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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! Its pretty sad!
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://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-13/what-is-a-covid-19-digital-certificate/100205908
COVID-19 digital vaccination certificates are here. This is what you need to know
By Fia Walsh
13 June, 2021
Australians fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can now use a digital certificate as proof of vaccination.
The certificate is automatically generated and available on the Express Plus Medicare app.
But it's unclear if it can be used as a "vaccine passport" out of coronavirus restrictions.
What is a digital vaccine certificate?
For those who have had both doses of an approved vaccine – currently Pfizer or AstraZeneca – the COVID-19 digital certificate will be automatically generated and available through their Medicare account.
The proof of vaccination can be accessed and downloaded on a smartphone app or found online.
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https://www.innovationaus.com/govt-launches-covid-19-vaccine-digital-certificates/
Govt launches COVID-19 vaccine digital certificates
Denham
Sadler
Senior Reporter
9 June 2021
The federal government has launched digital certificates for Australians to show on their smartphones to prove they have received both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.
The COVID-19 vaccine digital certificate will be available through myGov and the Medicare apps, with vaccination providers also able to print out or send the certificate to individuals without access to a phone or the internet.
The certificate will be facilitated through the Australian Immunisation Register, but will be separate from other vaccinations received by an individual, with only information relating to the COVID-19 vaccination included.
Parliament recently passed laws making it mandatory for information to be recorded on the immunisation register after an individual has received a vaccine. Receiving the COVID-19 vaccination is still voluntary.
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https://www.croakey.org/on-public-health-and-the-digital-platforms/
On public health and the digital platforms
· Melissa Sweet
· Jordan Guiao and Peter Lewis
Regulation of digital platforms such as Facebook is a public health necessity, according to Jordan Guiao and Peter Lewis from the Centre for Responsible Technology.
Jordan Guiao and Peter Lewis write:
Moves this week by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to stymie Clive Palmer’s latest foray into political advertising highlight the different rules that apply between the traditional media and the new social media platforms.
Whereas the TGA has warned that Palmer and the regional radio station running his anti-vax ads breach their responsibilities as advertisers and broadcasters, in the online environment, it’s up to platforms to make their own call.
On Facebook and other social networks, this sort of disinformation is circulating in groups and targeted networks, far away from the gaze of health professionals.
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https://www.zdnet.com/article/australian-government-looks-to-make-essential-eight-essential/
Australian government looks to make Essential Eight essential
The not-so-essential Essential Eight might soon become essential for Australian government entities, the Attorney-General's Department has signalled.
By Asha Barbaschow | June 9, 2021 -- 04:28 GMT (14:28 AEST) | Topic: Security
The Australian government has flagged its intention to mandate the Essential Eight mitigation strategies, despite many entities not fully wrapping their heads around the Top Four.
Since 2013, non-corporate Commonwealth entities (NCCEs) have been required to undertake an annual self-assessment against the Top Four strategies, which are mandated by the Attorney-General's Department (AGD) Protective Security Policy Framework (PSPF). Entities report their overall compliance with mandatory requirements to AGD.
The Joint Committee of Public Accounts and Audit (JCPAA) last year reviewed a pair of reports from the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO). A report on this probe from the JCPAA in December asked AGD whether it was feasible to mandate the Essential Eight, a call the committee made in October 2017, as well as report back on why any entities have yet to implement the Top Four mandated in April 2013.
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https://medicalrepublic.com.au/telehealth-no-replacement-for-doctor-patient-connection/47231
11 June 2021
Telehealth no replacement for doctor-patient connection
It is no secret the huge uptake of telehealth during the coronavirus pandemic has transformed the way doctors and patients connect.
But for one respiratory physician, phone and video appointments cannot replace the opportunity to get an intimate insight into their patient and their illness that only face-to-face consultations offer.
Professor Gregory King, staff specialist at Sydney’s Royal North Shore Hospital and research leader at Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, believes telehealth undoubtedly has a place within the respiratory field but warns against virtual consults at scale.
Otherwise, it would run the risk of disintegration in the relationship with specialists and their patients, Professor King said.
He is not convinced adequate care can be achieved in telehealth consultations, when treating patients for a new problem or those with complex chronic diseases.
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https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=e3803f05-aa53-40fd-89d2-8e455e6f3d50
Privacy initiatives announced in the 2021-2022 Budget
Clyde & Co LLP - Alec Christie and Andrea Mitchell
Australia June 7 2021
On 11 May 2021 the Australian Government released the 2021-2022 Federal Budget (the Budget). While the Budget places a distinct focus on aged care and family initiatives such as childcare, which have been much discussed, it has also allocated funds for the development of a number of privacy initiatives within Australia.
