It Seems That Patients All Over Really Are Not Wanting To Browse Their Electronic Medical Records Very Often.

This appeared last week:

National hospital data shows patients not accessing EHRs

By Greg Slabodkin

December 16, 2019, 12:05 a.m. EST

While more than 95 percent of patients discharged from hospitals were able to view, download and transmit their electronic health records, just 10 percent actually used the information, according to national hospital data.

A study published in the journal Health Affairs leveraged nationwide data from 2,410 hospitals and found that patient use of EHRs was disproportionately low across all hospital types—although access rates were highest among system-member, teaching and for-profit hospitals.

 “In contrast, access rates were lower for hospitals in the highest quartile for disproportionate share hospital status and for hospitals located in counties with high proportions of residents who were dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid; use rates were lower for hospitals in counties with a high proportion of residents who were dually eligible, lacked computer or internet access or were Hispanic,” state the study’s authors.

Researchers from Portland State University and the University of California San Francisco contend that policy efforts have failed to engage a large proportion of patients in the use of their EHR data or to bridge the “digital divide” that is associated with healthcare disparities.

More here:

https://www.healthdatamanagement.com/news/national-hospital-data-shows-patients-not-accessing-medical-records

Here is the abstract:

Are Patients Electronically Accessing Their Medical Records? Evidence From National Hospital Data

Sunny C. Lin

Courtney R. Lyles

Urmimala Sarkar

Julia Adler-Milstein

PUBLISHED: November 2019 No Access

https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2018.05437

Abstract

Substantial policy effort has been directed at improving patients’ ability to access and use electronic health records. Using nationwide data from 2,410 hospitals for the period 2014–16, we examined associations between patient- and hospital-level characteristics and access to and use of electronic health record data among discharged patients. On average, hospitals gave 95 percent of discharged patients access to view, download, and transmit their information, but only about 10 percent of those with access used it—levels that were stagnant during the study period. Access rates were highest among system-member, teaching, and for-profit hospitals. In contrast, access rates were lower for hospitals in the highest quartile for disproportionate share hospital status and for hospitals located in counties with high proportions of residents who were dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid; use rates were lower for hospitals in counties with a high proportion of residents who were dually eligible, lacked computer or internet access, or were Hispanic. Overall, our findings suggest that policy efforts have failed to engage a large proportion of patients in the electronic use of their data or to bridge the “digital divide” that accompanies health care disparities. Additional—possibly targeted—policy incentives, as well as higher thresholds for meeting the requirements of the Promoting Interoperability Program, merit policy makers’ consideration.

Here is the link:

https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2018.05437

Basically, as we are seeing in Australia from the blog of the 22^nd December, 2019 the plans to engage the public with the health via EHRs do not appear to work at all well – especially for the cost of billions of dollars.

A fundamental rethink would seem to be warranted – evidence-based policy and all that you know!

David.

The Recovery Of Victorian Hospitals From Malware Seems To Be Taking A While.

This appeared on Saturday las week:

Victoria vows ransoms from cyber criminals will be ignored as battle to access hospital data continues

Alex White, Exclusive, Sunday Herald Sun

December 21, 2019 9:00pm

Subscriber only

Hackers demanding hundreds of thousands of dollars in ransoms have infiltrated government computer systems in Victoria.

The Sunday Herald Sun can ­reveal ransomware has infiltrated several government agencies since July last year.

Statewide there is one cyber ­attack on government bodies every 45 seconds. But the names of those targeted remains secret.

Government cyber security principal adviser David Cullen said cyber criminals had demanded tens of thousands of dollars to hundreds of thousands — usually to be paid in bitcoin.

 “I want to stress the point, during our response we do not ever consider paying a ransom,” Mr Cullen said.

“We don’t want organisations paying ransoms either. The statistics prove that there is no guarantee of getting your data back. The second point here is paying ransom puts money into the hands of criminals.

“Instead of paying a ransom, we would rather see organisations spend the money on improving their cyber security.”

The security of Victoria’s computer systems has come under the spotlight following a damaging ransomware attack on hospitals in September in Gippsland and Geelong. The state’s “paramedic cyber team” received a ransom note during the ordeal but refused to negotiate. Some of the network and data affected still cannot be accessed.

