Here are a few I have come across the last week or so. Note: Each link is followed by a title and a few paragraphs. For the full article click on the link above title of the article. Note also that full access to some links may require site registration or subscription payment.
General Comment
Another really quiet week with the occasional highlights. Enjoy!On another matter congrats to Dr Mukesh Haikerwal on his AC. One of the very few to honestly call the faults with NEHTA, the PCEHR and myHR. While making no claims to technological genius he could see clearly what was working and useful and what was not!
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Most Australians would not sign up to an online health record, survey finds
Lynne Minion | 23 Jan 2018
Almost two-thirds of Australians want their healthcare records to be shared more effectively across healthcare providers but only 38 per cent would consider signing up to a secure online summary of their health information, a new study has found.
As the Australian Digital Health Agency moves towards this year’s creation of a My Health Record for every Australian who doesn’t opt-out, the research into digital technology in healthcare commissioned by GlaxoSmithKline shows that 51 per cent are concerned about the privacy of their online personal information.
“Their hesitation towards embracing electronic health records is largely due to uncertainty around the privacy of data, how securely patient records are stored and even patient attitudes toward the government or EHR provider,” Director of Healthcare Environment at GSK David Herd told Healthcare IT News Australia.
“Privacy and security are, of course, non-negotiable when it comes to patient health data.”
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Apple can win electronic medical record game with Health Records in iOS 11.3: Here's 7 reasons why
Apple's enterprise footprint, approach to privacy and partnerships will give it an edge with Health Records, a feature in iOS 11.3 to position the company in medical health records.
By Larry Dignan for Between the Lines | January 25, 2018 -- 12:10 GMT (23:10 AEDT) | Topic: Digital Transformation
Apple's next update of operating system for iPhones and iPads will include a feature called "Health Records" that may ultimately be best positioned to aggregate electronic medical records for individuals.
The move to electronic medical records and the patient portals that go with them has been underway for years. There are multiple players in the space and tech giants such as Microsoft and Google and now Apple have been inserting themselves into the health care market.
Meanwhile, wearable device companies can also be players in the patient data game. Fitbit and Apple have been partnering with medical device makers and that data can ultimately be rolled up into a portal and health record.
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23 January 2018
Genomes, blockchains, bitcoins and the bottom line
Did you know that when you take certain genetic tests, the company can make money by on-selling your data to other businesses?
Now new blockchain-based marketplaces could give individuals control over access to their encrypted DNA data, and the ability to sell it to research companies for their own profit.
Consumer DNA testing saw unprecedented public demand in 2017. By one estimate, 10 million genetic tests were conducted on individuals by companies such as AncestryDNA.
People using these services may not realise that the real money for some of these companies could lie in the sale of genetic data to third parties for medical research. A 23andMe board member reportedly explained this in 2013:
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How online repeat prescriptions can improve patient satisfaction
By HealthEngine | 17 Jan 2018
More than 74 million prescriptions were dispensed in Australia last year alone. With 46 per cent of patients reporting that they require routine medication to manage their health, it’s clear that repeat prescriptions are an integral part of the wellbeing of many Australians.
Patients need to ensure they obtain a repeat prescription before their current one runs out. How do GPs handle patient requests for ongoing medication? Do patients have a good experience with their practice when they need such medication?
We surveyed more than 2000 patients and 27 GPs to find out.
Just over 90 per cent of patients said they need to make an appointment for repeat prescriptions of their regular medication, yet 80 per cent of doctors believe there are circumstances where they could safely prescribe repeat prescriptions without a face to face consult.
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How the ACT is eliminating hospital errors
By Justin Hendry on Jan 22, 2018 6:00AM
New systems cross-reference patient with process.
ACT Health has embarked on a clinical systems transformation that will see patients electronically cross-referenced with pathology orders and medication at their bedside in an effort to eliminate errors at the point of care.
The territory's health directorate has completely overhauled how it interacts with patients to banish the paper-based records and processes that are the traditional causes of mixed up blood samples and medications in hospitals.
Despite having made a significant effort to strengthen these processes in recent years, ACT Health wasn't getting the reduction in avoidable errors it wanted.
So it starting looking at electronic tools to eliminate transcription mistakes.
Chief information officer Peter O'Halloran and team decided to take the bold step of equipping Health's electronic record systems with identification standards.
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Update From The Australian Digital Health Agency
25 Jan 2018
The Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA) has provided the AMA with updates relevant to GPs and My Health Record. The ADHA receives considerable input and advice from AMA members.
Former AMA President, Dr Steve Hambleton, has outlined the importance of My Health Record in allowing for the straightforward and secure sharing of information. Up-to-date shared health summaries can easily be accessed by other healthcare practitioners, allowing for patients to receive continuity of care. Read more about Dr Hambleton’s experience and thoughts here.
