-----
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 are still
dated 6 December, 2018! How pathetic is that for transparency? Secrecy
unconstrained!
It is worth pointing out that in last week ( beginning end July
2020) the ADHA took down the notification regarding the 19+ months since the
last minutes notification. Embarrassed I guess – as they should be!
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.
-----
https://www.digitalhealth.gov.au/about-the-agency/publications/reports/interoperability-reports
A
function of the Agency is to contribute to development, monitoring and
management of specifications and standards to maximise effective
interoperability of public and private sector digital health systems.
Over
the past four years, the Agency has commissioned reports in relation to
standards and interoperability, with input from consultation from healthcare
providers, consumer groups, industry and the standards community. These reports
reflect advice from external experts to the Agency. While these reports have
shaped the approach and thinking in this area, they do not reflect the Agency’s
position. Their publication does not indicate the Agency’s view on, or
acceptance of recommendations.
The
Agency’s ongoing work on standards and interoperability will continue to be
guided by the National Digital Health Strategy and planned engagement with
jurisdictions and key stakeholders.
-----
https://croakey.org/leading-health-and-medical-experts-sound-the-alarm-over-telehealth-restrictions/
Leading health and medical experts sound the alarm over
telehealth restrictions
Editor: Melissa
Sweet Author: Marie McInerney on: July 29, 2020 In: abortion, disabilities, health reform, HIV/AIDS, Indigenous health, public health, rural and remote health, sexual health, telehealth, women's health
Marie McInerney writes:
Hundreds
of leading public health, nursing, midwifery and medical experts and
organisations have signed an open
letter urging the Federal Government to modify new restrictions on
telehealth provision.
In
an accompanying statement
issued yesterday, the Government is warned that the changes “may already be
having a devastating impact on sexual and reproductive health during the
pandemic”.
Since
20 July, Medicare-subsidised telehealth services, introduced as part of the
COVID-19 response, have been wound back to provide access
in most cases only when providers “have an existing and continuous relationship
with a patient”.
Under
the changes, announced just 10 days before taking effect, a “relationship” is
defined as the patient having seen the same practitioner for a face-to-face
service in the last 12 months, or having seen a doctor at the same practice for
a face-to-face service during the same period.
-----
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/digital-platforms-need-to-play-by-the-rules/news-story/e416f2f470b9e83520d01a03fc0bc3ca
Digital platforms need
to play by the rules
Josh
Frydenberg
·
7:13PM July 31, 2020
For many Australians, Google and Facebook have become part of
their daily lives. More than 17 million Australians use Facebook and 98 per
cent of online searches from a mobile device are using Google. For the digital
platforms, this has become incredibly lucrative. Australia’s online advertising
market is worth almost $9 billion a year. For every $100 spent on online
advertising, $47 goes to Google, $24 to Facebook and $29 to the other
participants. As the technology has developed so too has the power, wealth and
influence of these digital platform but our regulatory framework has not kept
up with these changes. As a result, there is now a significant bargaining power
imbalance between Australian news media businesses that produce original
content and the digital platforms.
This is why the Government tasked the ACCC to undertake a detailed
world-leading study over a period of some 18 months to examine the impact of
online search engines, social media and digital content aggregators (digital
platforms) on competition in the media and advertising services markets.
Their recommendation was for a code to govern the commercial
relationships between digital platforms and the Australian news media
businesses. A concept paper was issued in May of this year and a draft
mandatory code was released today following extensive consultation with the
parties.
-----
https://www.optometry.org.au/patient_care_management/new-electronic-prescriptions-to-also-reduce-medication-related-hospital-admissions/
New electronic prescriptions to also reduce
medication-related hospital admissions
By
Helen Carter
Journalist
Electronic
prescriptions are being introduced nationwide and will be convenient for
patients but they also aim to help reduce Australia’s estimated 250,000 medication-related hospital
admissions annually.
Andrew
Matthews, Director of the Medicines Safety Program with the Australian Digital
Health Agency, which has developed the initiative in conjunction with the
Commonwealth Department of Health, said electronic prescriptions were another
initiative to improve medicines safety as every year thousands of patients were
hospitalised due to medication mishaps and medication-related problems.
E-scripts
started to be introduced in Australia for a limited number of General Practitioners
and community pharmacists in May 2020.There are two models for e-scripts being
introduced and the second version is due to be implemented from the end of
September 2020.