More here:

https://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/news/national/victoria-vows-ransoms-from-cyber-criminals-will-be-ignored-as-battle-to-access-hospital-data-continues/news-story/fe6c5cf60bea1f755de9c564c53c88f7

The original attack(s) and aftermath were described here:

https://aushealthit.blogspot.com/2019/10/it-seems-these-malware-attacks-can-be.html

This all started over three months ago. One does wonder just how poorly these institutions were prepared to have it take this long to restore services as the article implies. Any one know more from on the ground?

David.

Happy Christmas And A Great 2020!

To all who bother reading here - have a great holiday season.

I hope you can all avoid the numerous disasters that seem to be surrounding us at present and spend a safe and peaceful time with those you love.

David.

Commentators and Journalists Weigh In On Digital Health And Related Privacy, Safety And Security Matters. Lots Of Interesting Perspectives - December 24, 2019.

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This weekly blog is to explore the larger issues around Digital Health, data security, data privacy, AI / ML. technology 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 dated 6 December, 2018! Secrecy unconstrained! This is really the behaviour of a federal public agency gone rogue – and it just goes on! When you read this it will be well over 12 months of radio silence, and better still the CEO, COO and the Chief of Staff have also gone.  I wonder will things improve now?

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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https://www.acrrm.org.au/rural-and-remote-medicine-resources/my-health-record-for-rural-and-remote-clinicians

My Health Record for Rural and Remote Clinicians

ADHA Propaganda

As part of ACRRM’s ongoing commitment to supporting its members use of digital health, this webpage has been developed to provide detailed information and educational resources to better use the My Health Record. The following contains a brief commentary on the benefits of the My Health Record from the current ACRRM president, Dr Ewen McPhee.

New features in My Health Record

Improvements in functionality are being made to the Commonwealth’s My Health Record system since it was introduced in 2012. These enhancements include new views of patient information to help medical practitioners obtain health information about a patient’s health status in a timely manner. 

New functionality:

• A medicines information view 
• A pathology and diagnostic imaging summary view

Education

To learn more about how My Health Record can assist rural clinicians to deliver better care, access our online course Digital Health in Rural and Remote Australia - Better Health, Easier to Deliver.

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https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/asd-gave-uni-advance-notice-of-hacker-attack/news-story/ffd7f37cc46cf77bf9a047cfbebf8f6f

ASD ‘gave uni advance notice of hacker attack’

Joe Kelly

·         11:32PM December 20, 2019

The Australian Signals Directorate responded to 1097 “cyber ­incidents”, including breaches of classified government networks, over a three-year period, triggering calls from MPs to strengthen efforts to protect ­official information from foreign actors.

The security agency has also revealed that it alerted the ANU to the prospect of malicious cyber threats before the November 2018 hack in which an unauthorised actor gained access to the university’s network along with nearly two decades of student records.

The nature of the ASD ­response to the 1097 cyber incidents from 2015 to last year varied and ranged from “telephone ­conversations through to deployment of staff resources and tools to assist in mitigating the ­incident”.

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https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/in-a-troubling-first-ai-employed-in-mass-online-influence-campaign-20191221-p53m29.html

In a troubling first, AI employed in mass online influence campaign

By Tony Romm and Isaac Stanley-Becker

December 21, 2019 — 9.05am

Washington: Facebook and Twitter on Friday disabled a global network of hundreds of fake accounts that pushed pro-Trump messages and covered its tracks using inauthentic photos generated with the aid of artificial intelligence.

The use of AI to trick social media companies, deceive unsuspecting users and essentially create people who do not exist marked a major, troubling new development, according to disinformation researchers, who expressed fresh alarm that such tactics could have implications for the 2020 presidential election.

The tech giants' takedown targeted the BL, a US-based media company that Facebook linked to Epoch Media Group. The organisation has criticised the Chinese government, and it has ties to the Falun Gong, a Chinese spiritual movement.

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https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=3f0c2427-242b-4299-81d9-bff80740161c

What’s App? - End of Year Round-up on mHealth App Developments

Mason Hayes & Curran

An Irish Times special report estimates that over seven million patients worldwide are actively using digital health apps as part of their care plan. The availability of remote and mobile healthcare solutions relating to fitness, wellbeing, health and medical treatment could be life-changing for those living in countries lacking easy access to medical care.

