This appeared a few days ago.
ML project to unlock siloed data on chronic diseases
The project will "bring machine learning to data" while protecting privacy and integrity.
By Adam Ang
June 30, 2023 03:02 AM
A new project led by the University of Queensland seeks to create a national data network that will support the development of novel solutions for managing chronic diseases.
Recently, the National Infrastructure for Federated Learning in Digital Health (NINA) project secured A$6 million ($3.9 million) funding from the federal government's Medical Research Future Fund. It also received an additional A$7.7 million ($5 million) in contributions from UQ, Monash and Macquarie universities, and the Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
According to a media release, the five-year project will enable researchers to use machine learning to access siloed information on debilitating chronic diseases, such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. It will prepare and harmonise the data to global standards while protecting individual privacy. Analyses will also be generated and shared across health organisations and states.
UQ will collaborate with 23 Australian and global partners to co-design the conceptual framework for NINA and speed up the translation and adoption of the data model at a national scale.
WHY IT MATTERS
Researchers across Australia find it difficult to access health databases and move their research forward on digital health.
"Australia has excellent digital health records, but data is siloed across health systems, preventing talented researchers from accessing millions of records about treatments and trends in crippling chronic conditions," noted Clair Sullivan, associate professor at UQ’s Queensland Digital Health Centre.
Chris Bain, Professor of Practice in Digital Health at Monash University Faculty of IT, said various privacy and data sharing restrictions hinder the meaningful use of such databases.
"This has ultimately led to an almost insurmountable divide across healthcare sectors, including a lack of data connectivity across primary, secondary and tertiary care," he said in a separate statement.
The NINA project intends to "put data to work" to find solutions for better managing chronic conditions. "Rather than attempting to merge different data sets to enable machine learning centrally, the project will bring machine learning to the data," Sullivan added.
THE LARGER TREND
Despite having the will to pursue digital transformation using data and analytics, most healthcare organisations across Australia and New Zealand lack the ability to share real-time data and integrate disparate systems, according to a recent study commissioned by InterSystems. They are also analysing a limited number of data despite having tons of it as multiple datasets are not interoperable.
Nevertheless, most providers wanted a standardisation of data exchange. The Australian Digital Health Agency is helping fulfil this through its National Healthcare Interoperability Plan, which envisions a more connected Australian health system by 2027.
As part of this endeavour, the agency recently partnered with Health Level Seven Australia to promote the consistent adoption of FHIR standards in the country. It also tied up with CSIRO's Australian e-Health Research Centre to create the National Clinical Terminology Service, which will provide terminology services and tools that will enable connectivity across the health system.
Here is the link:
https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/anz/ml-project-unlock-siloed-data-chronic-diseases
This is surely a project to watch to see what value is obtained for the $12 million being spent. I really struggle to bring to mind any similar data aggregation projects in OZ that have provided some significant value.
Let me know of any you are aware of!
David.
The Federal Department of Health and Aged Care are looking for an Enterprise Architect.
ReplyDeleteWhy they want one of these when they have a whole Agency that is supposed to be across all of this and is supposedly responsible for the National Digital Health strategy is anyone's guess.
The job description says "As such there is a critical gap in understanding the infrastructure current state"
They just don't get it. It's not the infrastructure that's the problem, its the acquisition, management and use of data that matters as well as an understanding of the functions and processes of health services. In this, they have no idea.
Requirements
The Digital and Service Design branch of the Department of Health and Aged Care seeks to engage an experienced Enterprise Architect to create a holistic view of health infrastructure, with an initial focus on consumer access to services.
Digital Health is a very complex eco-system comprising of many varied and interconnected users, participants, stakeholders, programs, legislations, funding sources, access channels, ICT systems, data sources and government arrangements.
As such there is a critical gap in understanding the infrastructure current state, to assist in identifying opportunities for improving the way the Australian Government designs and delivers services and programs through digital and non-digital solutions.
The successful applicant will be expected to:
• Document the health infrastructure in its current state, focusing on consumer access to services and with a view to future expansion to other access channels.
• Create strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders and work collaboratively to achieve outcomes.
• Provide high level strategic advice and develop artefacts to assist in the development of future ICT investment work.
• Work to understand work being undertaken across the broader department and the impacts of this work on the digital health ecosystem.
The ideal candidate is well established in their field and has, or can quickly acquire, knowledge in healthcare. They will be able to work with limited direction and can create and present artefacts to senior executives.
Key Capabilities and experience:
• Demonstrated knowledge of Enterprise Architecture practices, patterns and standards.
• Demonstrated experience working on complex projects.
• Strong written, interpersonal and representational skills, with the ability to build and maintain productive working relationships with colleagues and stakeholders.
• Strong analysis and problem-solving skills, sound judgement and ability to think strategically.
• Ability to document and present complex and/or technical information in a way that is relevant to the audience.
• Strong self-management, organisation and time management skills, including the ability to prioritise workloads and meet tight deadlines within a dynamic team environment.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
The current state is no well understood?? WTF it’s their infrastructure, it’s not that old, and it’s not a complicated infrastructure?
ReplyDeleteWhy and EA? Sound like a solution architect role or even an infrastructure architect would be better.
Why does the Digital and Service Design branch of the Department of Health and Aged Care require an Enterprise Architect?
ReplyDeleteAs Health Minister Mark Butler holds responsibility for the Australian Digital Health Agency, to which he has approved hundreds of millions of dollars. It behoves him to provide an explanation as to why his Department of Health and Aged Care needs an Enterprise Architect!
At first blush this would seem like the left hand does not know what the right hand is doing!
Does the Department lack confidence in the ADHA! - an Agency which is an integral part of its organisational structure?
How can there be a “critical gap in understanding the infrastructure current state”, as the job description states, when this is purported to be an integral part of the work and responsibilities of the ADHA and a pivotal part of the National Digital Health Strategy?
Surely the ADHA has an holistic view and deep understanding of the current state of the nation’s health infrastructure! If they don’t why don’t they, and what have they been doing for the last decade?
Furthermore, it is suggested that if the ideal candidate doesn’t have any knowledge in healthcare they must be able to quickly acquire it! How incredibly naïve, shallow and stupid is this?
It demonstrates there is an abundance of ignorance at work here, particularly when the job description goes to great lengths to state “Digital Health is a very complex eco-system comprising of many varied and interconnected users, participants, stakeholders, programs, legislations, funding sources, access channels, ICT systems, data sources and government arrangements”.
Honestly, do they seriously think someone with no knowledge of healthcare could possibly be an ideal candidate?
ReplyDelete"Malcolm Thatcher, the chief technology officer in charge of the Australian Digital Health Agency’s (ADHA) multi-million dollar My Health Record modernisation program, has resigned. Professor Thatcher, a former Queensland Health CIO, joined the agency in January 2021 and was charged with overseeing the modernisation of the technology"
If he can't answer Dept Health's questions then it's not surprising he's going, either pushed or he wants to spend more time with his hobbies.
Or maybe he thinks he can answer them but the Department doesn't have confidence in him. And as far as I remember the Department has a new secretary.
Applications for the job close Monday, so it looks as though the advert came out well before the resignation. It's all a bit puzzling but it doesn't look good for ADHA whatever is happening.
So, its everything as normal then.
Honestly, do they seriously think someone with no knowledge of healthcare could possibly be an ideal candidate?
ReplyDeleteSeems to be the normal practice at ADHA these days
Does anyone have the link to the job advert?
ReplyDeleteI have been up all night training and successfully connected three shapes in Visio and pasted it as a gif image in pttx. Also comfortable sitting on cheap seats holding a microphone in front of people distracted by smart phones and laptops.