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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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Digital Health Literacy: My Health Record Seminar (Bullsbrook)
Tue Sep 21, 2021 ADHA Propaganda
Date & Time
Tue Sep 21
2021 at 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
(Australian Eastern Standard Time)
Location
Bullsbrook Public Library, 3 Maroubra Avenue, Bullsbrook, Australia
Join Tim
Coghill of Technologically Speaking to get all your My Health Record questions
answered!
About this Event
Please note that this is a program for adults
and young people aged 16+.
What is My Health Record? How is your medical information used, and how can you make sure it's safe and secure? Get an introduction to the government's online health record management system and find out everything you've been wondering about My Health Record, including how to manage your online account. You'll be able to ask technology expert Tim Coghill your questions in this session - and enjoy a complimentary morning tea!
Library Lovers is a group for those who love to learn, connect with their local library community, and enjoy a cuppa and a chat. Sessions run at Bullsbrook Public Library every second Tuesday, from 10:30-11:30am.
In accordance with hygiene requirements, social distancing will be maintained throughout this program and hand sanitizing stations and cleaning products will be available for use.
Please book in as spaces are limited. For all inquiries contact Bullsbrook Public Library on (08) 9207 8989.
https://www.innovationaus.com/privacy-watchdog-concerned-about-covert-aspect-of-facebook-glasses/
Privacy watchdog concerned about ‘covert’ aspect of Facebook glasses
Ben Grubb
Editor
14 September 2021
Australian Privacy Commissioner Angelene Falk says she is “making enquiries with Facebook” about its new smart glasses, concerned about the potential for them to be used covertly.
The Commissioner also used the opportunity to comment on the glasses to reiterate her call for the country’s federal Privacy Act to be strengthened.
On Friday, Facebook and Ray-Ban unveiled a new line of $A449 smart glasses that enable wearers to capture photos and video and listen to music or take phone calls. Called Ray-Ban Stories, the glasses have two 5 megapixel cameras and three microphones, enabling up to 30 full-length 30-second videos or over 500 photos to be stored on them.
“I am concerned about products that have the potential to covertly collect personal and sensitive information about Australians without their awareness or consent,” Commissioner Falk said.
“While we have become accustomed to people using smart phones to take images in public places, photographing or filming people through a camera located in sunglasses can more easily occur without being obvious. It’s not clear what steps Facebook has taken to mitigate the impact on Australian’s privacy.”
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https://digitalhealth.org.au/blog/new-board-members-announced/
AIDH - New Board members announced
Sep 13, 2021 | AIDH news, Board
Following the AIDH 2021 AGM and on behalf of the AIDH Board we are pleased to announce the elections of Damian Green, Belinda Lange, Gillian Mason and Bettina McMahon following a competitive Board election process.
Damian Green FAIDH
Elected for a three year term
Deputy Director General, eHealth Queensland
Gillian Mason
Elected for a three year term
Clinical Research Assistant, Centre for Rehab Innovations
Bettina McMahon FAIDH
Elected for a three year term
CEO, HealthDirect
A/Prof Belinda Lange FAIDH
Elected for a one year term
Research Lead (Technology), Caring Futures Institute, Flinders University
To meet the AIDH Board, visit our leadership page.
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https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/digital-health-literacy-tickets-170238442765?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
Sep. 22
Digital Health Literacy
Free ADHA Propaganda
Event Information
Go digital, get healthy! Learn how to access your My Health Record and discover easy ways to find health information online.
About this event
Canning Libraries presents a session on My Health Record and Digital Health Literacy
Join us for a session on the My Health Record digitial portal, and learn about how to be 'health literate' in the digital age. In this session we will;
• Explore the My Health Record portal, including how to get started, how to navigate your record, and important features and benefits.
• Learn how to find and assess health information online.
• Discover ways your local library can assist with health information, and improving your overall digital literacy.
Eventbrite bookings essential.
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https://www.smh.com.au/technology/computers-will-conquer-your-face-20210917-p58sg4.html
Computers will conquer your face
By Farhad Manjoo
September 17, 2021 — 10.29am
It is difficult to avoid sounding vulgar, somehow, when discussing the future of facial computing. There is something inescapably crude, isn’t there, about the prospect of everyone walking around with computers on our faces?
And yet I suspect the world may adopt face computers anyway, and not long from now, perhaps even within the coming decade. People in tech have long been wondering what might succeed smartphones as the next dominant computing platform. For a long time I’ve thought that nothing would — that phones would remain our primary computers for the foreseeable future. In the past few months, though, I’ve begun to face the fact that our faces are … in trouble.
The face computer is coming — brace yourself for an onslaught of “smart” glasses, virtual-reality headsets and other devices that connect your eyes to the digital world.