Advantages of mHealth apps include streamlining the exchange of health information and a better user experience. From a data perspective, apps can use big data to analyse unstructured data and identify patterns and environmental factors that will improve patient treatment.

Government adoption

With this in mind, many governments are encouraging the uptake of mHealth apps.

In the UK, the NHS website has a digital library showcasing mHealth apps. It lists mHealth apps that have been deemed as clinically safe. The functionality of the apps is varied and provides services like repeat prescriptions services, speech and language therapy, and instant access to medical records. Patients can even use certain apps to monitor their conditions such as diabetes.

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https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=b5847428-efe2-4a6c-b6a6-e61ba6ce7cbe

A new draft code of practice for consumer IoT devices - hardening IoT supply chains

Gilbert + Tobin

As the use of Internet of Things (IoT) devices in Australia continues to climb, the last few months have seen a flurry of activity from the Australian Government regarding IoT regulation. First, in late October 2019, Australia signed a Statement of Intent regarding the security of IoT with the Five Eyes nations (an alliance between Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States) committing to collaborate with industry and standards bodies to provide better protection to users through better device security design. Following that commitment, in November 2019 the Department of Home Affairs, Australian Signals Directorate and Australian Cyber Security Centre together released a Draft Code of Practice titled Securing the Internet of Things for Consumers (Draft Code).

The Draft Code – Principles

The Draft Code is intended to be a voluntary suite of measures that set certain standards for consumer IoT devices. It contains 13 principles that apply to different entities in the IoT supply chain – device manufacturers, IoT service providers and mobile application developers.

The Government has stated that the first three principles are the highest priority to achieve the greatest benefit:

1. No duplicated default or weak passwords – passwords should be unique, unpredictable, complex and unfeasible to guess, and not resettable to a common factory default.
2. Implement a vulnerability disclosure policy – entities should implement a vulnerability disclosure policy, have a public point of contact for reporting issues for this policy and act on vulnerabilities in a timely manner.
3. Keep software securely updated – software should be securely updateable, updates should be timely, not affect device functionality, be distributed by secure IT infrastructure and should not change user-configurated preferences, security or privacy settings. Consumers should be made aware of end-of-life policies and the necessity of updates for their devices.

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https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=6ef02481-bba9-48bb-a954-603b1fcd9d04

Personal data handling and processing in Australia

McCullough Robertson

Legitimate processing of PII

Legitimate processing – grounds

Does the law require that the holding of PII be legitimised on specific grounds, for example to meet the owner’s legal obligations or if the individual has provided consent?

There is no such requirement under Australian law. However, the APPs provide that an APP entity may only hold, use or disclose personal information for the primary purpose for which it was collected, or any other purpose that is related to the purpose for which the information was collected. Typically, parties in Australia have a privacy policy that explains the various uses that may be made of personal information so that it can be used for multiple purposes.

Legitimate processing – types of PII

Does the law impose more stringent rules for specific types of PII?

The Privacy Act distinguishes between personal information generally and sensitive information specifically. Sensitive information includes:

• any information or opinion about an individual’s racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, membership of a political association, religious beliefs or affiliations, philosophical beliefs, membership of a professional or trade association, membership of a trade union, sexual orientation or practices, or criminal record;
• health or genetic information about an individual; and
• biometric information and templates.

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https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/automating-the-big-state-will-need-more-than-computers-20191219-p53lgn

Automating the big state will need more than computers

Robodebt showed the limits not of new technology, but a whole model of running the government.

Chris Berg

Dec 19, 2019 — 4.00pm

Robodebt – the automated Centrelink debt issuance program that was found invalid by a federal court last month – is not just an embarrassment for the government. It is the first truly twenty-first century administrative policy debacle.

Australian governments and regulators increasingly want to automate public administrative processes and regulatory compliance, taking advantage of new generations of technologies like artificial intelligence and blockchain to provide better services and controls with lower bureaucratic costs. There are good reasons for this. But our would-be reformers will need to study how robodebt went wrong if they want to get automation right.

The robodebt program (officially described as a new online compliance intervention system) was established in 2016 to automate the monitoring and enforcement of welfare fraud. Robodebt compared an individual’s historical Centrelink payments with their averaged historical income (according to tax returns held by the Australian Taxation Office). If the Centrelink recipient had earned more money than they were entitled to under Centrelink rules, then the system automatically issued a debt notice.