About
3500 of the new electronic scripts have been prescribed by GPs and dispensed by
pharmacies nationwide so far in defined local areas before they are
progressively rolled out nationwide to all GPs and other prescribers and
pharmacists. Legislation was approved in Queensland this week so now all states
and territories have legalised electronic scripts.
-----
https://www.facebook.com/MyHealthRec/photos/a.459863404445308/996079420823701/?type=3
Upgrades
to the #MyHealthRecord system will take place from
2.00 pm to 9.50 pm Friday 31 July 2020 (AEST).
You
can continue to use the system during the upgrade. If you are using a mobile
app and lose your connection, please log in again.
-----
https://www.itnews.com.au/news/google-facebook-asked-to-give-insider-access-to-algorithmic-changes-551107
Google, Facebook asked to give insider access to
algorithmic changes
By Justin Hendry on
Jul 31, 2020 11:31AM
Under Australia's new mandatory media bargaining code.
Digital
platforms like Google and Facebook would be forced to notify Australian news organisations
of algorithm changes ahead of time under a landmark media bargaining code
developed by the Australian competition watchdog.
The
draft code of conduct, released for
public consultation on Friday, is intended to “address bargaining power
imbalances between Australian news media businesses and digital platforms”.
If
adopted, it will allow news organisations to bargain, either individually or
collectively, with Google and Facebook “over payment for the inclusion of news
on their services”, as well as introduce a number of enforceable minimum
standards.
-----
https://itwire.com/technology-regulation/digital-platforms-face-$10m-fines-if-no-news-content-deals-negotiated.html
Friday, 31 July 2020 11:25
Digital platforms face $10m fines if no news content
deals negotiated
By Sam Varghese
It
looks like the days of freeloading for American digital platforms will end when
the clock strikes midnight on 31 December. Unless, of course, the likes of
Google and Facebook go crying to [US President] Uncle Donald Trump and ask him
to give naughty Scott Morrison a rap on the knuckles to stop Australia from
charging these two companies almighty fines for their use of Australian news
content.
Treasurer
Josh Frydenberg, who might have just done enough to filch the title of Man of
Steel from John Winston Howard, made it plain on Friday morning that the party
was over and that Google and Facebook would have to fork out big fees to
traditional news outlets, of face fines of up to 10% of their local turnover
which could come to as much as $10 million.
-----
https://itwire.com/open-sauce/google,-facebook-caught-on-the-hop-as-frydenberg-strikes.html
Author's Opinion
The
views in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the
views of iTWire.
Have
your say and comment below.
Friday, 31 July 2020 11:59
Google, Facebook caught on the hop as Frydenberg
strikes
By Sam Varghese
For
once, both Google and Facebook have been neatly shafted by the man who holds
the country's purse strings: Treasurer Josh Frydenberg.
Any
time there is a small turn of the screw, a statement about fines and the need
to pay for news — in other words to follow the law and not demand a free lunch
— both Google and Facebook invariably get wind of it and plant their propaganda
in some newspaper or the other the night before.
Most
of the time it is that august publication, the Australian Financial Review,
that gives these digital platforms yards and yards of hard drive space to
spread fear, uncertainty and doubt — yeah, the old FUD — about what the
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has been asking of them.
-----
https://www.afr.com/companies/media-and-marketing/facebook-and-google-face-10m-for-media-code-breaches-20200731-p55h6p
All news or no news for Google, Facebook under new code
Max Mason
and Natasha
Gillezeau
Jul 31, 2020
– 9.48am
Google
and Facebook will be forced to take an all or nothing approach to news content
and not discriminate against Australian journalism in draft legislation the
competition regulator believes will result in material payments from technology
giants to local media.
A
negotiate-arbitrate model for the draft code of conduct to regulate the
imbalance of bargaining power between Facebook, Google and Australian media
companies, will contain a non-discrimination provision to stop the tech duopoly
from treating local news different to international news.
"The
platforms won't be able to discriminate against media businesses – for any
reason really – but based on particularly their participation in the code, so
if one does a softer deal than the other, they can't discriminate towards the
one who does the softer deal against the one who does the harder deal,"
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims said.
