Commentators and Journalists Weigh In On Digital Health And Related Privacy, Safety, Social Media And Security Matters. Lots Of Interesting Perspectives - August 03, 2021.

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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://developer.digitalhealth.gov.au/specifications/national-infrastructure/ep-3503-2021/dh-3501-2021

Healthcare Identifiers Service - Support Documents - Implementation Conformance Statement Proforma and Instructions v4.1

The Agency, in conjunction with industry (including Services Australia, Medicare Australia, the Department of Health, MSIA, AIIA and ACIVA, and state and territory health jurisdictions), has specified a set of conformance requirements for health software that uses Healthcare Identifiers.

A developer who wishes to claim that their software conforms to the requirements for using healthcare identifiers must complete this document to indicate which requirements are satisfied by their Healthcare Identifiers implementation.

Login to download file

Identifier:  DH-3501:2021

Date:  30-06-2021

Size:  186.15 KB

Type:  application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document

SHA256 Checksum: 

e355a34f55c59a8d1ce89f40e9d6918cd5119da775da8a22742e94bbff7489a9

Healthcare Identifiers Service - Support Documents v1.4

Healthcare Identifiers Service - Support Documents - Implementation Conformance Statement Proforma and Instructions v4.0

Published:  04-11-2020

Healthcare Identifiers - Implementation Conformance Statement Proforma v3.2

Published:  16-10-2014

https://www.innovationaus.com/govt-releases-overdue-covidsafe-app-report/

Govt releases overdue COVIDSafe app report

Joseph Brookes
Senior Reporter

30 July 2021

Fewer than 800 people who tested positive for coronavirus in Australia had the COVIDsafe app and shared its data for contact tracing, according to a long-overdue government report into the effectiveness of its mobile app.

COVIDSafe uses a smartphone’s Bluetooth technology to log close contacts or ‘digital handshakes’ between users, and then sends these to a national database and to state health authorities if a user tests positive for the COVID-19 virus.

According to a new Department of Health report, 779 people who tested positive for COVID-19 had the app and consented to do this, revealing 1.65 million “digital handshakes” with other COVIDSafe users and 2,827 potential close contacts being identified from 37,668 encounters.

There have been 7.6 million app registrations, according to the report, which covers the period between 26 April 2020 to 15 May 2021. The report does not say how many active users there are of the app.

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https://www.innovationaus.com/govt-wary-of-over-regulating-ai-jane-hume/

Govt wary of over-regulating AI: Jane Hume

Denham Sadler
Senior Reporter

28 July 2021

The government is wary of over-regulating new technologies such as artificial intelligence and will resist making ethics standards and codes mandatory for Australian businesses, Digital Economy minister Jane Hume says.

In an address to the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA), Senator Hume said the federal government would play an enabling role in accelerating the growth of artificial intelligence, along with setting standards in terms of ethics.

“AI, along with other digital technologies, will play an increasingly important role in our economy and society over the next decade and beyond,” Senator Hume said.

“As we continue to vault forward in this space, government has a pivotal role to play as an enabler, and as a standard setter – particularly in regards to ethics.

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https://www.healthcareit.com.au/article/ai-powered-digital-clinic-app-launched-australia

AI-powered digital clinic app launched in Australia

Adam Ang | 30 Jul 2021

AIcare, which operates as Jingzhuo Premium in Sydney, has launched globally its mobile app-based healthcare platform that is enabled by artificial intelligence.

WHAT IT DOES

According to a press statement, the AIcare Health app serves as an "integrated virtual clinic" that features online bookings, video consultations, electronic health records maintenance, prescription ordering, messaging and reminders. It enables patients to connect with general practitioners, nurses or pharmacists remotely.

Available on both iOS and Android devices, the app is supported by recent advances in cognitive psychology, decision psychology and emotional psychology; it also leverages AI technologies, such as deep learning, big data processing, semantic understanding and medical interactive dialogue with medicine.

Additionally, AIcare offers services such as direct medications delivery, in-home lab testing and nurse visitation. The company claims that it also provides transparent pricing on all products and services offered.

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https://www.portnews.com.au/story/7364814/why-the-health-sector-has-become-such-a-desirable-career-path-in-australia/

July 30 2021 - 4:06PM  - Sponsored Content

Why the health sector has become such a desirable career path in Australia

The health sector in Australia has experienced a great shift following the nation's first wave of COVID-19 in late March 2020.