AMA member and GP representative Dr Chris Moy has outlined the critical role My Health Record plays in improving patient care. His experience with following up on an unwell patient was made all the easier with an up-to-date My Health Record. Read more about his experience here.
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Scientists 'walk' through cancer cells using virtual reality
Friday, 12 January, 2018
Researchers are using groundbreaking virtual reality technology that allows multiple scientists to see inside a human cell at the same time, giving them a three-dimensional tool to improve doctor interaction and help analyse how cancer drugs work.
UNSW Art & Design’s Associate Professor John McGhee is working with Professor Maria Kavallaris, from UNSW Medicine and Children’s Cancer Institute, in the second phase of the Journey to the Centre of the Cell project, a major initiative that combines scientific data, microscopy images and animation to create a virtual reality (VR) world of cells and blood vessels that can be seen through headsets.
“I saw we could do so much more with VR than selling products and superheroes,” said McGhee. “We have amazing gaming technology and we can use it to benefit patients and specialists. The inner workings of the body can often get lost in specialist data and this makes the process democratic.”
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Vax reminders effective
Sending vaccination reminders to patients can increase immunisation rates by up to 8%, depending on the target population, a Cochrane review has concluded. The analysis of data from 75 studies found that letters and text messages were both effective, but a simple phone call was the best. The evidence was strongest for childhood and adolescent vaccinations, the authors said. There was also good evidence suggesting that centralised recall systems, not just local ones from individual practices, boosted immunisation rates.
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DHS offers one-time passcodes for myGov login
By Allie Coyne on Jan 23, 2018 2:52PM
Updated: But early reviews aren't good.
Australians can now continue using two-factor authentication on their myGov accounts when overseas or out of mobile range through new one-time access codes.
But early reaction to the service has not been as positive as the Department of Human Services might have hoped.
The myGov Access mobile app - available on Android and iOS as of last month - replaces the SMS code or secret questions and answers that have until now been required with a person's username and password to log into the online service portal.
The one-time codes address an issue with SMS two-factor authentication that meant users who were unable to receive an SMS based on their network coverage faced being locked out of their myGov account.
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Lysn up: mental telehealth online platform expands nationwide with low tech option for poor internet areas
Thea Cowie | 24 Jan 2018
An Australian mental health startup that has developed an algorithm to pair patients with a psychologist nationwide who best suits their needs is expanding its online therapy service and going old school with the addition of telephone sessions for those in remote regions with poor internet coverage.
Lysn aggregates the qualifications and specialties of hundreds of Australian psychologists and matches them with people seeking telehealth counselling sessions.
“When patients sign up, they complete a questionnaire that profiles their specific needs to best match them with the right psychologist using Lysn’s proprietary algorithm,” said Dr Jonathan King, founder of the startup with the motto: You talk, we lysn.
“This means that patients in both metropolitan and rural regions can now have access to a wide range of psychologists specialising in a field that best suits their requirements.”
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How a single app cut the load on Catholic Healthcare's call centre
By Justin Hendry on Jan 23, 2018 12:00AM
Using OAuth to do without login credentials.
A Samsung tablet equipped with the OAuth authorisation protocol has drastically reduced the volume of calls to Catholic Healthcare's call centres and handed control back to its elderly clients.
Since this time last year the not-for-profit aged care and retirement provider has been giving tablets running the Breezie aged care interface to its home care customers.
The not-for-profit operates 51 residential aged care and retirement living communities, but a growing number of its clients choose to remain in their own home.
These clients rely on regular visits made by Catholic Healthcare's carers, but previously visibility for these customers into when - and who - would be making these visits was limited.
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Citadel Group reveals IT and cloud wins with Victorian Health, Melbourne City Council, Queensland transport and others over six months
ASX-listed Citadel Group has secured a slew of contract wins over the past six months including new government deals and 17,000 new cloud services customers.
In a letter to investors, the managed services provider gave an update on some $62 million worth new contracts and renewals signed since mid-2017. Among the successes it highlighted are a multi-site pathology laboratory information system for Victoria, enterprise collaboration provisioning for Melbourne City Council and a transport deal with the Queensland government.
The company’s Victorian pathology laboratory information system deployment was completed recently, with care providers Austin Health, Peter MacCallum Hospital and Melbourne Health all now live on Citadels lab information system, called Evolution, as of 20 January. The company also signed Eastern Health in Victoria onto the Evolution system in a $1.7 million-per-year contract until 2023.
“Together, over 4000 staff across Australia are now using our LIS solutions and we hope to be able to back up these successes with further roll-outs across Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia as opportunities arise,” Citadel chief executive Darren Stanley said.
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M3DICINE's Stethee stethoscope adds connected analytics, ditches the tubes
By Dave Muoio
January 25, 2018
Brisbane, Australia-based M3DICINE is the latest device maker looking to distance physicians from their signature rubber-tubed stethoscopes. Today, the company announced the launch of Stethee, a wireless, artificial intelligence-boosted stethoscope that pairs with an iOS or Android app to quickly capture and analyze heart and lung data.