-----
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/tech-giants-face-landmark-penalties/news-story/f4f736787f7458e81ab2392d650729c9
Tech giants Google and Facebook, Australian media in
‘world first’ mandatory bargaining code
Richard
Ferguson
David Swan
Geoff Chambers
·
July 31, 2020
Global tech giants will be forced to pay for news and face fines
of up to $10m if they fail to treat Australian media companies fairly, under a
new mandatory code unveiled on Friday.
Josh Frydenberg unveiled a mandatory bargaining code that will
make digital platforms share key data with news companies, and warn them of any
changes to their algorithms.
Google and Facebook will also be forced to negotiate with media
companies, after years of pilfering their content for free.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission will have the
power to issue fines of up to 10 per cent of the tech giants’ revenue, which
would amount to billions of dollars, if they break the rules of the code.
-----
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/tech-giants-ad-revenue-overwhelms-major-australian-media-companies-20200730-p55gzq.html
Tech giants' ad revenue overwhelms major Australian
media companies
By Fergus Hunter and Zoe Samios
July 31, 2020 — 12.00am
Google
and Facebook together scooped up almost $400 million more in Australian
advertising revenue than five major domestic media outlets combined last year,
underscoring the significant market power to be targeted in a new code of
conduct forcing the tech titans to share their revenue.
Treasurer
Josh Frydenberg will unveil a draft code on Friday that seeks to rein in the
might of the digital platforms and strengthen Australian media organisations
that have lost hundreds of millions in revenue to the US companies.
Analysis
of the companies' financial results shows that in 2019, Google's $4.3 billion
and Facebook's $674 million of Australian advertising income topped the takings
of the country's largest publicly listed media companies.
In
that calendar year, Seven West Media's revenue was $1.1 billion, Southern Cross
Austereo's was $633 million and Prime Media's was $184 million.
-----
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/google-and-facebook-face-fines-and-algorithm-transparency-under-new-code-20200731-p55h7o.html
Google and Facebook face fines and algorithm
transparency under new code
By Fergus Hunter and Zoe Samios
July 31, 2020 — 10.50am
Google
and Facebook will have three months to agree to revenue-sharing deals with
Australian media companies before independent arbitrators intervene under a new
landmark code designed to tackle the market power amassed by the US tech
giants.
Draft
laws unveiled by the Morrison government and competition watchdog on Friday
will impose a raft of conditions on the digital platforms, forcing them to
compensate news media businesses for using their content and be more
transparent about their use of data and algorithms.
The
companies will have to provide more detail on the data they collect on users'
interactions with news content, come up with a proposal on recognising original
content and provide 28 days' notice of changes to algorithms and policies that
will affect news content and advertising.
"What
we have sought to do with this mandatory code is not protect Australian news
media businesses from competition or from disruption that's occurring across
this sector," Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said on Friday.
-----
https://www.ddwmphn.com.au/upcoming-events/implementing-electronic-prescriptions-in-your-pharmacy
Implementing electronic prescriptions in your pharmacy
Electronic
prescriptions is a key priority of the National Digital Health Strategy and
offers new prescription format options and convenience for both patients and
healthcare providers. This session is designed to discuss pharmacy staff’s role
in supporting the roll-out of electronic prescriptions and consumer education
considerations. The Australian Digital Health Agency will provide an update on
progress to date, detailed resource lists, preparation steps and communications
tools to ensure both your patients and pharmacy are ready for electronic
prescriptions. There will be plenty of opportunities for Q&A during the
session.
When
6:30pm - 8:00pm,
Tuesday 25th August 2020
Where
Webinar
Organiser
Australian
Digital Health Agency
CPD
Points Available?
No
-----
https://www.afr.com/technology/whinging-risks-drowning-out-big-tech-reform-20200730-p55gvi
Whinging risks drowning out big tech reform
Google, Facebook, Apple and Amazon were all unconvincing when
confronted by evidence of monopolistic behaviour, but irrelevant arguments
about bias took up crucial time.
Paul Smith Technology
editor
Jul 30,
2020 – 4.32pm
Four of US tech's big five CEOs will by now be applying the
metaphorical ice to the verbal bruises inflicted in a fascinating six-hour
grilling by a bipartisan committee of US senators.
The spectacle of Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon's Jeff Bezos,
Google's Sundar Pichai and Apple's Tim Cook virtually together to answer
questions about monopolistic practices represents a theoretically crucial event
in the modern business world, and yet the lingering feeling is that things will
just carry on the same when they get back to work tomorrow.