Contrary to popular belief, however, it wasn't the pandemic itself that has caused the issues that plague our healthcare industry today.

The pandemic simply exacerbated pre-existing concerns regarding the industry's dwindling supply of healthcare professionals, alongside its counterproductive inaccessibility to tertiary students.

Under the added pressure of the pandemic, however, the health sector has experienced some major shifts that are likely to support the industry and its workers over the next decade.

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https://www.eventbrite.com/checkout-external?eid=164448326371

Community Training - My Health Record at Korumburra Library

Thu, 12 Aug 2021 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM AEST ADHA Propaganda

Comment – pretty desperate stuff here I reckon!

In case you are wondering:

Korumburra /ˌkʌrəmˈbʌrə/ is a town in the Australian state of Victoria. It is located on the South Gippsland Highway, 120 kilometres (75 mi) south-east of Melbourne, in the South Gippsland Shire local government area. At the 2016 census Korumburra had an urban population of 3,639.^[1]  Thanks Wikipedia!

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https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=23beac39-0569-40ef-a306-a2ca8b346630

A friendly SPAM reminder

MARQUE Lawyers  Sophie Ciufo and Justin Cudmore

Australia July 28 2021

Another lockdown, another round of questionable online purchases. At Marque, our purchases have ranged from chic but dysfunctional coffee machines, outdoor projectors, skincare products, soap-making kits, a recorder, and, of course, wine.

During our online shopping sprees, we have noticed an increase in marketing messages from brands and companies hitting our inboxes after our purchase, or even after we exercised some restraint and stopped halfway through the check-out process, when we never gave consent to receive those messages. Of course, our lawyer ears pricked up, so we thought we’d issue a friendly reminder of the rules around SPAM and sending electronic commercial/marketing messages.

Electronic messages include emails, SMS and other types of instant messaging and are considered commercial where the purpose of the message is to offer to supply, advertise, and/or promote, goods and/or services. To send these types of messages, you need the consent of the recipient and consent can be express or inferred.

Express consent is the best kind of consent, and it usually involves the recipient actively checking a box agreeing to be sent newsletters and other marketing messages/communications.

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https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-for-health-service-providers/my-health-record/my-health-record-emergency-access-function-faqs-and-flowchart/

My Health Record emergency access guidance

 

The OAIC has published privacy guidance to help healthcare providers understand their privacy obligations when using the My Health Record emergency access function. This guidance includes general advice, case studies, and tips on when and how to use the emergency access function.

We’ve also developed FAQs and a flowchart to help healthcare providers decide whether to use the emergency access function, which can be printed and posted in your workplace.

Download the FAQs and flowchart

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https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/the-times/patently-brilliant-ai-listed-as-inventor-for-first-time/news-story/e04be5f5de22d3f443e432ffe158eb02

Patently brilliant: AI listed as inventor for first time

By Tom Knowles

The Times

5:33PM July 28, 2021

The patent granted last week to a law professor based in Britain was, in most respects, not unusual. It was for interlocking food containers that are easy for robots to grasp and stack, and the creator is listed as Dabus. The difference is that Dabus is not human.

Intellectual property officials in South Africa have become the first in the world to award a patent that names an artificial intelligence as the inventor of a product. The moment is a triumph for Ryan Abbott, a professor at the University of Surrey who has for years led a battle for patent offices around the world to recognise artificial intelligences as inventors.

Under most laws in most jurisdictions, only humans can be listed as inventors on patents, as things cannot create other things, and even companies cannot be inventors, although they can be the owner of the patent.

Professor Abbott argues that denying the creative potential of machines could risk dampening investment and innovation in artificial intelligence. “We are moving from people inventing directly to building AIs that will invent things,” he said. “AI can, for example, look through a billion possible drugs to find one that treats a target, and that’s patentable stuff.

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https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=1c5f852e-3fa3-445d-80cd-c724aeb2a043

Australian governments agree to sharing of public sector data between them as ‘default position’

Clyde & Co LLP  Australia July 27 2021

 Alec Christie and James Wong

Australia’s Federal, State and Territory governments have agreed to a ‘default position’ on the sharing of data across jurisdictions. Data is to be shared provided this can be done securely, safely, lawfully and ethically.

The Intergovernmental Agreement on data sharing between Commonwealth and State and Territory governments (IGA) signed on 9 July 2021 seeks to shore up the foundation for better evidence-based policymaking and data-driven public administration – a laudable goal. However, it also increases privacy risks and elevates the existing struggle for Federal, State and Territory Government agencies to build and maintain public trust in their data governance and (in particular, personal information sharing) practices.