The Budget has committed $11 million to privacy initiatives in Australia between 2021-2025. Most notably, $1 million has been allocated on a yearly basis between 2021-2025 to assist the Office of the Information Commissioner (OAIC) with its freedom of information (FOI) functions, including the appointment of a standalone Freedom of Information Commissioner who will sit within the OAIC. The position is currently filled by the Privacy Commissioner.
In addition, the OAIC has been allocated $3.5 million annually in 2021-2022 and the following year under the Digital Economy Strategy to resolve privacy complaints, conduct investigations and ensure timely handling of data breach notifications. The Government, by increasing the yearly funding of the OAIC from $26.405 million to $28.487, has evidenced an intention to bolster its regulatory and investigatory capacity.
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Jul. 14
Workshop - Introduction to My Health Record - Mornington 14 July
by Mornington Peninsula Library Service ADHA Propaganda
Are you overwhelmed by the Digital world of health care? Would you like to learn more about My Health Record?
Recommended for adult audiences.
My Health Record can store all your health information in one place with any access to that information remaining in your control. Mornington Peninsula Libraries can teach you how during this workshop.
Join us for an information session about My Health Record, Australia’s national digital health record system. Learn how to manage your own health information online and where to access health and well-being resources through the library.
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https://www.itwire.com/networking/the-internet-outage-fastly-a-customer-did-it-kinda.html
Thursday, 10 June 2021 03:29
The internet outage - Fastly: A customer did it (kinda)
Fastly's latest response to yesterday's outage puts the blame indirectly on an unnamed customer.
iTWire has already reported extensively on the outage here, here and here.
According to Nick Rockwell, Fastly's Senior Vice President of Engineering and Infrastructure, in a blog post a few hours ago, "We experienced a global outage due to an undiscovered software bug that surfaced on June 8 when it was triggered by a valid customer configuration change. We detected the disruption within one minute, then identified and isolated the cause, and disabled the configuration. Within 49 minutes, 95% of our network was operating as normal.
"This outage was broad and severe, and we're truly sorry for the impact to our customers and everyone who relies on them."
Rockwell continues, "On May 12, we began a software deployment that introduced a bug that could be triggered by a specific customer configuration under specific circumstances.
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Australian Digital Health Agency Podcast
My Health Record: Digital health in nursing
Australian Digital Health Agency Podcast
Follow Australian Digital Health Agency Podcast and others on SoundCloud. ADHA Propaganda
Hear advice from nursing professionals using My Health Record and learn how it ensures more meaningful connections for patients with the delivery of safe, quality and person-centred care.
Speakers:
Dr Andrew Rochford (Facilitator), Susan Emerson (Clinical Reference Lead, Aged
Care Nurse), Angela Ryan (former Agency Chief Clinical Information Officer),
Suzanne Blackeby (Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association Nurse
Educator) and Kate Renzenbrink (Bendigo Health Chief Nursing and Midwifery
Information Officer).
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Digital Bytes with Catherine Bronger - Active Script Lists
Published 7 June 2021
Special thanks to Chemistworks Group General Manager, Catherine Bronger and all healthcare professionals for your commitment to digital health. Because Australia's healthcare system is more connected, you can now choose to get an electronic prescription. Read about the benefits here: https://www.digitalhealth.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/electronic-prescriptions
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https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2021/06/apple-accessibility-wwdc-2021/
All The Accessibility Wins From Apple’s WWDC 2021
June 8, 2021 at 12:08 pm -
Apple delivered its 2021 WWDC keynote speech on Tuesday, giving us a world of exciting new things to look forward to, especially when it comes to accessibility.
Technology, particularly of the iVariety, has become so ingrained in our way of life that it’s imperative that it can adequately cater to those of us with impairments or disabilities. But unfortunately, for a long time it hasn’t been the case.
Thankfully, with each new software update, Apple seems to be further developing its features to be accessible to everyone.
So without further ado, let’s take a look at all of the accessibility wins that were announced at Apple’s WWDC 2021 event.
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https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=3d9fac20-22ed-494e-8c50-47ca069b27ac
The Consumer Data Right is accelerating - what do you need to know?
Bird & Bird LLP - Natalie Yeung, Hamish Fraser, Sophie Dawson and Thomas Jones
Australia June 3 2021
The introduction of the Consumer Data Right (CDR) regime under the Competition and Consumer (Consumer Data Right) Rules 2020 (Cth) (CDR Rules) changed the data regulation landscape in Australia.