Evidence portrayed in the questioning from a range of senators of
differing tech-savvy showed clearly, to all impartial observers, that each of
the companies have serious questions to answer and changes to make if they are
to genuinely practise the virtuous principles they publicly espouse.
-----
https://www.ddwmphn.com.au/upcoming-events/improved-quality-of-life-within-the-aged-care-setting-the-case-for-my-health-record
Improved quality of life within the aged care setting:
the case for My Health Record
ADHA Propaganda
Realise
the benefits of My Health Record for residents within your facility. Understand
your advantage in having accurate and relevant clinical information, to assist
in improving quality of life, care coordination and ultimately reduce potential
medication misadventures.
Please
join the Australian Digital Health Agency and Western Australia Primary Health
Alliance for an interactive session and a panel discussion focusing on how
digital health tools, such as My Health Record, can support person-centred
care, in-line with their wishes and goals of care. We are pleased to have
speakers with a range of expertise join us, who will be able to share their
experience and insights on this topic.
All
healthcare providers and care workers working across primary care and in aged
care facilities are welcome to attend this session.
When
7:00pm - 8:00pm,
Wednesday 26th August 2020
Where
Webinar
Organiser
Australian
Digital Health Agency
CPD
Points Available?
No
-----
https://www.digitalhealth.gov.au/news-and-events/news/east-arnhem-announced-as-site-for-digital-health-communities-of-excellence-program
Media release - East Arnhem announced as site for
Digital Health Communities of Excellence Program
ADHA Propaganda
30
July, 2020: Under a national initiative led by the Australian
Digital Health Agency, East Arnhem will become a Community of Excellence for
digital health.
The
new program is funded through a Commonwealth Government $750 000 commitment
over two years from the Australian Digital Health Agency (Agency) and a
co-contribution valued at $240 000 over two years from NT Health, Aboriginal
Medical Services Alliance NT (AMSANT) and Northern Territory Primary Health
Network (NT PHN).
The
Communities of Excellence program aims to embed digital health capabilities in
East Arnhem focused on four key initiatives: My Health Record system, secure
messaging, telehealth and medicines safety.
NT
Health Chief Executive, Professor Catherine Stoddart, said the digital program
would address a number of key health challenges facing residents of the East
Arnhem region.
-----
https://www.miragenews.com/east-arnhem-announced-as-site-for-digital-health-communities-of-excellence-program/
East Arnhem announced as site for Digital Health
Communities of Excellence Program
30
July, 2020 ADHA Propaganda
Under
a national initiative led by the Australian Digital Health Agency, East Arnhem
will become a Community of Excellence for digital health.
The
new program is funded through a Commonwealth Government $750 000 commitment
over two years from the Australian Digital Health Agency (Agency) and a
co-contribution valued at $240 000 over two years from NT Health, Aboriginal
Medical Services Alliance NT (AMSANT) and Northern Territory Primary Health
Network (NT PHN).
The
Communities of Excellence program aims to embed digital health capabilities in
East Arnhem focused on four key initiatives: My Health Record system, secure
messaging, telehealth and medicines safety.
NT
Health Chief Executive, Professor Catherine Stoddart, said the digital program
would address a number of key health challenges facing residents of the East
Arnhem region.
-----
https://wildhealth.net.au/what-digital-healths-covid-pivot-really-means/
What digital health’s Covid pivot really means
July 30, 2020
Jeremy Knibbs
Wild Health asks four of
Australia’s leading digital health influencers what changes created by COVID-19
are here to stay, why, and what is likely to be reigned back in by government
REGISTER
FOR WEBINAR HERE August 25, 2020
COVID-19
has revealed digital health for what it is. Highly effective and game changing
if we just can get out of the way of ourselves. The question now is, to
what extent can we stay out of our own way moving forward? How much of the
collaboration and pragmatism can be maintained, how and what will have to
return to business-as-usual government oversight and regulation?
To
some extent, a lot is never going back to the way it was. It’s impossible to
imagine the government is not going to persist now in some significant way with
telehealth across the system. That cat had to be let out of the bag, and it
didn’t cause MBS mayhem. It just became something we should have done a long
time ago.
