Quote Of The Year

Timeless Quotes - Sadly The Late Paul Shetler - "Its not Your Health Record it's a Government Record Of Your Health Information"

or

H. L. Mencken - "For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong."

Tuesday, December 14, 2021

Commentators and Journalists Weigh In On Digital Health And Related Privacy, Safety, Social Media And Security Matters. Lots Of Interesting Perspectives - December 14, 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://www.innovationaus.com/two-decades-and-billions-of-dollars-the-great-digital-government-con/

Two decades and billions of dollars: The great digital government con


Marie Johnson
Contributor

8 December 2021

Here we go again. On December 3, Minister Stuart Robert unveiled the latest Government Digital Strategy (GDS) at a gathering of the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) in Canberra.

This strategy has as its vision that by 2025, Australia will be one of the top three digital governments in the world.

That’s right. A vision that’s all about a leader board ranking. A beauty contest.

I have written about government digital strategies around the world for 25 years, so I’m always keen to dig in.

Goal number one of the new Government Digital Strategy is that “all government services are available digitally by 2025”.

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https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/getting-started-with-digital-health?context=20

Getting started with digital health

Electronic management of health and health related information. It’s a safer, better quality, more equitable and sustainable health system for all Australians.

Governments across Australia are committed to a national approach for digital health. Digital health is improving the way we plan, manage and deliver health services. Advances in technology have made it possible for us to access, transmit and record health information.

Visit the Australian Digital Health Agency website for more information about digital health initiatives.

Healthcare Identifiers (HI) Service

The Healthcare Identifiers Service is a national system that uses a unique number to match healthcare providers to individuals.

To participate in digital health initiatives, you need to apply for a healthcare identifier.

My Health Record system

A My Health Record is an electronic summary of your patient's key health information, drawn from their existing records. With the patient's consent, information can be shared between healthcare providers involved in the patient's care.

A My Health Record can contain information about many aspects of a patient's health care, such as:

  • Medicare and pharmaceutical benefits
  • organ donation details and immunisation records
  • clinical and personal documents

Go to the My Health Record system to find out how to participate.

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https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/who-we-share-your-individual-healthcare-identifier-number-with?context=22591

Who we share your IHI with

Find out who we share your Individual Healthcare Identifier (IHI) number with and how they use it.

We share your individual healthcare identifier (IHI) number with all of the following:

·         health professionals

·         your My Health Record, if you have one

·         anyone you’ve given permission to have your information.

Our Privacy Policy explains how we handle your personal information.

Sharing your IHI with health professionals

Health professionals use your IHI to make sure they are accessing the right record when uploading information. Your health professional can only get your IHI from us if they provide your Medicare or DVA details.

My Health Record

You need an IHI to have a My Health Record. This is a secure online summary of your health information.

Read more on the My Health Record website.

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https://medicalrepublic.com.au/funding-reform-essential-for-digital-health-success/59611

10 December 2021

Funding reform essential for digital health success

Funding Government Technology

By Holly Payne

In a recent phone call with the Medical Software Industry Association of Australia, the Department of Health made it clear not only that the future of digital healthcare was in the cloud, but that it was about to head that way at speed.

“I would say that close to 100% [of public and private hospitals] think they’re on the journey or have an idea that they’re on the journey [towards cloud-based digital technology],” Matt Maw, head of technology strategy at Nutanix Australia, told a Wild Health webinar.

“But I think that there’s a very low percentage which have actually dealt with all of the challenges of truly moving to a cloud operating environment.”

The “Cloud Health 101” webinar, moderated by Wild Health/The Medical Republic publisher Jeremy Knibbs, covered the basic challenges in taking the document-heavy medical sector into the technology age.

A critical error that many companies make in a transition to cloud, Mr Maw said, often pops up in the planning phase.

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https://www.ausdoc.com.au/news/why-longdistance-exams-have-longterm-future

Why long-distance exams have a long-term future

The peak body for medical colleges says there is broad support for remote examinations, despite major recent IT disruptions.

10th December 2021

By Antony Scholefield

Registrars and the peak group for medical colleges have backed remote exams to have a long-term future despite another exam being abandoned because of technical issues.

The psychiatrists’ college cancelled its remote OSCE last month after a “videoconferencing failure”, some 13 months after RACGP registrars endured the same distressing outcome during the 2020 Key Feature Problem exam.

However, Dr Vijay Roach — the new chair of the Council of Presidents of Medical Colleges — said if they could be executed without a hitch, many registrars were keen to take an at-home exam.  

“Obviously, the pandemic gave us the immediate impetus to pivot to remote exams,” he said.

“But even as we’re now able to move around the country, we've learned that there are a lot of people who would prefer to be able to do their exams from home.”

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https://chf.org.au/events/webinar-reimaginging-healthcare-where-next-digital-health

Webinar: Reimaginging Healthcare: where to next for digital health?

Date

15 December 2021 - 10:00am

Location

Virtual event

You are invited to join us for a special presentation on telehealth and virtual care

A presentation on the results of the two major research projects on telehealth and virtual care.