So far there have been only a few such machines, most famously Google’s failed digital specs, Google Glass. Facebook and Ray-Ban recently unveiled camera-enabled sunglasses; Snap, which makes Snapchat, also has such a device. The sunglasses let you photograph life in the moment, from your eyes’ point of view; when you’re building sand castles at the beach with your kids, you can tap your specs to capture the memory while you’re living it rather than reaching for your phone with sandy fingers.
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NSW to trial facial recognition, geolocation app for home quarantine
By Justin Hendry on Sep 17, 2021 1:35PM
Adopts same technology as South Australia.
The NSW government will adopt a smartphone app that uses the same facial recognition and geolocation technology as South Australia for its home-based isolation pilot next month.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian revealed the planned trial on Friday that will involve 175 fully-vaccinated people, including a combination of NSW residents, non-Australian residents and Qantas air crew.
The pilot, which will be operated and monitored by NSW Health and NSW Police, will run over a four-week period in preparation for the opening of international borders as early as November.
Under the home quarantine pilot, the isolation period will be reduced from 14 to seven days, with the findings expected to inform future quarantine programs.
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What is My Health Record for Seniors Week @ Scottsdale Library
Thu Oct 14 2021 at 10:30 am to 11:30 am UTC+11:00 ADHA Propaganda
Scottsdale Library | Scottsdale
Publisher/Host Scottsdale Library
About this Event
The MyGov and My Health Record apps keep all of your health information together in one convenient place.
As this program is currently modified to meet public gathering restrictions, we have limited spaces available.
We ask that you please register here, or call your local library if you need help making a booking. If you are no longer able to make an event, please let us know so that others don’t miss out.
To help us deliver a successful program please...
• Register all participants on Eventbrite as we can’t allow walk-ins.
• Follow Physical distancing requirements. Please assist children with this.
• Practice good hygiene. We will provide sanitiser for you.
• Do not visit the library if you’re unwell
Thanks for your help. We look forward to seeing you.
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https://medicalrepublic.com.au/welcome-to-the-virtual-covid-ward/53830
16 September 2021
Remote monitoring keeps patients safe at home
As our national focus shifts away from covid-zero and toward “living with the virus”, we’re left with questions about how the hospital system will manage the increase in patients.
Virtual covid wards, where patients with milder symptoms are monitored at home, offer a shiny new solution to the issue.
But with covid patients prone to rapidly deteriorate without showing any outward distress – a phenomenon dubbed “happy hypoxia” – being able to quickly escalate care is also vital.
Given the highly infectious nature of the virus, in particular the Delta strain, clinicians have been particularly concerned about the potential for spread among vulnerable hospital inpatients.
These fears have been realised in the latest NSW outbreak, with fatal covid outbreaks at six Sydney hospitals since June 16.
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https://www.miragenews.com/important-changes-to-your-clinical-information-633118/
6 Sep 2021 10:32 am AEST
Important changes to your clinical information software you need to be aware of
Australian Medical Association
The Australian Digital Health Agency (the Agency) is upgrading the National Authentication Service for Health (NASH) authentication system to strengthen security when accessing digital health services.
These upgrades will provide enhanced security protection of healthcare information and ensure Australians can continue accessing digital health services safely and securely.
Organisations should upgrade their software to a NASH SHA-2 ready product by 13 March 2022 to continue to connect to the following digital health services:
· My Health Record
· Healthcare Identifiers (HI) Service
· Electronic Prescribing
· Secure Messaging
The Agency has been working with software providers since 2018 to establish their software readiness for NASH SHA-2 certificates. Some software providers will be ready in September 2021, others will need more time. Your software provider will communicate with you shortly about their software readiness for NASH SHA-2.
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Announcement – Cloud Healthcare Webinar Series
As you might
have seen, Wild Health have been planning the in-person Inaugural
Australasian Cloud Healthcare Summit, originally slated for August and then
October this year.
Given the current trajectory of lockdown in Sydney, Wild Health is again
postponing the summit to a date that is firmly beyond the whim of the virus and
our politicians. We don’t know when that will be yet but we will advertise when
we are confident we have a sensible date.
We think it is important to still hold the event live, as there is a lot in the
interaction we are attempting on the day with a mix of high level healthcare
provider and vendor delegates in the room.
Notwithstanding, we need to get on with some of the topics in the meantime as
some are emerging as very important for the next few years.
With this in mind, we are announcing three cloud healthcare webinars which will
be free to attend this year.
You can find more information and the registration page here.
Please email talia@medicalrepublic.com.au
with any questions.
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Government flags $10m for frontline digital healthcare research
Carrie LaFrenz Senior reporter
Sep 16, 2021 – 5.00am
The Morrison government is investing $10 million in research projects that use the latest digital and mobile technology to improve primary healthcare delivery.