There
are other technologies and issues – security and privacy for instance – that
COVID-19 has tested and provided insights we were previously afraid to test. A
lot of those insights now need to be put into new context by the powers that
be.
-----
https://www.itnews.com.au/news/anu-finds-health-crisis-improves-trust-in-govt-business-to-handle-data-551046
ANU finds health crisis improves trust in govt,
business to handle data
By Matt Johnston on
Jul 30, 2020 12:47PM
Telcos and banks see biggest lift.
Australians
have become more trusting of organisations and governments to handle their
personal data and privacy during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new
research.
A
longitudinal study from the Australian
National University measured more than 3200 Australians' attitudes toward data
privacy and security before and during the health crisis, including attitudes
related to the use of the COVIDSafe app.
By
asking respondents to rate their trust in how their personal data is handled by
governments and other organisations on a scale of one to 10, the researchers
found trust had increased in every sector.
"The
organisation with the highest level of trust was the Australian Bureau of
Statistics (ABS), which jumped from 6.42 to 7.10 between 2018 and 2020,"
study co-author Professor Nicholas Biddle said.
-----
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/facebook-fake-news-spirals-out-of-control/news-story/688d03f5e677078cdc5939e079c61e9f
Facebook fake news
spirals out of control
Chris
Griffith
·
July 30, 2020
Facebook’s propagation of dangerous misinformation is out of
control and the company is making huge profits from it.
That’s a charge that its CEO Mark Zuckerberg couldn’t adequately
address at a mammoth four-hour hearing looking at the monopolistic behaviour of
tech giants Facebook, Google, Amazon and Apple.
The four CEOs faced a grilling at the congressional antitrust
hearing early today AEST.
The hearing covered a broad range of issues and all four were
vigorously confronted with persistent questioning via video link.
Questions homed in on these companies’ ability to bully, muscle
out and destroy their competitors, and make billions through monopolistic
practices. They were accused of stealing the intellectual property of fledgling
businesses they purported to help.
-----
https://www.ausdocjobs.com.au/article-details/19/why-gps-are-queuing-up-to-apply-for-telehealth-jobs/
Why GPs are queuing up to apply for telehealth jobs
Written by
Clifford Fram
Published 21
Jul 2020
Medicare-funded
telehealth consults have fast become part of the new normal for GPs, with
doctors enjoying the flexibility, safety and earning potential of the new
subsidies.
This
is evidenced by the rapid growth in telehealth roles being advertised on
AusDoc.JOBS and by the correspondingly high number of applicants.
It
seems Chief Medical Adviser Professor Michael Kidd was right back in March when
he described the new telehealth item numbers as the most
significant change in the history of Medicare. By the end of April,
there had already been 4.6 million GP telehealth consults, according
to data published by the University of Queensland.
The
idea is also gaining popularity with patients and telehealth has helped make up
for some of the fall-offs in attendance and income during COVID-19, says a NSW
Central Coast GP. One of the obvious benefits is reduced exposure to
infections, he says.
-----
https://www.facebook.com/ABCSunshineCoast/photos/a.578179792228798/3219420204771397/?type=3
❌MY HEALTH RECORD EPIC FAIL ❌
A Sunshine
Coast GP has labelled the Federal government's My Health Record as an
"epic fail."
The
national scheme was rolled out last year as a comprehensive way of keeping
track of an individual's various interaction with the health care system,
including GP and specialist visits, blood tests, prescribed medications.
It means
that wherever you are in Australia, a medical professional will be able to
access and see your medical records to hopefully make sure you receive the
right treatments.
But
Sunshine Coast Medical Association President Roger Faint said there have been a
number of issues with the system.
-----
https://theconversation.com/the-accc-is-suing-google-for-misleading-millions-but-calling-it-out-is-easier-than-fixing-it-143447
The ACCC
is suing Google for misleading millions. But calling it out is easier than
fixing it
July 28, 2020
4.38pm AEST
Author
Katharine
Kemp
Senior
Lecturer, Faculty of Law, UNSW, and Academic Lead, UNSW Grand Challenge on
Trust, UNSW
Australia’s
consumer watchdog is
suing Google for allegedly misleading millions of people after it
started tracking them on non-Google apps and websites in 2016.
The
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) says Google’s pop-up
notification about this move didn’t let users make an informed choice about the
increased tracking of their activities.