Virtual health uses digital technologies to deliver a broad range of health and community-based services to improve and support your health and wellbeing.

Professor Suzanne Robinson and A/Prof Richard Norman from Curtin University will present their findings from recently completed studies done in partnership with CHF, funded by the Digital Health CRC and the Australian Government Department of Health.

"Telehealth and consumer insights" - is a qualitative project where consumers around the country were canvassed in focus groups and a discrete choice experiment survey on their experiences and preferences when using telehealth

“Reimagining healthcare in Australia: the journey from telehealth to 21st century design" included a Rapid review, consumer explainer and a national survey with over 1,500 consumers about their expectations of the health system of the future and how open they are to that being digitally enabled – the barriers and opportunities.

e-flyer for webinar

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https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/N67PM68

My Health Record

1. Have you heard of My Health Record

Yes

No

Unsure

2. Have you used My Health Record

Yes (for myself)

Yes (for someone else)

No 

Unsure

3. On a scale of 1 to 5 how positively do you view My Health Record (5 being highest)

1

2

3

4

5

I wonder who posted this – a real giggle I reckon

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https://www.digitalhealth.gov.au/careers/partnership-lead-affirmative-measures

Partnership Lead - (Affirmative Measures)

APS6 ($99,860 - $112,659)
Digital Programs and Engagement Division > Communications
Brisbane, Canberra, Sydney

Closing - 19 Dec 2021

Division Overview

Digital Programs and Engagement - responsible for external relationships, implementation and change and adoption, as well as being the place of excellence for driving program delivery, reporting and outcomes.

Primary purpose of position

Working within the Digital Programs and Engagement Division, the Partnership Lead Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Digital Health will work with external partners and key stakeholders with a focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health care peaks, providers and communities to ensure the effective and sustainable implementation of the National Digital Health Strategy.  Key stakeholders may include clinical and consumer peak organisations, community service organisations, local communities, industry, primary health networks and government.

The Partnership Lead Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Digital Health will assist in the delivery of strategic outcomes, coordinating program and project management to identify and deliver mutually beneficial initiatives aligned to the National Digital Health Strategy and for the betterment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and is accountable for the following:

  • Possess and apply a demonstrated understanding of the issues affecting Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people and an ability to communicate sensitively and effectively with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander People.

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https://www.ausdoc.com.au/opinion/how-do-telehealth-and-facetoface-consults-differ

How do telehealth and face-to-face consults differ?

Antony Scholefield

Antony is a medical reporter with a special interest in technology and pharmacy.

8th December 2021

One of the big policy debates for general practice next year will be the long-term plans for telehealth funding — one of the belated technology revolutions facing the specialty.

Aside from the funding, there’s still a heated debate on telehealth’s clinical utility and appropriateness.

As part of a special issue in BJGP Open, Australian researchers have taken a series of looks at the consults and how they differ from GPs’ face-to-face work.

They found that fewer telehealth consultations in NSW and Victoria between April and December 2020 ended with a script being printed (metaphorically speaking — presumably many were e-scripts) than in face-to-face consultations.

The difference was 33% compared with 39% of consults.

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https://www.itnews.com.au/news/dta-gauges-private-sector-interest-in-digital-id-system-accreditation-573650

DTA gauges private sector interest in digital ID system accreditation

By Justin Hendry on Dec 7, 2021 12:12PM

Ahead of planned expansion.

The federal government has issued an open call to businesses interested in participating in Australia’s federated digital identity system ahead of next year’s planned expansion.

The expression of interest (EOI) aims to gauge what services private sector organisations are interested in having accredited under the trusted digital identity framework (TDIF).

It comes as the government prepares to introduce laws that will make it possible for the private sector and state governments to participate in the system, while enshrining privacy protections.

The government had planned to introduce the legislation before the end of 2021, but with parliament finished for the year, this now won’t happen before mid-February 2022.

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https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/facebook-is-on-notice-keep-our-kids-safe/news-story/456853b2f195a7d98f233b138788459b

Facebook is on notice — keep our kids safe

Paul Fletcher

7:20PM December 5, 2021

Recent revelations in the United States regarding Facebook’s failure to protect young users of its platforms aroused worldwide ­concern.

But here in Australia, where we have been consistently ahead of the international curve on online safety, they were hardly surprising.

Facebook is a global giant, used by billions of people, with enormous influence and power. But the company still has far to go before it accepts and lives up to the responsibility that goes with its scale.

Every day there are people bullied on Facebook. Every day there are people choosing not to get vaccinated because they have been misled by misinformation on Facebook.

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https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/theo-hayez-data-law-reform-key-for-missing-persons/news-story/47923e10ea31bd64aaa3e10371ebeae8

Theo Hayez: Data law reform ‘key for missing persons’

Mackenzie Scott

6:35PM December 6, 2021

The significance of personal ­online data in the search for Belgian backpacker Theo Hayez has raised questions about whether legislation has kept up with technology in missing persons cases.

Google and social media data proved crucial in piecing ­together the 18-year-old’s final movements after he was last seen at a Byron Bay nightclub in May 2019.