If the IGA’s objectives are to be realised without a significant detrimental impact on privacy, all government agencies must improve their privacy and information security awareness and capabilities. Otherwise, costly and embarrassing incidents are sure to follow which will quickly undermine public trust.

What public sector data is impacted?

‘De-identified data’ within the scope of the IGA includes:

• administrative data; and
• statistics and reference data.

In-scope data that may be identified (i.e. constitute or comprise personal information) includes:

• data for emergency/disaster response and recovery (e.g. relating to bushfire/flood response);
• record linkage for data integration projects and cohort needs analysis (e.g. to more accurately forecast the needs of specific groups); and
• with individuals’ consent, data for the linking of government services (e.g. pre-filling forms to better integrate, and streamline the experience of, accessing services across multiple of the Federal, State and Territory Governments.

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https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/five-eyes-warn-about-hacking-dangers-in-wake-of-china-cyber-attacks-20210728-p58dsu.html

Five Eyes warn about hacking dangers in wake of China cyber attacks

By Anthony Galloway

July 28, 2021 — 10.00pm

Australia’s premier cyber security agency has joined forces with its “Five Eyes” partners for the first time to issue an unprecedented warning about the vulnerabilities cyber hackers are exploiting in the wake of a series of hacks by China.

In a joint statement with its sister agencies in Britain, Canada, the United States and New Zealand, the Australian Cyber Security Centre released advice on the top 30 cyber security vulnerabilities being exploited by hackers over the past 18 months.

The five agencies released the advice partly in response to a wave of hackings orchestrated by China’s Ministry of State Security in which it also paid criminal groups to conduct ransomware attacks to extort millions of dollars from companies. The attack on Microsoft Exchange software topped the list of the biggest vulnerabilities exploited so far in 2021.

Australia last week took the rare step of joining with key allies to formally accuse Beijing of the co-ordinated hackings and engaging contract hackers to steal intellectual property in the attacks, which began in January.

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https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/cyber-attacks-list-shows-whos-at-risk/news-story/45f57c8230cc4b1d6004967b131ca4f3

Cyber attacks list shows who’s at risk

Geoff Chambers

10:00PM July 28, 2021

A list of the top 30 cyber vulnerabilities ruthlessly exploited by state-based actors and criminal gangs during the Covid-19 pandemic has been revealed in a ­historic joint statement from the leading Australian, British and US cyber security agencies.

The threat list provides advice for businesses and individuals to protect themselves and identify system vulnerabilities, following an international onslaught of ­attacks in the West linked to Russian and Chinese cyber actors.

The Joint Cyber Security Advisory statement – released on Wednesday night by the Australian Cyber Security Centre, US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the FBI and Britain’s National Cyber Security Centre – warns malicious actors continue to exploit “software vulnerabilities against broad targets including public and private sector organisations worldwide”.

The first joint statement from the four agencies urges organisations to apply security patches for all 30 vulnerabilities and ­“implement a centralised patch management system”.

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https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/agencies-issue-warning-to-business-update-your-software-20210728-p58doq

Agencies issue warning to business: update your software

Max Mason Senior reporter

Jul 28, 2021 – 10.00pm

Criminals are disrupting organisations across the world using known vulnerabilities that have fixes but are left open by irregular updating of software, according to security agencies across the United States, United Kingdom and Australia.

The Joint Cybersecurity Advisory has released its first joint warning about the ways criminals are exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic and breaking into businesses and agencies, and the simple fixes that many are failing to keep up-to-date with.

A growing number of companies are reporting cyber attacks. 

The advisory includes the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, Britain’s National Cyber Security Centre, and the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC).

“Cyber actors continue to exploit publicly known – and often dated – software vulnerabilities against broad target sets, including public and private sector organisations worldwide,” the advisory said.

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https://www.hospitalhealth.com.au/content/technology/article/automation-can-lead-to-better-patient-outcomes-in-health-care-1510595309

Automation can lead to better patient outcomes in health care

By Leigh Pullen*
Monday, 26 July, 2021

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Access to timely and accurate information is critical to health care.

Whether that’s a doctor receiving information from medical imaging and pathology labs, patients wanting information to take to specialists, or administrators ensuring accurate information is received and sent promptly, the collection and flow of data is critical for patient care and the smooth operation of healthcare services. And the COVID pandemic has exacerbated the challenges.