Google
uses some of this data in its targeted
advertising business. It can also collect sensitive information
about us from third-party websites and apps which it may use in its
non-advertising businesses.
The
ACCC isn’t the first to claim Google
hasn’t been straight about how it uses our data, nor is this the
first time it has sued
Google.
-----
https://www.inside.unsw.edu.au/social-impact/trust-exercise-new-podcast-explores-trust-different-perspectives
Trust Exercise: a new podcast explores ‘trust’ from
different perspectives
Social Impact
Edition 13 2020
UNSW’s
Grand Challenge on Trust reaches a broader audience in
fortnightly conversations with national and international thought
leaders.
When UNSW’s
Grand Challenge on Trust was launched in February, the Academic
Lead Dr Katharine Kemp said she was having fascinating interviews with a range
of experts as they were planning events and activities.
“We
had to cancel those events, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and I thought, why
should the interviews stop?”
The
solution is the Trust
Exercise podcast series, Dr Kemp’s fortnightly conversation
with national and international thought leaders across industry, government,
regulators and academia.
“I
speak with some of the great minds who bring different perspectives on trust
and do deep work on the issues, but who also know how to explain what they do
for a broad audience,” she said.
-----
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/google-faces-accc-data-consent-case/news-story/b64f3ff2a994367eb8a7265f417c5cab
Search and annoy: Google’s secret tracking exposed in
probe
David Swan
·
10:30PM July 27, 2020
Google is facing a blockbuster court showdown in coming months,
after Australia’s consumer and competition watchdog launched world-first action
alleging the tech giant took sensitive user data without proper consent.
The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission claimed that
over a period of years Google combined personal information from users with
their browsing activities on non-Google websites, without their knowledge or
consent.
The alleged behaviour affects millions of Australians with Google
mail and app accounts, and ACCC chair Rod Sims said the company had caused
“significant harm” with its privacy practices.
The upcoming Federal Court trial is expected to be closely watched
as regulators around the world increasingly crack down on the market power of
technology companies.
-----
https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/white-house-moves-to-weaken-twitter-facebook-s-legal-protections-20200728-p55g3t.html
White House moves to weaken Twitter, Facebook's legal
protections
By Todd Shields
July 28, 2020 — 9.42am
Washington:
The Trump administration pressed its offensive against online companies it
accuses of censoring conservatives, asking regulators to dilute a decades-old
law that social media giants such as Facebook, Twitter and Google say is
crucial to them.
The
Commerce Department on Monday asked the Federal Communications Commission to
write a regulation weakening protections laid out in Section 230, language in a
1996 law that protects online companies from legal liability for users' posts,
and for decisions to remove material.
The
request was called for in an executive order that President Donald Trump signed
in May. Tech trade groups, civil liberties organisations and legal scholars
have slammed the executive order, saying that it was unlikely to survive a
court challenge.
But
the petition renews attention on web companies ahead of an antitrust hearing in
Congress on July 29 that is scheduled to include chief executives of
Amazon.com, Facebook, Google parent Alphabet and Apple. The hearing concerns
competition online, and it may also include discussion of web posting
practices.
-----
https://ww2.health.wa.gov.au/Media-releases/2020/Clarification-of-reported-data-breach
20 July 2020
Clarification of reported data breach
Today
the Department of Health was alerted to a breach of confidential data
associated with the use of a third-party pager service.
The
Department of Health immediately contacted the vendor and asked that the paging
component of its service be ceased until the issue is addressed.
The
paging service provider has indicated their services have not been compromised
and is working with the telecommunications provider.
Patient
confidentiality is of utmost importance to the Department of Health, and it is
dismayed that confidential information may have made it into the public domain.
As
a result of the breach, the Department has also reviewed its own data systems,
and those of Health Support Services (HSS) – the shared service centre for the
WA health system.
The
Department and HSS can confirm that there has not been a breach of health data
sources. These systems remain secure.
ENDS
-----
https://techwireasia.com/2020/07/why-the-pandemic-will-boost-telehealth-services-across-asia-pacific/
Why the pandemic will boost telehealth services across
Asia-Pacific
By
Jia
Jen Low | 27 July, 2020
- The global telehealth market is predicted to reach US$55.6
billion by 2025
- Telehealth services can help advance the delivery of
healthcare in Asia-Pacific
As
the coronavirus pandemic rages across the globe, overstretched healthcare
bounded by social distancing measures is turning towards telehealth services to
curb the spread. Telehealth, as defined by
the World Health Organization (WHO), is the use of telecommunications and
virtual technology to deliver healthcare services out of traditional healthcare
facilities.