Australian researchers can now apply for grants to undertake critical research through the $20 billion Medical Research Future Fund, which is designed to help develop ideas, make projects viable and improve medical care.
Two areas of primary healthcare research will be funded – testing and implementing new applications of existing wearable electronic devices, and examining new ways of delivering point-of-care testing, particularly for people in rural areas.
Enhanced access to technologies
While most patients in Australia can access pathology testing services, point-of-care testing has the potential to significantly enhance access to diagnostic technologies and clinical management models and to improve patient engagement, compliance and safety.
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Cyber attacks boom in pandemic
10:00PM September 14, 2021
Cyber crime is booming in the Covid pandemic, with a surge in serious attacks on health and hospital systems, and vulnerable Australians.
In its latest annual threat report, the Australian Cyber Security Centre said it received more than 67,500 cyber crime reports in 2020-21 – up 13 per cent on the previous year – with victim-reported losses topping $33bn.
The ACSC reported a 15 per cent spike in ransomware attacks, while a quarter of cyber security incidents were associated with critical infrastructure and essential services. It said hackers had “exploited the coronavirus pandemic environment” to target individuals with Covid-related “spear phishing” attacks to obtain personal information for fraudulent purposes.
The report said cyber criminals were likely to have been behind a surge in attacks demanding hospitals and health networks pay ransoms to get their data back.
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‘New battleground’: Cyber attackers targeting Australia’s health system
September 14, 2021 — 10.00pm
A cyber attack is being reported in Australia every 7.8 minutes as sophisticated hackers, including foreign governments, target the nation’s critical infrastructure and essential services such as hospitals, food distribution and electricity systems.
The wave of hacks last financial year included a significant ransomware attack against a Victorian public health service in March, which affected four hospitals and aged care homes and resulted in the postponement of elective surgeries.
Thousands of Australian businesses were hit the same month by a major cyber attack on Microsoft Exchange servers that Australia, the United States and others believe was sponsored by China’s Ministry of State Security.
The federal government will on Thursday release its second annual cyber threat assessment, revealing the Australian Cyber Security Centre received almost 67,500 reports last financial year, up 13 per cent on the previous 12 months.
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https://www.itwire.com/home-it/60-aussies-increasingly-digital-survey.html
Tuesday, 14 September 2021 15:48
60+ Aussies increasingly digital: survey
60-up Australians are following an increasingly digital lifestyle, according to a survey, and it's likely to stay that way post-pandemic.
Digital magazine app developer Readly and research firm YouGov looked at how COVID-19 has affected the seniors' lifestyle.
38% agreed that their lifestyle had become more digital, and 80% said they expected it to remain more digital post-pandemic. Only 6% expect to shift back to a less-digital way of life.
By comparison, 56% of people of all ages expect their current level of digitisation to continue, with 39% predicting they will do fewer things digitally.
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https://www.afr.com/politics/electronic-signatures-could-save-400m-a-year-20210913-p58rbh
Electronic signatures could save $400m a year
Jacob Greber Senior correspondent
Sep 14, 2021 – 5.00am
The use of electronic signatures and digital witnessing of documents – which has flourished under emergency pandemic rules – should be made permanent across the nation, according to a federal deregulation taskforce.
With more than 4.5 million deeds and 3.8 million statutory declarations signed each year by small and medium firms, the greater use of digital execution would save more than $400 million in direct cost and time wasted, it says.
As the pandemic struck last year, most jurisdictions allowed a wider use of electronic signatures and audio-visual verification of important documents. The changes would be a boon for lawyers and contract negotiators, and would accelerate trends that are already under way in sectors such as property.
Michael Pallier, from Sothebey’s International Realty in Sydney, was reported by The Australian Financial Review on Monday saying that contracts on homes were increasingly being signed through digital platforms such as DocuSign. “People don’t want to touch documents because of the virus,” he said.
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Digital border pass first step to allow vaccinated Australians to come and go
Updated September 13, 2021 — 6.35pmfirst published at 3.22pm
Personal information collected by a new digital border pass for international travel will be passed on to the states and territories for contact tracing and other health reasons as the federal government looks to rely on the technology to remove a ban on Australians leaving the country.
The Digital Passenger Declaration will apply to all travellers entering the country and will be introduced within months after international IT firm Accenture was awarded the tender, estimated to be about $75 million, to automate the process of entering the country.
The DPD will replace the physical Incoming Passenger Card and the digital COVID-19 Australian Travel Declaration form. It will collect personal information including passengers’ vaccination status up to 72 hours before boarding and provide the digital authority for vaccinated Australians to travel.
Passengers coming into Australia will be able to complete the DPD on their mobile device or computer.
