Quote Of The Year

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

or

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

Thursday, July 02, 2015

2016 Budget - Lots Of Money Saved Towards Budget - But Hospital Funding Still A Bone Of Huge Contention!

July  2  Edition
Budget Night was May 12, 2015.
Parliament has risen - the Government is very happy how things have gone so all is well with the world.
Sadly some global authorities are suggesting we lurk in a fool’s paradise. Others disagree so I guess only time will tell!
In reading about the state of our country one of the best places to start is the IMF who spend 2-3 weeks meeting with all sorts of experts, the Treasury and so on - off the record - and then report what they find - often to the annoyance of the Treasurer!
See here:

What the Treasury, not the Treasurer, really thinks

Date June 26, 2015

Michael Pascoe

BusinessDay contributing editor

Joe Hockey promised in the budget last month that we'd be roaring back to 3.25 per cent growth in 2016-17 and even stood by the silly assumption that we'd do 3.5 per cent for the two years after that. Photo: Andrew Meares
Ask not what the International Monetary Fund recommends for Australia, but what Australia recommends the IMF recommends. That was the most important aspect of an IMF official's sombre warning for our economy this week. It's a chance to find out what the Treasury and Reserve Bank really think.
Despite the attention we sometimes give the IMF, it doesn't give us much. Australia is not one of the countries it worries about – it doesn't devote many resources to guessing what's going on here because it largely trusts what the RBA and Treasury tell it. Note that's "Treasury", not "Treasurer".
To remain a high-growth country, to be the high-wage, high-productivity nation we can and should be, we'd have to become a lot smarter about what we do and perhaps bolder in how we go about it. 
What tends to happen for the IMF review of Australia's performance is someone visits for a couple of weeks, talks on a background basis to the Treasury and RBA boffins, as well as a few trusted souls from the states and private sector, and subsequently produces a report that doesn't stray far from the official family's view - especially if the official family first gets to review said report.
Colleague Peter Martin this week reported what the IMF visitor had to say after his fortnight of Down Under economist hobnobbing and before he writes the report. At least as important as what the IMF regional assistant director thinks of us is the extent to which his views are formed by what Treasury and the RBA really think.
Here is some of the recent other news and analysis.

General Budget Issues.

Abbott: Hockey is doing a great job selling the Budget

Chris Calcino | 22nd Jun 2015 6:05 AM
PRIME Minister Tony Abbott has praised his Treasurer Joe Hockey for his handling of the Federal Budget despite a recent spate of criticism.
"Now, Joe has copped a lot of crap lately, but since the budget, hasn't it changed!" Mr Abbott told the NSW Liberal Party state council conference," he said.
"Because what Joe has done is brought down the best budget ever for the small businesses of Australia - and didn't the small businesses of Australia finally deserve some recognition and reward.
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CBA: The budget stimulus is working to lift business spending

Greg McKenna Jun 23, 2015, 9:29 AM
The Commonwealth Bank has just released its latest Business Sales Indicator (BSI) and says there are early signs that Joe Hockey’s small business stimulus plan is working.
The bank said that the BSI, “which includes businesses such as Office Furniture, Commercial Equipment, Electrical Parts and Computers, and Computer Equipment and Software, recorded spending growth of 1.9 per cent in trend terms in May – the biggest rise since May 2012“.
In trend terms the move was a more reserved 0.8% in May, which is in line with the gains in March and April. But that still means “annual sales growth stood at 7.5 per cent, well above the decade average of 5.3 per cent,” the bank said.
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Joe Hockey putting Australia at risk: IMF

6:08pm, Jun 25, 2015
James Fernyhough
 Money Editor
The world’s neoliberal policeman has its doubts about Joe Hockey’s economic policy.
Joe Hockey has got it all wrong.
Rather than obsessing over getting back to surplus as soon as is humanly possible, he should be borrowing more money, raising the GST, and cutting tax concessions to the rich.
That, at least, is the view of the International Monetary Fund, the body that acts simultaneously as the world’s insurance policy and its economic policeman.
Following an official visit to Australia, the IMF said on Wednesday: “Australians have enjoyed exceptionally strong income growth for the last couple of decades. But the waning of the resource investment boom and the recent sharp fall in the terms of trade have brought this to a halt.”
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Anxiety rises despite friendly budget