Telehealth
and telemedicine include “videoconferencing, transmission of still images,
e-health including patient portals, remote monitoring of vital signs,
continuing medical education, and nursing call centers.” The global telehealth
market is set to hit US$55.6 billion by 2025, based on MarketsandMarkets.
The
potential of telehealth services is tremendous in the Asia-Pacific region as
its diverse economies from South Korea to India are looking towards technology-inspired
solutions to deliver healthcare services.
For
nations such as Singapore, which is at the forefront of telehealth and
telemedicine, the pandemic provided a boost in the nation’s efforts to further
consolidate its telehealth infrastructure and systems. The nation saw the
growth of the telehealth services, especially in the context of the pandemic,
where convenience
and safety are the primary drivers.
-----
https://www.itnews.com.au/news/accc-takes-second-swing-at-google-for-allegedly-misleading-customers-550880
ACCC takes second swing at Google for allegedly
misleading customers
By Matt Johnston on
Jul 27, 2020 11:32AM
This time over expanded use of personal data.
The
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has again taken aim at Google
for allegedly misleading customers, this time in regards to the search giant’s
use of personal data.
The
case is the second attempt by the ACCC to take Google
to court in nine months after the watchdog claimed in October
last year that the company misled users about the way it collects, stores and
uses location data.
The
ACCC today launched fresh Federal Court proceedings against Google, alleging
the web giant misled users to obtain consent to expand its collection and use
of personal information to increase its ability to deliver targeted
advertising.
“We
are taking this action because we consider Google misled Australian consumers
about what it planned to do with large amounts of their personal information,
including internet activity on websites not connected to Google,” ACCC chair
Rod Sims said in a statement.
-----
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/facsimiles-telegrams-and-cassettes-nsw-s-outdated-language-and-laws-20200726-p55fl4.html
Facsimiles, telegrams and cassettes: NSW's outdated
language and laws
By Alexandra Smith
July 27, 2020 — 12.00am
Artificial
intelligence has been used to hunt down out-of-date laws and archaic words
still contained in NSW legislation as well as uncovering significant
duplication and overlap of many regulations.
A
new report commissioned by NSW Treasury found dozens of examples of language
more suited to the last millennium are still on the statute books, with some
dating back to the horse and cart era.
These
include multiple references to cassettes, facsimile machines and even telegrams.
The
report, Regulating
for NSW’s Future, was produced using an artificial intelligence and data
analytics tool, which also showed overlap and duplication was a major
unintended burden on business.
-----
https://insightplus.mja.com.au/2020/29/single-portal-electronic-medical-record-friend-or-foe/
Single portal electronic medical record: friend or foe?
Authored by
Joseph Ting
Issue 29 / 27 July 2020
CONTEMPORARY
Australian health care is complex, subspecialised and difficult to coordinate. Patients
live longer and incur a greater burden of illness and injury.
For
example, a typical patient with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus suffering
an acute myocardial infarction and gangrenous foot will require single acute
episode endocrinology, cardiology and vascular surgical expertise in an acute
care hospital.
Multispecialty
care at a single hospital requires seamless integration, made possible by the
timely awareness of what various clinicians are planning to do, enabled by an
electronic medical record (EMR) (here, and here). EMRs
are positive innovations that potentially reform
medical care to improve life and health outcomes.
An
EMR, with clinical management information able to be accessed by all clinicians
at the treating hospital, optimises interdependent care. Synchronised care for
the abovementioned calamitous threat could include a percutaneous coronary
stent followed by surgical foot debridement and diabetes education prior to
discharge from the ward.
-----
http://medicalrepublic.com.au/telehealths-ups-and-downs-for-mental-health-care/32124
27 July 2020
Telehealth’s ups and downs for mental health care
Mental Health Telehealth
Posted by Elizabeth
Pratt
One
hundred and forty-four years after the invention of the telephone, that magical
technology has at last been fully, officially integrated into our health
system.
It
may have taken a global pandemic to get telehealth services covered by Medicare
for the whole Australian population, but now that it’s here, experts say it
could transform approaches to health care, especially mental health care.
