covid-19-emergency-telemedicine/
A bright side to COVID-19? Emergency telemedicine
Authored by Sue Ieraci
AMID the isolation, personal hardships, anxiety and uncertainty, have you seen any bright side to the COVID-19 pandemic?
Since starting work in emergency telemedicine well before the pandemic descended, I have been able to see many advantages to working from home, while (electronically) visiting patients’ homes. I’ve been able to assist all sorts of people, from newborns to centenarians, without those people having to attend hospital. Although the evidence is still emerging, my impression is that this has prevented unmeasured harms.
I’m aware that this is not the usual narrative. We have heard of concerns that our patients’ reluctance to attend hospital during these times has led to a noticeable decrease in emergency department (ED) attendances and concerns that this may result in harms from delayed or missed diagnosis and treatment. However, these narratives – emphasising something “missed” – often fail to provide the balancing stories of overtesting and overtreatment avoided.
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https://apo.org.au/node/309253
Privacy Act review: issues paper
30 Oct 2020
Attorney-General's Department (Australia)
Publisher Government of Australia
Consumer protection Data protection Electronic government information Electronic records Online privacy Privacy Legislation Australia
Resources
Privacy Act review: issues paper 1.55 MB
Description
The Privacy Act 1988 (Privacy Act) is the primary Australian legislation that protects the privacy of individuals, and restricts how government and industry can collect, use and disclose individuals’ personal information. In 2019, the Australian government made a commitment to conduct a review of the Privacy Act.
This review takes account of, and builds upon the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC’s) Digital Platforms Inquiry (DPI) final report. The DPI report, published in July 2019, considered the impact of online platforms on advertising and the media, together with a number of related privacy issues from a consumer perspective. The DPI report proposed broad reform of the Privacy Act and several specific reforms.
In establishing this review of the Privacy Act, the Australian Government recognises that the issues raised in the DPI report apply beyond digital platforms. The digital economy is vital to Australia’s economic growth and prosperity. The ability to communicate and transact with individuals online has led to rapid improvements in the provision of goods and services by businesses and government.
The issues paper outlines current privacy laws and seeks feedback on potential issues relevant to reform during the Attorney-General's Department's review.
The deadline for submissions for the issues paper is 29 November 2020.
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https://www.miragenews.com/australian-digital-health-agency-joins-reconciliation-action-plan/
November 8, 2020 8:00 pm AEDT ADHA Propaganda
Australian Digital Health Agency joins Reconciliation Action Plan
This NAIDOC Week the Australian Digital Health Agency has proudly joined a network of more than 1,100 corporate, government and not-for-profit organisations that have made a formal commitment to reconciliation through the Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) program.
Agency CEO Amanda Cattermole PSM said the Agency’s reconciliation commitments include an emphasis on understanding and progressing digital health priorities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living across Australia, in rural, remote and metropolitan communities.
“Technology can contribute to closing the gap by improving health care accessibility, quality and safety no matter where people live,” she said.
“We can make health care more equitable and efficient using digital tools and technology like My Health Record, telehealth and electronic prescriptions.”
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Australian Digital Health Agency joins Reconciliation Action Plan
8 Nov 2020 6:57 pm AEST ADHA Propaganda
This NAIDOC Week the Australian Digital Health Agency has proudly joined a network of more than 1,100 corporate, government and not-for-profit organisations that have made a formal commitment to reconciliation through the Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) program.
Agency CEO Amanda Cattermole PSM said the Agency’s reconciliation commitments include an emphasis on understanding and progressing digital health priorities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living across Australia, in rural, remote and metropolitan communities.
“Technology can contribute to closing the gap by improving health care accessibility, quality and safety no matter where people live,” she said.
“We can make health care more equitable and efficient using digital tools and technology like My Health Record, telehealth and electronic prescriptions.”
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Comments more than welcome!
David.
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