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https://techwireasia.com/2021/09/australia-travel/
Will vaccine passports jumpstart Australia’s travel industry?
By Aaron Raj | 13 September, 2021
Australia’s travel industry was impacted just as badly as the rest of the world. With the world facing an unprecedented social and economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic, travel and tourism continue to face a massive decline in international demand amid travel restrictions, including the closure of international borders.
According to the UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, international tourist arrivals dropped by 85% from January to May 2021 compared to the same pre-pandemic year 2019, or 65% over 2020, as travel restrictions remained high due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Asia Pacific region continued to suffer the most significant decline, with a 95% drop in international arrivals in the first five months of 2021 over the same period in 2019. Europe (- 85%) recorded the second-largest decline in arrivals, followed by the Middle East (-83%) and Africa (-81%). The Americas (-72%) saw a comparatively smaller decrease.
With that said, international travel may be one of the last things to return to normalcy, especially with quarantine still mandatory in most countries. Whilst some countries are opening up for entry, visitors have to prove that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
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Cybersecurity: what are healthcare organisations missing?
Progress Software Pty Ltd
By John Yang, Vice President APJ, Progress
Monday, 13 September, 2021
The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) has recently released its new Notifiable Data Breaches report for the January to June 2021 period. And once again, health care is the most affected industry when it comes to data breaches.
According to the report, the Australian healthcare sector alone represented 19% of all breaches reported to the OAIC. Actually, health service providers, followed by the finance industry have consistently reported the most data breaches compared to other industry sectors since the NDB scheme began.
Those new stats come a few months after cybersecurity experts pointed out Australian hospitals were amongst the organisations that are most vulnerable to a new wave of ransomware attacks.
The examples are not lacking, as with Victoria’s second-largest public health service Eastern Health, which was targeted by a cyber attack forcing three major hospitals to postpone surgeries and shut down their IT systems.
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https://www.itwire.com/guest-articles/telehealth-statistics-market-and-use-cases.html
Friday, 10 September 2021 15:19
Telehealth Statistics: Market and Use Cases
Guest Opinion: Telehealth is known as the delivery and assistance of health and wellness services including health care, assistants and patient training, health information services, and telecommunications and digital communication technology.
Live video conferencing, mobile health applications, storage and forwarding, electronic transfers, and long-term patient monitoring are examples of technology used in Telehealth. According to a recent report by Frost & Sullivan, the global digital healthcare market is expected to reach $234 billion by 2023, up from $ 147 billion in 2019.
The explosive growth of telemedicine projects in 2020 was triggered by a ban on routine medical care, which was introduced at the end of March last year. The clinics themselves, deprived of the usual incoming financial flow, and patients with chronic diseases who were left without the support of a doctor were also under attack. Under these conditions, both sides began to try to establish communication with each other, and the most obvious solution was to replace face-to-face visits with remote consultations.
Telehealth is a multidisciplinary practice that broadens clinical benefits both for basic and non-critical conditions. Mostly, it's utilized to treat patients that are far off, unfit to come, individuals, who are dormant, paralyzed, or have persistent infections. However, an office without an accessible rescue vehicle team or other staff can repay with the assistance of telehealth.
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https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/vaccine-passports-another-federation-mishmash-20210909-p58q3f
Vaccine passports the latest casualty of our hopeless infighting
The great irony is that we have an app that could have done the job nationally – the much-maligned COVIDSafe app.
Phillip Coorey Political editor
Sep 9, 2021 – 8.00pm
Australia must be the only country in the world able to have a blazing row in the middle of a crisis about when and where the Prime Minister can do his job.
So angry and divided has the nation become that it spent two days this week mired in furore because the Prime Minister went home to Sydney at the weekend to see his kids, just as every other federal MP from NSW who had been stuck in Canberra for weeks and months was entitled to do.
No exemption was necessary for him to go home and none was granted. No law was broken nor circumvented.
The supposed crime was that Scott Morrison jetted back to Canberra on Monday for some meetings and the women’s safety summit, and that trip did require an exemption from the ACT government. He’s heading back home to Sydney later this week.
Whether Morrison exercised poor judgment is a subjective assessment, fuelled by perception rather than fact.
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https://www.nemics.org.au/page/improving_cancer_care/My_Cancer_Care_Record/Order_a_copy/
My Cancer Care Record
My Cancer Care Record is a resource that supports people affected by cancer to
store and record their medical and health-related information in one place.
It provides tips on questions and information to ask health professionals. It can also assist you to record specific details that you may be frequently asked and find hard to remember.
|
MY
CANCER CARE RECORD is not connected with, associated with, or endorsed by the |
The folder has eight key sections to help you organise your medical information.
Click on the relevant heading in the table below to find information and pages relating to that section:
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Comments more than welcome!
David.