The first week of the coronial inquest into Hayez’s disappearance outlined how Google search and tracking data from his phone was obtained by his cousins in the days following his disappearance and revealed that although the traveller had looked up the address of his ­hostel, he had walked in the ­opposite direction.

Kirsten Edwards, counsel ­assisting the coroner, explained the limitations police faced in missing persons cases when ­ordering search warrants and subpoenas, with powers far less than in criminal investigations. She noted all assistance from Google, Telstra and local businesses was voluntary and could have been withdrawn at any time. “Mobile phones hold an enormous amount of personal mat­erial,” she said.

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https://www.smh.com.au/business/entrepreneurship/tech-upgrade-on-the-cards-for-australian-clinical-trials-20211206-p59f2w.html

Tech upgrade on the cards for Australian clinical trials

By Emma Koehn

December 7, 2021 — 12.01am

Australian biotech companies are hoping proposed innovations to Australia’s clinical trials system will help foster a research boom in the years after the coronavirus pandemic.

The local life sciences sector is backing a number of recommendations to come out of a committee report into the approval processes for new drugs, released last month. These include the establishment of a clinical trials register and new fee structures for registering products.

The House of Representatives Committee has heard from a range of biotech companies over the past year about the challenges of bringing new therapies to market in Australia.

These included the need for a more streamlined process for finding and registering patients for clinical trials. The committee has recommended the country set up a national clinical trials register so that companies can more seamlessly connect with patients and patients have better oversight of research undertaken in Australia.

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https://www.itnews.com.au/news/gov-plots-new-telco-data-access-or-surveillance-powers-for-ato-border-force-others-573613

Gov plots new telco data access or surveillance powers for ATO, Border Force, others

By Ry Crozier on Dec 6, 2021 1:21PM

First proposals under sweeping surveillance reforms released.

The federal government is considering giving Border Force, the tax office and other agencies either access to telecommunications data or other electronic surveillance powers under reforms planned to be brought before parliament in 2023.

Home Affairs minister Karen Andrews on Monday released a discussion paper [pdf] on the proposed reforms, which were first flagged this time last year.

The government’s intention is to repeal a “patchwork” of surveillance laws including the Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979  - which has been changed more than 100 times in 15 years - along with the Surveillance Devices Act “and relevant parts of the ASIO Act”, and replace them “with a single, streamlined and technology neutral Act.”

The government is calling it the “most significant reform to Australia’s national security laws in more than four decades.”

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David.

 

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

More fantasy from Steve Hambelton and the ADHA. I don't think he actually know what the MyHR can contain. "It’s all in my digital record" is a blatant lie.

Santa Supports My Health Record
https://www.pharmacyitk.com.au/santa-supports-my-health-record/
By Gold Cross - December 14, 2021

Santa has joined the Australian Digital Health Agency this year to urge Australians to give themselves the gift of better health care by using their My Health Record.

“I’ve been using mine for years now and encourage the elves to do the same,” Santa said.

“Like making a list and getting it right, having your health information in one place means you don’t forget the important things.”

“I travel a lot at this time of year and if I do get sick, I don’t need to tell my health story over and over again,” Santa said. “It’s all in my digital record including my vaccination status. Besides, there simply isn’t enough room in the sleigh for more paper. With digital records, I don’t need to carry around physical documents.”

Agency Chief Clinical Adviser Dr Steve Hambleton said “Santa knows the last thing we want is for him to suffer an adverse reaction because any new medication interacts with what he is already taking.”

“If you’re taking medications that help you have better health, it’s important all your healthcare providers know the name and dose of those medications. This is particularly important if you’re admitted to emergency or unable to remember details. Plus, Santa’s regular GP can be updated online, for when he returns home. Surface mail takes too long, especially at this time of year.”

Santa suggested that for anyone not connected with their digital record, the Christmas holiday break could be a great time to get connected.

“Most Australians already have a record but they aren’t always taking full advantage of it,” he said. “While many Australians have ‘gone digital’ to adapt to COVID-19 check-in requirements, not all have yet recognised the full benefits of their own digital health record – which generally contains a health summary and COVID-19 pathology results as well as the digital immunisation certificate. If the record doesn’t have all a person’s health records, a quick chat with their regular doctor can sort that out.”

Santa said better health was the perfect Christmas gift, so Australians should talk to their friends and family over the holidays, to make sure their loved ones are also using their digital records so that their health information is available as and when they need it.

“Follow up your health checks, don’t put your health on hold,” Santa said. “Good health is the gift you unwrap throughout your life.”

Anonymous said...

Agency Chief Clinical Adviser Dr Steve Hambleton said “Santa knows the last thing we want is for him to suffer an adverse reaction because any new medication interacts with what he is already taking.”

How much do we pay this circus of clowns to spew up this vomit?

Anonymous said...

Santa is rather fat, truth be told. Don't cancel me for fat shaming Santa.

G. Carter said...

I guess it is fitting the use a one made up marketing distortion of an event that holds great relevance to some to bolster another fantasy that is irrelevant to so many. Both are designed for profiting in emotive ways

Anonymous said...

My Elf Record