The Australian Government will spend AU$111.3 million of the Digital Economy Budget 2021-2022 on the CDR over the next 2 years. The budget will be used to continue the implementation of the CDR in the banking sector and to accelerate the rollout of the CDR to other parts of the economy including the energy sector and the telecommunications sector, which have been named as the next priority CDR sectors. Entities in the energy and the telecommunications sectors should now be planning for the implementation of the CDR in their sector in the relatively near term, as part of their technology and compliance planning.
For the banking sector, the CDR has been operational since July 2020. For all major Authorised Deposit-taking Institutions (ADIs), the roll out of the CDR is in its final phase, Phase 3, meaning that the CDR is available to customers of major ADIs. The CDR will continue to be rolled out for all non-major ADIs throughout 2021.
In the energy sector, the budget will be used to develop the designation instrument and relevant standards for the CDR regime, with the aim to have the CDR regime operational in 2022. For the telecommunications sector, the budget will allow the government to undertake a strategic assessment of the sector to deliver a roadmap for the roll out of the CDR.
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Electronic prescription is changing the script for healthcare
Krishan Sharma Technology journalist
Jun 7, 2021 – 10.14am
The health sector has a long history of resisting reform but the COVID-19 pandemic catalysed swift wholesale change to the way healthcare is delivered through the use of technology, putting the $143 billion digital health sector well and truly on the map.
The accelerated adoption of telehealth, electronic prescriptions and virtual care guided healthcare throughout the crisis, reinforcing the power of digital platforms and widespread recognition of the need to embrace digital health, in all its forms, to create a resilient, pandemic-proof healthcare system.
Until 2020, Australians overwhelmingly preferred face-to-face settings with healthcare providers, with only 0.1 per cent being virtual care attendances. However, over the past 12 months, more than 51 million telehealth services were delivered to 13 million patients.
During COVID-19, a survey found that 62 per cent of respondents said their telehealth experience was as good as or better than traditional in-person medical appointments.
Similarly, it was only a year ago that Australia’s first paperless electronic prescription in primary care was successfully prescribed and dispensed.
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Smart quarantine: the next step for Australia
By Jeff Connolly, Chairman and CEO of Siemens
Australia & Pacific
Monday, 07 June, 2021
Why intelligent and healthy quarantine infrastructure is now critical for Australia’s future.
Australia is in an enviable position when it comes to COVID-19 (COVID) in terms of our global standing — both in terms of health and in terms of economy. However, it has come at a cost. Typically, community spread comes down to quarantine issues from returning citizens or travellers. Our ability to track and trace varies from state to state.
Methods to manage COVID outbreaks often include harsh measures such as lockdowns. Even a single case can generate restrictions such as a state-wide lockdown and interstate travel bans. Although effective from a COVID spread point of view, this isn’t popular because we all value our freedom and mental health. And the economic impact is significant to say the least. Put simply, lockdowns can’t be a long-term solution for Australia managing COVID.
AiGroup has calculated that a seven-day stoppage such as this [currently occurring in Melbourne] is likely to cost billions of dollars. Multiply this by all the lockdowns and it’s just not a sensible long-term solution — especially when there are strong alternatives.
What's the long-term solution?
If the source of COVID is Australians returning from overseas — with the virus somehow escaping our quarantine system — then the answer is to make sure our quarantine system is airtight. Health procedures must be followed, but even more importantly, purpose-built hi-tech quarantine facilities must be established, which incorporate technologies that prevent or kill the spread of the virus and allow us to safely welcome returning Australians.
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Artificial intelligence and medical imaging: applications, challenges and solutions
Meng Law, Jarrel Seah and George Shih
Med J Aust 2021; 214 (10): . || doi: 10.5694/mja2.51077
Published online: 7 June 2021
AI‐based tools can help with image acquisition, reconstruction and quality; interpretation, diagnosis and decision support; and manual tasks
Artificial intelligence (AI) is having a disruptive impact in many areas, including health care. In medicine, machine learning (ML) techniques have existed for decades but were mostly not adopted. New deep learning techniques, along with copious medical imaging and digital health data, now provide standardised, reproducible, dependable and accurate diagnostic reports. These can only improve patient care and safety, enhancing the practice of clinical medicine. However, a number of challenges have arisen, hindering progress and more widespread application. In this article, we describe current AI/ML tools in medical imaging, discuss the major challenges facing the field, and offer some potential solutions.
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Comments more than welcome!
David.
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