The Abbott Government's attempt at a friendlier budget appears to be easing consumer anxiety around government policy, but has failed to offset growing fears about job security, according to a fresh data from National Australia Bank.
Consumer anxiety rose in the second quarter of the year as worries over job security and cost of living increased, offsetting falling concerns surrounding government policy after Joe Hockey handed down his second Federal Budget, NAB said.
The bank's consumer anxiety index increased to 63.5 points in the second quarter, up from a result of 6.18 in the first quarter, with anxiety levels rising in all surveyed categories except government policy.
NAB chief economist Alan Oster said Australians had responded positively to May's Federal Budget, with "a significant fall" in anxiety levels related to government policy.
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Job concerns and living costs dampen mood

Date June 25, 2015 - 3:21PM

Jason Cadden

Concerns about job security, health and spending power are now the main factors dampening confidence, and will likely drag down spending in the coming months, NAB chief economist Alan Oster said. Consumers are growing more anxious but this time it's not the government's fault.
Worries about job security and the cost of living are overshadowing a positive response to this year's business-friendly federal budget.
National Australia Bank's consumer anxiety index rose 1.7 points to 63.5 points in the June quarter, with anxiety up in all categories except government policy.
A year ago it was Joe Hockey's harsh spending cuts and charges such as the $7 Medicare co-payment fee that weighed on consumer confidence and spending.
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Hockey exhorts SMEs to “have a go” at the $20,000 asset write-off, as Gerry Harvey spruiks it as “Boxing Day sale” equivalent

Friday, 26 June 2015 2:05
Eloise Keating
Treasurer Joe Hockey is urging small businesses to open their wallets before next Tuesday in order to take advantage of his government’s $20,000 asset write-off scheme by the end of the financial year.
Hockey told Parliament during question time yesterday the government has so far saved the budget bottom line $14.2 billion as a result of passing a number of its budget measures through the House of Representatives and the Senate.
He said the progress means “small business can go out, have a go and give their employees a fair opportunity to participate in … wealth creation”. And Hockey said this weekend is the perfect time to have that go.
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Health Budget Issues.

3:42pm June 23, 2015

Abbott defends hospital reform proposal

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has called for a mature debate on the future of health system funding after a federal government discussion paper flagged handing responsibility for public hospitals to the states.
The option contained in a leaked document on Federation reform, held by the prime minister's office, has been slammed by state premiers.
It comes after other options to change school funding were leaked and then swiftly ruled out by the federal government on Monday.
Mr Abbott said officials in state and federal government departments had for months been discussing ideas for reform and many things would be considered and rejected during this process.

States blast leaked proposal for federal government to exit hospital funding

Discussion paper on federation reform raises option to leave $18bn in public hospital funding responsibilities to states
The states have slammed reports the federal government is considering leaving the funding of public hospitals to the states.
The option, contained in a leaked discussion paper on federation reform, could cost the states and territories $18bn a year.
It also comes after options to change school funding, including a means test on public school education, were leaked and then swiftly ruled out by the federal government.
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Private patients caught off guard with cheaper packages

Complaints about the private health insurance industry have been rising as customers are ­increasingly drawn to cheaper, basic-level policies, often unaware that they are not covered for a growing list of procedures.
Insurers including Medibank Private, HBF and NIB have ­recently launched new products that, with various exclusions and restrictions, appear to be tailored towards budget-conscious customers.
While the trend appears to be driven by rising premiums and government policy designed to encourage participation, private hospital operators are becoming concerned about its impact.
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Pharmacy Issues.