Intelligent automation, taking advantage of robotic process automation (RPA), can support healthcare teams in many ways. Here are five key ways automation can free up teams from time spent on repetitive administration tasks.

1. Better patient care

Medical professionals receive information from many different sources. Being able to automatically collate data coming from emails and scanned faxes, as well as reports from specialists and laboratories, ensures that the latest patient information is at the healthcare provider’s fingertips as soon as the patient enters the room.

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https://www.hospitalhealth.com.au/content/technology/article/making-virtual-hospitals-the-norm-758598722

Making virtual hospitals the norm

By Amy Sarcevic
Tuesday, 27 July, 2021

When Sydney’s RPA Virtual Hospital (rpavirtual) first opened its doors in February last year, few could imagine the success story that would unfold.

Treating upwards of 13,000 patients to date, the country’s first metropolitan virtual hospital has won a Premier’s Award for Excellence in Digital Innovation, proven pivotal in the state’s COVID-19 response and has ambitious growth plans in the year ahead.

“When we were first planning the model, there was some cynicism about what virtual care could offer — but that was pre-pandemic,” said General Manager Miranda Shaw.

“Since then, confidence among medical specialists has grown enormously — and we now have them approaching us about opportunities to extend the model further. In fact, we’re about to launch a clinical trial in collaboration with surgical services, to assess how we can virtually manage patients with acute diverticulitis in the community,” she added.

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https://www.hospitalhealth.com.au/content/technology/article/what-technologies-are-having-an-impact-in-aged-care--830763590

What technologies are having an impact in aged care?

By Sean Rooney, CEO, Leading Age Services Australia
Wednesday, 28 July, 2021

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Integrated into aged-care services, innovative technologies have the potential to have significant positive impacts on Australians receiving aged-care services and staff working in the sector. Leading Age Services Australia's (LASA) members are integrating technology into their provisions of care, making use of everything from linen and meal robots to facial recognition and fall-prevention innovations.

The final report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety pointed to the need for greater innovation and research in the aged-care sector as a way to improve the lives of older people living in residential care, and those receiving care in their own homes. The report called for the establishment of an Aged Care Research and Innovation Fund, with funding to the equivalent of 1.8% of the federal government’s total expenditure on aged care each year.

The government accepted this recommendation ‘in principle’, agreeing on the need for research and innovation in aged care, but said it should be conducted through existing well-established research bodies, in particular the National Health and Medical Research Council, rather than setting up a new body. This included research into aged health and ways to assist aged living.

Much has been written over the past 20 years about technological innovation being a must for the future of aged care, in preparation for when the baby boomer generation starts using aged-care services. The oldest of that post-World War II generation are now just hitting their mid-70s and many would have had, or be having, the experience of dealing with their own parents receiving aged-care services.

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https://www.digitalhealth.gov.au/what-to-do-if-information-is-missinghttps://www.digitalhealth.gov.au/what-to-do-if-information-is-missing

What to do if information is missing

If your immunisation information is missing or seems incomplete, check your Medicare Information Settings.

What to do if documents are missing

If there are documents missing from your record that you think should be there, ask your doctor to upload them.

Or call the My Health Record Help line: 1800 723 471.
The Help line is available 24 hours, 7 days a week.
Free call (call charges apply from mobile phones). 

Contact us

My Health Record enquiries

Phone: 1800 723 471 (option 1)
Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

More information

Your immunisation information, including proof of vaccination and your immunisation history, is available from the Immunisations page of your record.

Find out how to access the Immunisations page.

This information comes from the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) and clinical documents in your record.

Immunisations may be missing if your vaccination provider has not yet uploaded recent vaccinations to the Australian Immunisation Register. This can take a few days.

You may not see any immunisation details if your record settings prevent Australian Immunisation Register information from displaying in your record. See below for how to check and update this setting.

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https://www.innovationaus.com/outsourced-tech-contracts-defy-common-sense/

Outsourced tech contracts ‘defy common sense’

Denham Sadler
Senior Reporter

26 July 2021

Handing lucrative IT contracts to multinational tech delivery firms “defies common sense” and undermines the capacity of the public sector to build technical capability, leading tax experts have told a senate inquiry.

Representatives from the Centre for International Corporate Tax Accountability and Research (CICTAR) fronted a public hearing on Monday morning as part of the Senate inquiry into the current capability of the Australian Public Service.