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https://privacy.org.au/2019/12/19/the-federal-governments-response-to-the-acccs-digital-platforms-inquiry-is-a-let-down/

December 19, 2019 by APF Webmaster

The federal government’s response to the ACCC’s Digital Platforms Inquiry is a let down

Katharine Kemp, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law, UNSW, and Co-Leader, ‘Data as a Source of Market Power’ Research Stream of The Allens Hub for Technology, Law and Innovation, UNSW and Rob Nicholls, Senior lecturer in Business Law. Director of the UNSW Business School Cybersecurity and Data Governance Research Network, UNSW

Today, the federal government responded to the recommendations of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) “world-leading” Digital Platforms Inquiry.

The response, however, is a less-than world-leading roadmap for reform.

Few dispute the ACCC’s inquiry was ground breaking, as it held to account tech giants including Google and Facebook, and the power they wield over media, advertising and consumers.

But the government’s plan for reform lags behind other major global jurisdictions, where greater privacy protections have been enacted.

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https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/commentisfree/2019/dec/18/the-government-must-make-sure-technology-serves-public-interest-the-alternative-is-a-libertarian-free-for-all

The government must make sure technology serves public interest. The alternative is a libertarian free-for-all

Peter Lewis

From big tech to robodebt to My Health Record, Australians are rightly concerned about the automating of decisions

Wed 18 Dec 2019 12.15 AEDT

Falling levels of trust in our public institutions have become the backing track for the demise of the progressive political project and the rise of populist strongmen who promise to take back control.

Government becomes a problem to be solved, a “bubble”, a “swamp” of compromised technocrats and bean-counters operating against the interests of hard-working common folk, the “quiet Australians” whose will for a simple life is constantly being frustrated.

One of the drivers of this collapse has been the impact of technological change on our body politic, the anger-driven echo chambers of social media, the fake news and disinformation, the increasingly sophisticated targeting designed to reinforce what we already think.

Numerous benchmark surveys, including Essential’s own, document this decline, which tracks closely the destruction in traditional media models at the expense of these platforms.

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https://www.digitalhealth.net/2019/12/tim-kelsey-leaves-australia-himss/

Tim Kelsey leaves Australia’s health IT agency to join HIMSS

The former NHS head of information has left his role as CEO of Australia’s federal health IT agency to join the US Health Information Management and Systems Society (HIMSS) in an international analytics role.

Jon Hoeksema – 17 December, 2019

Tim Kelsey, who was NHS England’s head of information and patients between 2011-15, has been in charge of the Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA) for the past three years, responsible for the development of Australia’s national digital health strategy and expansion of the My Health Record (MHR) system.

MHR is an online summary of the key health information in Australia. The programme provoked a public backlash by moving to an opt-out model, that has led to over one million  Australians opting out.

The MHR project bears similarities to the failed NHS Care.data project that Kelsey led during his time at NHS England. Trumpeted as a game changer in health research, Care.data proved in practice a spectacular flop after failing to win either public trust or professional confidence, and not putting patients adequately in control of consent.

The project was shelved in early 2014 and finally scrapped in 2016 after expert reviews called for better security provisions and new patient opt-outs.

Kelsey was NHS England’s director of patients and information between 2011 and 2015, enjoying a close personal relationship to Secretary of State Jeremy Hunt and helping to secure extra investment in NHS IT.

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https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=08a4388a-45b1-487b-9c22-e0bf51e02c94

Australia’s first privacy class action settles

King & Wood Mallesons

On 9 December 2019 the Supreme Court of NSW approved a settlement of a class action alleging invasion of privacy (the first Australian case of this kind). The Court’s reasons for doing so were published on 12 December 2019.

The approved settlement sum was A$275,000, to be allocated between 108 class members (all being employees of the NSW Ambulance Service, part of the NSW state government). If all class members were to receive an equal amount, each member would receive a little over A$2,500. A separate amount of $250,000 was approved to be paid as costs to the lawyers acting for the plaintiffs.

The allegation was that a contractor engaged by the Ambulance Service had made an unauthorised disclosure of certain details of workers compensation claims made by the class members against their employer. The unauthorised recipient of that information was a solicitor at a law firm, who reported the contractor to the police because he suspected that the contractor was not authorised to provide the information to him. The unauthorised disclosure occurred about a year after the contractor had ceased working for the Ambulance Service.