The price of Australia's most common medicines could soon be halved

Olivia Chang Jun 21, 2015, 10:58 AM
Australians could soon see the prices of some of its most common medicines halved under a new generic drug deal.
Pressure is mounting on the Senate to pass the legislation this week after Federal Health Minister, Sussan Ley, signed an $18.9 billion deal with the Pharmacy Guild and Generic Medicines Industry Association which could drop the prices of over 2,000 common prescription medicines.
Ley said that the focus should be on having “more affordable medicines for consumers” especially since “so many Australians now are suffering from chronic diseases”.
In particular, Ley pointed to medication for cholesterol and heart conditions which could drop to $10 per script for general patients.
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How Australia could save $320m a year on prescription drugs

Date June 22, 2015

Dan Harrison

Health and Indigenous Affairs Correspondent

Taxpayers could save $320 million a year by only paying for the best-value drug when cheaper drugs work just as well as more costly ones, according to a report by a former federal health department head.
The Grattan Institute report, by health program director and former top bureaucrat Stephen Duckett and Grattan health fellow Peter Breadon, evaluates the effectiveness of therapeutic price premiums, a policy which is supposed to make patients pay the difference between an expensive drug and its cheaper equivalent. One aim of the policy is to put pressure on drug companies to drop their prices to reduce the risk of patients switching from their drug to a less costly equivalent.
But the pair argue that while the idea behind the policy is good, it is "broken" in Australia because the scheme covers too few drugs, premiums charged are too small, and patients are often unaware of whether their drug attracts a premium.
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PBS reforms passed by Senate

23 June, 2015 Chris Brooker
It’s all systems go for the Sixth Community Pharmacy Agreement after the Senate today passed the government’s PBS reform package.
The government had tied the 6CPA to the passage of its reform bill, meaning it needed to be passed by 30 June – the expiry date of the Fifth Agreement.
The reform bill passed today, with two more sitting days left before that date, after the Greens and Labor supported the bill.
While key CPA items like location rules are now protected for the life of the agreement, the controversial ‘optional’ pharmacy co-payment discount of up to $1 per script is also now law.
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Pharmacy deal clears parliament

  • AAP
  • June 23, 2015 5:45PM
Some medicines could become cheaper after the government's multi-billion dollar deal with pharmacists cleared parliament.
A bill to implement the sixth community pharmacy agreement passed the Senate with Labor and Greens support on Tuesday, seven days before the previous five-year agreement ran out.
The $18.9 billion deal, signed off with the Pharmacy Guild of Australia in May, allows 5450 community pharmacies to continue dispensing medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
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Ley abandons strategic agreement, Medicines Australia disappointed

Medicines Australia says it is “extremely disappointed” with a last-minute decision by Health Minister Sussan Ley to abandon a Strategic Agreement, which it says casts a shadow over the future stability of the local medicines industry and also puts patient safety at risk.

The purpose of the Agreement was to provide a level of stability and clarity for the local medicines industry in return for supporting a $6.6 billion savings package of which $4.2 billion was to directly impact its members, Medicines Australia says.
Medicines Australia put forward a proposed Strategic Agreement which met all aspects of the Letter of Intent signed by the Health Minister on 27 May.
Medicines Australia says it had also offered to work with the Government on patient safety concerns which will allow the substitution of biosimilar medications by pharmacists without, it says, appropriate evidence that this is safe and without the consent of a patient’s GP or clinician.
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7 things you need to know about the new PBS bill

24 June, 2015 Michael Woodhead
The Senate has passed a PBS bill that promises to reduce the price of some medications and lock in the agreements for the 6th Community Pharmacy Agreement.
Here are some of the main points of the National Health Amendment (Pharmaceutical Benefits) Bill 2015:
1.       A 5% price cut for patented (F1) medicines from 1 April 2016
2.       Extension of price disclosure to further drive down price of medications from 1 October 2016
3.       Pharmacists allowed to discount PBS co-payment by $1 from 1 Jan 2016 (Patients take longer to reach PBS safety net)
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Australians forced to wait 15 months for new drugs vs US & Europe: Report

Australian patients are being forced to wait up to 15 months longer to access the latest breakthrough medicines than in the US or Europe because drug companies are delaying bringing them down under, a new landmark report has revealed.
25 June 2015

Australian patients are being forced to wait up to 15 months longer to access the latest breakthrough medicines than in the US or Europe because drug companies are delaying bringing them down under, a new landmark report has revealed.