“We
should have done it 10 years ago but it’s great we’ve done it now,” Professor
Ian Hickie, co-director of Health and Policy and Professor of Psychiatry at the
University of Sydney, tells TMR. “There is an opportunity here for
transformative care.
“There
have been many, many barriers we have not been able to overcome with
traditional clinic-based services so now we have a real opportunity to make
progress. It provides contact and flexibility and opportunities that
traditional clinic based or real estate-based services don’t. Connecting with
people in their own time in their own place in ways that people often prefer.”
-----
https://itwire.com/government/internet-australia-says-flawed-encryption-bill-weakens,-not-protects,-australian-s-security.html
Monday, 27 July 2020 01:19
Internet Australia says flawed Encryption Bill weakens,
not protects, Australian's security
By David
M Williams
The
Assistance and Access Bill was passed in late 2018 but despite its nickname
"the encryption bill" it promotes insecurity and a dangerous global
precedent, says the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor.
Expecting Parliament to commence a review of the bill today, Internet Australia
calls for the INSLM recommendations to be accepted.
The
Joint Parliamentary Committee on Intelligence and Security is expected to
commence a review of the bill on Monday. The committee was due to meet in early
March but this was postponed due to the disruption caused by COVID-19.
Since
the legislation's release, the Independent National Security Legislation
Monitor has published its report recommending significant changes to the law to
keep Government powers in check and prevent increased damage to Australian
industry.
The
INSLM report draws upon submissions to the Government from Internet Australia.
“We raised concerns about secrecy, safeguards, the risks of backdoors, and the
impact on Australian industry, and they listened. We must be vigilant to ensure
well-intentioned measures to assist law-enforcement investigations do not
reduce security or privacy for the vast majority of legitimate and law-abiding
uses, or retard the ongoing development of future secure and trusted methods of
communication," said Dr. Paul Brooks, Chair of Internet Australia.
-----
https://www.theadvocate.com.au/story/6850170/ama-wants-tasmanian-hospital-records-done-digitally/
July 26 2020
- 5:21PM
AMA president Dr Helen McArdle says hospitals can't
share information digitally
Sue Bailey
It
is vital that outdated paper records in hospitals are replaced so patient
information can be shared quickly and digitally especially during COVID-19, the
Australian Medical Association says.
Labor
Braddon MHA Anita Dow wants the government to bring forward infrastructure
spending including the $35 million redevelopment of the Mersey Community
Hospital, and establishment of dedicated palliative care beds.
"The
government also promised to invest $6 million to build a new ambulance station
at Burnie but, to date, there appears to have been no progress on this
important project," Ms Dow said.
Health
Minister Sarah Courtney said the government was funding health at record levels
as well as providing additional funding to deal with the COVID-19 response.
-----
https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/health/1124533-australias-covid-19-response-digital-infrastructure-of-help-but-implementation-remains-a-challenge
Australia's COVID-19 response: Digital infrastructure
of help but implementation remains a challenge
Australia's
ongoing plans to upgrade its health information system helped by the Digital
Health Strategy seem even more practical due to the pandemic. But as evident
during the pandemic, administrative lapses and the complex matrix of power
between state and federal government could tarnish those plans.
COE-EDP | Updated: 25-07-2020 15:45 IST |
Created: 25-07-2020 15:45 IST
Reports have
claimed Australia's COVIDSafe app hasn't been able to identify any close
contacts of infected persons who had not already been found through manual
contact tracing. Image Credit: Twitter (@healthgovau)
Australia
has been lauded for its efficient response to COVID-19 which has helped the
country keep its total cases tally much below even the daily increase levels in
some of its developed counterparts. After hitting the daily peak of 460 cases
on March 28, Australia had managed to bring down daily cases to below 30 just a
month later. Since April 20, daily cases have been below that number albeit a
surge in late June which has raised concerns over a second wave reportedly
linked to lapses in the state of Victoria.
The
country recorded its first COVID-19 case on January 25, less than a month after
China had detected early cases of the then-unnamed virus. Australia was quick
to ban foreign travelers first from the epicenter Hubei and then from the whole
mainland China as cases rose. Australian citizens returning from China were
also required to self-isolate for 14 days.
-----
Comments more
than welcome!
David.