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https://www.hospitalhealth.com.au/content/technology/article/how-ai-can-help-prevent-physician-burnout-795180905

How AI can help prevent physician burnout

Nuance Communications

By Dr Simon Wallace*
Thursday, 05 December, 2019

An ageing population, a shortage of staff and a lack of funding are behind a steadily increasing workload and higher expectations of care in the medical industry. This is quickly culminating in what the World Health Organization now officially recognises as ‘burnout’, with Australian doctors exhibiting high levels of burnout including emotional exhaustion (32%) and cynicism (35%), according to BeyondBlue.

It would be reasonable to believe that interactions with patients and delivery of satisfactory care are some of the most stressful aspects of a profession in health care. However, it is administration processes and clinical documentation requirements that are exacerbating burnout rates of healthcare professionals to unprecedented levels.

Research has found that between creating documentation (which clinicians spend around 11 hours a week doing), looking for lost notes, duplicating records and other administrative tasks, up to half of a clinician’s time can be spent on documentation. This means that only around 13% of their working time is spent caring for patients.

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https://apo.org.au/node/271981

Human rights and technology: discussion paper

17 Dec 2019

Sophie Farthing, John Howell, Katerina Lecchi, Zoe Paleologos, Phoebe Saintilan, Edward Santow

Australian Human Rights Commission

New technologies are emerging at extraordinary speed, with unprecedented social and economic consequences. Change is so pervasive that this era has been termed the ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’.

The Human Rights and Technology Project (Project) considers the implications for our human rights, and how we should respond to protect and promote those rights.

Informed by extensive public consultation, this discussion paper uses a human rights approach to identify and analyse the challenges and opportunities for human rights protection and promotion in the context of new and emerging technologies. It considers what is needed in terms of regulation, governance and leadership, and makes concrete proposals to reform laws, policy and practice.

The discussion paper is published at a critical time for Australia. There are several inquiries and consultations currently being conducted, with a view to shaping Australia’s response to the Fourth Industrial Revolution. There is a general consensus that this era presents risks and opportunities, and Australia needs to address both.

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https://www.itnews.com.au/news/human-rights-commission-wants-moratorium-on-expanding-facial-recognition-535684

Human Rights Commission wants moratorium on expanding facial recognition

By Julian Bajkowski on Dec 17, 2019 1:26PM

Until laws are passed to regulate automated decision making.

Australia’s human rights watchdog has taken a bite out of the rapidly expanding facial recognition and biometric matching market, proposing the government institute an interim ban on using the controversial technology for decision making because it is flaky and struggles with people of colour.

In a sharply critical assessment of unregulated technology allowed to run amok, the Australian Human Rights Commission says a “legal moratorium on the use of facial recognition technology in decision making that has a legal, or similarly significant, effect for individuals” is needed “until an appropriate legal framework has been put in place.”

The push for a ban is contained in the AHRC’s latest discussion paper (pdf) on the interplay between human rights obligations and recent and emerging technology like artificial intelligence, automation and machines and sensors that can see and hear and could soon have serious consequences.

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https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=1e86bd8f-9f22-4e60-82fa-0df55478aa62

How do I manage risks when unlocking the potential value of health data?

Gilbert + Tobin

While there has been a trend towards decluttering our homes, the opposite has been happening with data – The amount of data that is tracked, collected, stored and transferred online is growing exponentially. The healthcare, pharmaceuticals and life sciences industry is no exception to this transformation given the growth of new health data sources – such as personal health apps, wearable tracking devices and customer loyalty schemes.

The growth in health data presents new opportunities for businesses to unlock value. Alongside these opportunities, businesses will need to manage a number of risks, including unauthorised disclosure and intervention from other regulators.

Download below to explore:

• what is health data;
• the trends that have coincided with the growth in health data; and
• how businesses should be managing their risk when unlocking value from health data.

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https://ajp.com.au/news/its-thanks-to-you-mhr/

It’s thanks to you: MHR

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Megan Haggan 16/12/2019 ADHA Propaganda

Pharmacies have been the biggest contributor to the success of My Health Record to date, according to new statistics published by the Australian digital Health Agency

 The Australian Digital Health Agency has published updated statistics showing more detailed activity on My Health Record, with Agency Chief Medical Adviser, Professor Meredith Makeham, saying that the new insights have been required.