The independent review of the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s (TGA) medicines and medical devices regulatory framework – released today – finds Australia’s safety regulator had one of the most efficient and consistent approval processes in the developed world.
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Reforms to fast-track access to new drugs

Sean Parnell

Australians would have faster access to certain new drugs and devices under a reform blueprint that would require local regulators to focus more on post-market monitoring and surveillance.
A government-commissioned review has found the Therapeutic Goods Administration was well-regarded internationally — more so for its handling of drugs than devices — but in need of reforms to cope with the “rapid pace of innovation and change”.
A three-speed regulatory system has been proposed to ensure new drugs with sufficient overseas approvals, or unique requirements, are fast-tracked on to the Australian market. The channels for generic drugs and biosimilars — which have a different composition than patented drugs but similar effects — would be two-speed, again with those products sufficiently assessed overseas given expedited approval.
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Drug regulation overhaul

A government-appointed review panel has recommended sweeping changes to the TGA, including fast-tracking authorisations for some drugs and rubber-stamp approval for those approved in similar jurisdictions.
The Review of Medicines and Medical Devices Regulation examined the TGA’s regulatory framework and processes with a view to identifying areas of unnecessary red tape and opportunities to streamline the regulatory framework.
The reviewers say the TGA generally works well and does not suffer from excessive red tape by international standards.
It takes 391 days to approve a new drug on average, compared with 478 days for EU regulators and 304 days for the FDA.
Among its 32 recommendations, the review panel suggests that new drugs and generics be given automatic TGA approval — subject to local conditions — if the manufacturers could show they had already gained approval in a similar jurisdiction.
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It is going to be very interesting to see what happens to the polls and consumer confidence over the next 2-3 months - especially if we see the Senate continuing to knock back some saving as is seeming likely!
Enjoy.
David.

Wednesday, July 01, 2015

This Can Only Be Good News For Those Who Hope E-Health Can Make A Widespread Difference!

This appeared last week.

The rise of the ‘GranTechie’: closing the generational gap

June 22, 2015
nbn research reveals 35 per cent of grandparents use video calling apps to keep in-touch with their grandchildren. Move over Millennials and watch out GenZ, Aussie grandparents are some of the fastest growing tech users in the country.
Latest research, commissioned by nbn, the company building Australia’s broadband network, identifies a new wave of ‘GranTechies’ – grandparents who are embracing fast broadband and smart devices to form deeper connections with their family and loved ones.
Key findings include:
  • The majority of Aussie grandparents surveyed, use the internet to connect with their children (76 per cent), grandchildren (59 per cent) and other family members (72 per cent).*
  • Grandparents are increasingly using high-bandwidth video calling applications such as FaceTime or Skype to stay in-touch with their grandchildren (35 per cent), while more than half are using Facebook (61 per cent) and email (90 per cent) to connect with their children.*
  • Over two thirds (84 per cent) of grandparents who are using the internet to communicate with their family are doing so on a weekly basis.
  • Smartphone users aged 55 and over are the fastest growing segment in Australia, increasing by 28 per cent in the last 12 months. Similarly, tablet users aged 65 and over are the second fastest growing demographic and have increased by 46 per cent in the last 12 months.
  • More than half of grandparents surveyed (62 per cent) agreed using the internet has made them feel more connected, helping them overcome feelings of loneliness and social isolation (41 per cent).
Nan Bosler, President of the Australian Seniors Computer Clubs Association said: “We are seeing more and more Aussie Grandparents embrace social media and video calling applications to be present for special family milestones, such as a grandchild’s first steps or distant relative’s birthday.
More here:
Note: I assume nbn is what we all still know as the NBN!
Now if we can only fix the retirement income system so they can all afford the Internet at reasonable speeds we will be almost there!
David.