“This most iconic and enduring symbol of healthcare is now reinvented, into an intelligent and sophisticated medical device — a powerful diagnostic assistant that becomes more intelligent the more it is used,” Dr. Nayyar Hussain, founder and CEO of M3DICINE, said in a statement. “The complementary Stethee Apps bring the power of machine learning and deep neural networks to health professionals worldwide who can use this data not only to monitor the progress and health of individual patients, but collectively to uncover new patterns and trends to help in the fight against heart and lung disease globally.”
Stethee, which was cleared by the FDA late last year, filters and amplifies the sounds of a patient’s heart or lungs before sending the audio to a user’s connected headphones via Bluetooth. A copy is also made on the Stethee app, which can display the audio file as a continuous phonocardiograph or calculate heart rate. The device includes a Beat Finder feature to help determine the optimal location for it to be held, and collects the data needed to make its analyses within 20 seconds.
The platform’s AI engine, named “Aida,” automatically tags geolocation, patient position, and environmental data — such as humidity, temperature, or pollen count — when making its analyses. These data points are encrypted and anonymized, and can be reported back or shared with practitioners as quantitative reports.
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EPAS Senior Business Analyst, Reporting (Multiple Vacancies)
- Department for Health and Ageing, eHealth Systems, EPAS Program
- Indicative Total Remuneration*: $96,599-$102,467 - ASO6 - Full Time / Term Contract (up to 28 December 2018)
Accountable for providing high level analysis, expertise and advice into the identification and organisation of data elements required to facilitate strategic and operational reporting from data captured and managed within EPAS. Identify how reporting requirements can be met; from existing or modified standard EPAS reports or the specification of new reports that address the needs of SA Health; at the enterprise, corporate health unit and, where appropriate, at the individual level.
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Health records firm badly hit by Windows ransomware
- 22 January 2018
- Written by Sam Varghese
A billion-dollar electronic health records company in Chicago is struggling to recover from an attack of a variant of the SamSam Windows ransomware.
Allscripts was hit on Thursday by an attack through data centres in Raleigh and Charlotte in North Carolina. The company has 180,000 doctors across nearly 45,000 ambulatory facilities, 2500 hospitals and 17,000 post-acute organisations on its client register.
A report from CSO Online said Jeremy Maxwell, the company's director of information security, had told customers on Saturday that its PRO EHR and Electronic Prescriptions for Controlled Substances services were the worst affected.
On Sunday, the company told customers that they would have to be prepared for issues to continue through the week, as it continued to use back-ups to restores files that had been encrypted.
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Tax office computer system flaws revealed
- The Australian
- 7:38 AM January 25, 2018
Robert Gottliebsen
The Inspector-General of Taxation Ali Noroozi has underlined a number of the dangerous Australian Taxation Office practices that are damaging the small business community in Australia.
And his revelations confirm why the current draft bill to give the ATO even greater powers must be amended or abandoned.
At its essence the ATO is a massive computer systems operation and we have seen lots of anecdotal cases where these systems are not working properly.
The Inspector-General of Taxation helps explain the breakdowns by revealing that the ATO uses two separate accounting systems to administer its PAYG operation.
Not surprisingly this is causing taxpayers to either not receive correspondence or receive correspondence that makes no sense. It also seems that in many cases these systems have to be reconciled manually.
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https://www.itwire.com/telecoms-and-nbn/81488-is-nbn-co-planning-to-drop-hfc-from-rollout-plans.html
Is NBN Co planning to drop HFC from rollout plans?
- 23 January 2018
- Written by Sam Varghese
Is the NBN Co, the company rolling out Australia's national broadband network, planning to drop HFC altogether from its multi-technology mix that it adopted after 2013 for the network?
At least two suburbs in Melbourne have been switched from HFC to other technologies in the wake of the company's announcement in November that technical issues were bedevilling the use of the technology.
At that time, NBN Co announced that houses and businesses slated to receive the NBN over HFC would have to wait between six and nine months longer for connections.
Under the revised rollout plan, put in place after the Coalition Government came to power in 2013, the NBN Co planned to use both the Telstra and Optus HFC networks as a means of delivering the NBN, in order speed up the rollout.
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Monkeys cloned from tissue cells amid warnings of opening the door to cloning humans
Sarah Knapton
Published: January 25 2018 - 11:30AM
London: The first monkeys cloned in the same way as Dolly the sheep have been born, raising concerns that it may soon be possible to clone humans.
Chinese scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences on Wednesday announced the births of Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua, a pair of healthy macaques that are genetically identical.
The infants are being bottle fed and are said to be growing normally compared with monkeys their age. More cloned births are expected this year.
Previously scientists have "cloned" primates by splitting an embryo in half, but the process is essentially just artificial twinning rather than true cloning.
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Enjoy!
David.