They raised concerns that these multinational tech giants are regularly underbidding local companies for government work, despite a history of “aggressive tax avoidance” and failing to deliver in the past.

CICTAR principal analyst Jason Ward pointed to the current contract around the federal government’s permissions capability, which appears to have been watered down around the tax complaints for contractors from a previous effort to outsource visa processing.

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https://ourlibrary.mornpen.vic.gov.au/Whats-On/Events/Workshop-Introduction-to-My-Health-Record-Mornington-11-August

Workshop: Introduction to My Health Record - Mornington Library

Next date: Wednesday, 11 August 2021 | 02:00 PM to 03:00 PM ADHA Propaganda

Recommended for adult audiences.

Are you overwhelmed by the Digital world of health care? Would you like to learn more about My Health Record?

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.

Free, but bookings essential.

Book Now

Note: If you can't make it on the day, please let us know, so that your tickets can be freed up for others to attend

When

·         Wednesday, 11 August 2021 | 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM

Location

Mornington Library, Vancouver Street, Mornington 3931  View Map

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https://apo.org.au/node/313292

Science and health misinformation in the digital age

How does it spread? Who is vulnerable? How do we fight it?

21 Jul 2021

Eric Merkley, Peter Loewen

Publisher

Public Policy Forum

Science and health misinformation in the digital age 1010.92 KB

Description

Misinformation on science, technology and public health poses serious challenges to society, a situation magnified by rapid advancement in communications technology and development of online social networks. As enabling as these developments have been for the sharing and dissemination of credible information, the same is true of misinformation — and there is no silver bullet to address it.

Misinformation comes from a variety of sources, exploiting the tendency of many to fail to evaluate the veracity of information they are receiving and to prefer information aligned with their political beliefs. If it were benign, the prevalence of misinformation — and, similarly, fake news — could be dismissed, but exposure to misinformation is a cause of misperceptions among the general public that shape how people act politically. Nowhere is that truer than in the context of public health. Misinformation has been particularly problematic in science, technology and health policy. It preys on people’s predisposition to have strong, intuitive reactions to scientific advances, while having little knowledge base to accurately distinguish facts from falsehoods. Fueled by misinformation, many people endorse science-related beliefs that run counter to established scientific consensus, and they are less likely to heed the advice of scientists and medical experts as a result.

While the proliferation of misinformation and fake news appears low, there is little data that tracks its exposure and consumption. This report looks to answer three questions related to science communication and misinformation — How is misinformation spread? Who is most likely to fall prey to misinformation? How do we combat misinformation and its effects? — in part by highlighting case studies on climate change, vaccines and COVID-19.

Broadly speaking, there are three approaches to this problem: controlling its spread; correcting its effects through debunking (fact-checking) or persuasion; and pre-emptive interventions that allow the public to resist misinformation they encounter. With this in mind, five recommendations are presented:

1. Track misinformation and debunk when needed;
2. Promote accuracy-focused messaging;
3. Invest in targeted persuasion focusing on downstream behaviours;
4. Build relationships with trusted community leaders;
5. Start early to create digital literacy and interest in science.

When taken in concert, these recommendations have the potential to mitigate the consequences of misinformation in science and public health.

Related Information

Science disinformation in a time of pandemic https://apo.org.au/node/306274

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https://buscircle.com/briefings/amanda-cattermole-chief-executive-officer-australian-digital-health-agency/

Amanda Cattermole, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Digital Health Agency

·         Canberra venue to be confirmed ADHA Propaganda
September 7, 2021
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm

The Circle is excited to welcome Amanda Cattermole, Chief Executive Officer, Australian Digital Health Agency. 

Amanda Cattermole is the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Digital Health Agency, a role she commenced in September 2020. Prior to this Amanda was the Chief Operating Officer at Services Australia (formerly the Department of Human Services). Amanda served as interim Chief Executive Officer during the 2019/20 bushfires season.

Amanda held several other senior roles at Services Australia, including an extended period as Deputy Secretary, Health and Aged Care, responsible for the delivery of more than $60 billion in annual payments and services to Australians under Medicare, the PBS and in the aged care sector.

Amanda has also held senior roles in the Commonwealth Departments of Treasury and Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and the State Departments of Health and Human Services, Victoria and Indigenous Affairs, Western Australia.

Amanda received the Public Service Medal for outstanding public service leading reform in providing housing for Indigenous people in remote communities and the National Gambling Reform laws.

Venue:   Canberra venue to be confirmed

Address:

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia

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Comments more than welcome!

David.