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

This Article Was Going Reasonably Well Until I Arrived At The Last Paragraph.

This appeared a few days ago:

Melbourne doctors take on Dr Google with new medical website Health&

  • Brigid O’Connell
  • Sunday Herald Sun
  • June 28, 2015 12:15AM
IF you turn to Dr Google more often than your GP, the antidote may have been found.
A new website, curated by a board of prominent Melbourne doctors, aims to strip Dr Google of its stethoscope once and for all, with animations and verified information on more than 400 health conditions.
The website, being launched on Sunday by Melbourne start-up Health&, presents topics on the risks of medical tourism and why babies refuse to eat, to the causes of headaches and treating anaphylaxis.
Chair of the project’s advisory board Leon Piterman, Professor of General Practice at Monash University, said while patients had access to more health information than ever, it often lacked the context or personalisation to make it useful.
“The danger of Dr Google is the same danger as trying to self-diagnose or self-manage in any circumstance,” Prof Piterman said.
 “People can get unnecessarily anxious about the symptoms they’ve got.
 “What they need is validated and simply presented information, which can be supplemented with what the doctor says in relation to their specific symptoms.”
…..
The next stage of the website will require an annual subscription, where it becomes a quasi e-health record platform for storing health information and tracking lifestyle changes.
The full article is found here:
(Paywalled)
The bold paragraph really makes me anxious. Anyone who thinks such a pay-walled site of this sort would be a success either knows something I don’t know or doesn’t  know what they don’t know. I would strongly suspect the latter. I really hope they get some expert e-Health advice before they spend too much money.
The only way you ever see portals of this making a difference is where they are linked to a really service provider that the patient is already engaged with and wants to use their services.
Here is the link to the site for you to browse:
David.

Monday, June 29, 2015

Weekly Australian Health IT Links – 29nd June, 2015.

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

A quiet week with lots of activity in the private sector. Will be interesting to see what the new Financial Year brings and if we see any sensible activity from the Federal Government.
I guess the mid-winter parliamentary pause may see everything just slow down.
It is rather a worry that out broadband still keeps on slowing down!
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Edwin Kruys: e-Health hurdles

Edwin Kruys
Monday, 22 June, 2015
BILL Gates once said “your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning”.
It seems the Australian Government has understood this message, as it is now considering major legislative changes to the personally controlled electronic health record (PCEHR) system.
This is good news.
The Department of Health has invited public comments and submissions (the closing date is this week, on 24 June).
Doctors and patients are often confused about the rules regarding the collection, use and disclosure of information on a PCEHR.
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Pathology lab data mining finds FH patients

Michael Woodhead | June 25, 2015
Australia's low diagnosis rates for familial hypercholesterolaemia may be overcome by a new pathology lab data mining program that identifies and flags high-risk patients to GPs.
Early trials in a Perth lab show that patients at high risk of FH can be identified by a program that analyses the clinical data in lipid testing requests for risk factors such as elevated LDL and family history of cardiovascular disease.
The findings can then be passed on to GPs via interpretive comments on test results, according to researchers from St John of God Pathology and the University of WA.
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Melbourne doctors take on Dr Google with new medical website Health&

  • Brigid O’Connell
  • Sunday Herald Sun
  • June 28, 2015 12:15AM
A new website, curated by a board of prominent Melbourne doctors, aims to strip Dr Google of its stethoscope once and for all, with animations and verified information on more than 400 health conditions.
The website, being launched on Sunday by Melbourne start-up Health&, presents topics on the risks of medical tourism and why babies refuse to eat, to the causes of headaches and treating anaphylaxis.
Chair of the project’s advisory board Leon Piterman, Professor of General Practice at Monash University, said while patients had access to more health information than ever, it often lacked the context or personalisation to make it useful.
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Nib self-reports privacy incident to OAIC

Personal details were accessible online by other Nib customers confirms health insurer
Private health insurer Nib has a confirmed an online privacy incident involving the personal details of a number of its customers.
A Nib spokesperson said that it has conducted analysis of an incident whereby Nib’s customer portal displayed incorrect customer information.
"The incident occurred between 10.33AM -11.35AM this morning, and after identifying the cause of the incident, Nib disabled the service immediately. There were 329 customers who accessed online services during this time. Any customer who did not access online services between this time were not impacted,"
The spokesperson said it is currently attempting to contact all affected customers by telephone this afternoon.
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The rise of the ‘GranTechie’: closing the generational gap

June 22, 2015
nbn research reveals 35 per cent of grandparents use video calling apps to keep in-touch with their grandchildren. Move over Millennials and watch out GenZ, Aussie grandparents are some of the fastest growing tech users in the country.
Latest research, commissioned by nbn, the company building Australia’s broadband network, identifies a new wave of ‘GranTechies’ – grandparents who are embracing fast broadband and smart devices to form deeper connections with their family and loved ones.
Key findings include:
  • The majority of Aussie grandparents surveyed, use the internet to connect with their children (76 per cent), grandchildren (59 per cent) and other family members (72 per cent).*
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Google wristband could give doctors constant stream of patient data

The device is designed for use in medical settings and won't be geared toward consumers looking to track fitness activities
Google has developed a medical-grade wearable device that can stream patient data like pulse and heart rate to doctors.
Google has created a health-tracking wristband that could give health care professionals real-time information on the well-being of their patients.
The wearable can measure a patient's pulse, activity level, skin temperature and heartbeat rhythm. It's also able to monitor light levels and light exposure. This data could be used to learn more about patient behavior outside of the hospital and better treat ailments, Google said Tuesday. For example, data showing that a person isn't moving around frequently or spending limited time outdoors could indicate illness, Google said.
Don't expect to use the device to track sleeping patterns or count steps. Unlike consumer-focused health and fitness wearables and smartwatches, Google's "cardiac and activity sensor" device is designed for medical settings, the company said.
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Can wearable fitness trackers take control of your life?

Date June 22, 2015

Rikke Duus and Mike Cooray

Women reported that if they weren't wearing their Fitbit they felt "naked" and activities they completed seemed wasted.
You no longer have to look to science fiction to find the cyborg. We are all cyborgs now. Mobile phones, activity trackers, pacemakers, breast implants and even aspirins all act as biological, cognitive or social extensions and enhancements of our bodies and minds. Some have even predicted that human beings as we know them will be replaced by technically enhanced, god-like immortal beings within 200 years. Or at least rich people will.
The next generation of wearable technology is set to take us one step closer to this predicted future. We are now looking at a future of bionic, data-rich and in-body technologies that may forever change what it means to be human.
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'We need accountability': Security firm warns that we needs mandatory data breach disclosure laws

Date June 22, 2015

Brendan Foster

Reporter

Cyber security firm FireEye says the Abbott government needs to introduce mandatory data breach disclosure laws sooner rather than later after more than 30,000 iiNet customers had their passwords hacked.
Fairfax Media recently reported that an anonymous hacker was selling or trading a database of Westnet, a WA-based internet service provider that was acquired by iiNet in 2008.
Australian and New Zealand regional director at FireEye, Phil Vasic, said breaches in Australia are common, but disclosing them are not.
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25 June 2015

Does baby snore like dad?

Babies who snore are widely under diagnosed according to Australian researchers investigating less costly and more effective methods of identifying sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (SAHS) in infants.
A joint study conducted by electrical engineering researchers working at both Western Sydney and Sydney universities looked at the combined use and applicability of two minimally invasive sensors, electrocardiogram (ECG) and pulse oximetry as an early detection method of SAHS – a  respiratory condition experts estimate can affect up to 4 percent of infants.
Sleep-related breathing disorders in infants and young children have been linked to several negative developmental effects, such as cognitive impairment, depression, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder says Gregory Cohen from University of Western Sydney (UWS) and Philip de Chazal professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Sydney.
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HealthEngine announces one millionth booking

HealthEngine has reaffirmed its place as Australia’s largest online GP booking system, announcing a major milestone - its one millionth online booking.
The booking was made at Gap Road Medical Centre in Sunbury, Victoria.
As digital technology advances exponentially, the need to adopt technology to help meet the challenges is accelerating.
In June 2012, 4,000 bookings had been made on HealthEngine. Three years later, this has increased to 1,000,000 bookings and a health appointment is booked every 20 seconds compared to every  2.5 hours in 2012.
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Better outcomes with robotic-assisted surgery

ROBOTIC-assisted cardiac surgery significantly reduces median length of stay in hospital, complications and mortality compared with non-robotic surgery, a US study has found. The research, published in JAMA Surgery, used national data to compare the results of patients who underwent cardiac operations involving the valves, septa and vessels, as well as other heart and pericardium procedures. They identified 1 374 653 cardiac cases between 2008 and 2011, which included 0.4% that were robotic assisted. The authors matched each robotic-assisted case with two non-robotic cases based on 14 patient characteristics. During the study period, the use of robotic-assisted surgery increased from 0.057% in 2008 to 0.390% in 2011.
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Australian broadband ranking slips – again

Australia has dropped two spots, to a lowly 47th position, in average peak connection speeds. But we do better in our overall average– we remain in 42nd position.
Content delivery provider Akamai has delivered its latest quarterly ‘State of the Internet’ report, which had become a widely used global benchmark of relative connection speeds between countries.
Australia continues to perform poorly. While the Government continues to struggle with the implementation of its so-called ‘multi-technology mix’ broadband’, more and more countries are adopting fibre to the premises and moving past us.
Australia is down to 50th position globally in terms of broadband connectivity above 4Mbps, down a massive six positions in only a quarter. Things are getting better – slowly – in absolute terms, but in relative terms we just keep getting worse.
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Pexip powers Telstra Health's MyCareManager portal

Thursday 25 June 2015 | 09:38 CET | News
Pexip announced that its Infinity video-conferencing platform is powering Telstra Health's MyCareManager. Recently launched in Australia, the integrated eHealth platform supports disability, community, and residential age care providers to deliver care from a distance. Powered by the Pexip Infinity platform, the platform leverages tools such as video-conferencing to provide clients with an intuitive face-to-face experience.
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  • 27 June 2015 21:06

The Mobile Healthcare (mHealth) Bible Market estimates further Growth at a CAGR of nearly 40% By The End of 2020

Market Research Store has uploaded latest Report on "The Mobile Healthcare (mHealth) Bible 2014 to 2020" Technologies, Applications, Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies, Industry Verticals and Forecasts" in their database, At Market Research Store, we have market research reports from competent publishers.
With more than 7 Billion mobile network subscriptions worldwide, the mobile communications sector is rapidly gaining traction from a diverse range of vertical sectors. Healthcare is no exception to this trend.
As healthcare providers seek to maximize their patient outreach while minimizing costs, many view mobile healthcare (or mHealth) as the solution to improve healthcare cost-efficiency. mHealth refers to the usage of mobile communications technology & devices to enhance access to healthcare information, improve distribution of routine and emergency health services and provide diagnostic services.
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Australian Medicines Terminology (AMT) providing benefits to healthcare providers and users

Created on Friday, 26 June 2015
Recent deployment of Australian Medicines Terminology (AMT) as a component of Electronic Medications Management (eMM) systems at hospitals in Victoria, Tasmania and at Sydney Adventist Hospital has resulted in a number of benefits.
An enabling solution that overcomes fragmentation of medicine documentation through common clinical terminology, AMT is authored, maintained and distributed by NEHTA. Australian Medicines Terminology is a key element of the national eHealth foundations.

IHTSDO forming new Advisory Groups

Created on Tuesday, 23 June 2015
The International Health Terminology Standards Development Organisation (IHTSDO) is forming seven new Advisory Groups to conduct specific activities that will contribute to the fulfilment of the Management Team’s responsibilities or the organization’s mandate. The Advisory Groups will be chaired by Management Team members and will be agile in nature, given the changing needs and direction of the organization.
The seven Advisory Groups are:
  1. Content Managers Advisory Group
  2. E-Learning Advisory Group
  3. Modeling Advisory Group
  4. SNOMED CT Editorial Advisory Group
  5. Software Developers Advisory Group
  6. Terminology Release Advisory Group
  7. Tooling User Advisory Group
Descriptions of these groups and their Terms of Reference are available at http://www.ihtsdo.org/participate/join-an-advisory-group/
The deadline for nominations is Friday 14 August 2015. Self-nominations are welcome.
To apply, please go to http://tinyurl.com/ou9xyn7
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Your world in your pocket: Hi-tech devices shrink to tiny sizes

Chris Griffith

The year is half over and we’ve seen a mountain of gadgets. Apple Watch and wearables generally; virtual reality viewers; 3-D printers that are also scanners; drones; the explosion of the ultra-high-definition format (4K) for televisions and gaming; incredible high-resolution screens on phones; faster mobile networks — the list goes on.
In terms of impact, Elon Musk’s Powerwall lithium-ion battery unit takes the cake. It stores renewable energy locally. Powerwall units are already sold out until mid-next year.
Meanwhile, the nanotechnology revolution continues. Computer components are even tinier. For example, a computer graphics card for gamers released this month by chipmaker AMD has 8.5 billion transistors. It means you can buy a fast, high-end computer that fits in your pocket, complete with one terabyte of storage, with a low-power central processing unit and large yet cheaper solid state drives. Lower power means less heat generated, less ventilation needed, hence less space.
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Enjoy!
David.

Sunday, June 28, 2015

The PCEHR Automatic Opt In Trial Might Become A Rather Messy And Complicated Business.

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a blog on the proposed Opt-In/Out PCEHR Trails.
You can read this and the 26 comments here:
Thinking a little more about all this the messier it seems this will all be.
To me there are some really interesting issues - and remember just how mobile Australians are -are around choosing and then keeping track of the trial population.

Either it will have accepted that, at best, most of the individuals in an area will be opted out - or everyone in the area will need to be tracked in some hopefully inexpensive and effective way. Frankly option 1 is the only feasible approach so we will start with a trial that will be compromised to some extent.
Another interesting issue is being able to actually get in touch with every citizen, explain to them what is happening, and make sure that they do not want to be opted out. I can just see the ruckus that flows if people don’t understand what the letter or whatever from the Government means, only to find a record exists and has contents they are simply not happy with.
An associated problem is going to be how a clinician, in an opted-in area, handles access to the patient record when the patient actually did not know the record existed (It was Government mail and they just threw it out - and so on). There might be a legion of startled doctors and patients with all this.
The purpose of all this is to ask what readers think will be the biggest issues that the conduct of the proposed trials. I have suggested a few here and a few weeks ago. What do you think are going to be the stumbling blocks? and while typing how long do you think the trials should run and how should they be evaluated?
David.

AusHealthIT Poll Number 276 – Results – 28th June, 2015.

Here are the results of the poll.

Do You Have Confidence In The Senior Leadership of the Federal Department of Health e-Health Branch?

Yes 3% (4)

No 94% (108)

I Have No Idea 3% (3)

Total votes: 115

This has to be also one of the clearest vote ever. Virtually no one who reads here thinks the Government Departmental leadership of E-Health is up to scratch. They clearly aren't, should admit they have failed and go to work somewhere a long way from e-Health!

Good to see such a great number of responses!

Again, many, many thanks to all those that voted!

David.