 “While we have published general participation statistics in the past, this update has been tailored for consumers following research which showed that more insight and relevance was needed about the statistics,” said Prof Makeham.

“The update provides a more granular view of how My Health Record is being used and how this is changing over time.”

The Agency says that its My Health Record statistics will be published on the My Health Record website regularly to provide more transparency around how the system is being used by consumers and healthcare providers.

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https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/very-worrying-call-for-ai-facial-recognition-reforms-to-prevent-discrimination-20191216-p53kih.html

'Very worrying': Call for AI, facial recognition reforms to prevent discrimination

By Nick Bonyhady

December 17, 2019 — 12.00am

The Australian Human Rights Commission has unveiled draft proposals to prevent discrimination driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and intrusive facial recognition.

Human Rights Commissioner Edward Santow said there were concerning developments in Australia and abroad that underscored the need for reform in the digital space.

The discussion paper proposes federal legislation requiring individuals to be informed where AI is used in a decision that affects their human rights, a general rule that whoever deploys AI is legally liable for its use, and a tort of serious invasion of privacy that would extend outside the digital arena. It also suggests a "moratorium on the potentially harmful use of facial recognition technology in Australia" until there is a legal framework to safeguard human rights.

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https://www.afr.com/technology/we-need-laws-about-ai-not-self-regulation-20191216-p53k8r

We need laws about AI, not self-regulation

James Eyers Senior Reporter

Dec 17, 2019 — 12.01am

Companies and government departments using artificial intelligence technology must be accountable through laws  – not merely industry codes of ethics – to allow customers to understand and potentially challenge decisions made using AI, the Australian Human Rights Commission says.

In a clarion call for the regulatory approach on AI to be reconsidered, the commission wants a new national strategy for AI, to ensure the powerful technology is governed by core democratic principles.

It wants a legal moratorium on the use of facial recognition technology in significant decision-making until a proper legal framework is in place, and for enhanced transparency to require customers be told when AI systems are being used in decisions affecting individual rights.

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https://itwire.com/health/big-growth-in-sharing-patient-info-by-healthcare-providers-on-my-health-record.html

Monday, 16 December 2019 23:12

Big growth in sharing patient info by healthcare providers on My Health Record

By Peter Dinham  ADHA Propaganda

The Australian Digital Health Agency has reported a 140% growth of healthcare providers sharing and collaborating on patient information following the upgrading of the My Health Record system announced in September.

The agency says pharmacies are currently the biggest contributors to the system, uploading over 4 million documents every month with GPs also adding between 2 and 3 million documents every month.

In September, as reported by iTWire, the agency said that more than 31 million clinical documents and more than 1.3 billion Medicare documents had already been uploaded to the My Health Record digital health program, with patients benefiting from improved usability online.

Note: A classic example of re-writing a press release without really understanding what it means!

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http://medicalrepublic.com.au/welcome-to-the-medical-man-caves/24331

Welcome to the medical man caves

Online telehealth services focussing on specific men’s health concerns are addressing a very real gap in the market

By Francine Crimmins, 16 December 2019

If you were to walk into the Mount Sinai medical centre in Harlem, New York, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d accidently entered a stereotypical American sports bar instead of a clinic.

The male patients in the waiting room are sitting on plush couches and watching live sports on giant flat-screen TVs while the walls are lined with memorabilia featuring the local hockey team.

It’s more “man cave” than doctor’s office, and that’s the point. The clinic offers a relaxed place for men charge up their smartphones, help themselves to hot drinks, and most importantly, wait to see a doctor.

And this new style of clinic isn’t the only model vying to capture a slice of the male health market.  In the online space, men are being swamped with advertisements for online services offering “real doctors” and “real treatments” the instant they enter their health concerns into a browser.

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https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/it-s-time-to-update-australia-s-outdated-film-and-tv-rules-for-the-streaming-era-20191215-p53k2a.html

It's time to update Australia's outdated film and TV rules for the streaming era

By Paul Fletcher

December 16, 2019 — 12.15am

Australia's film and TV sector is changing very fast. The traditional free to air television networks are facing declining audiences; while subscription video on demand (SVOD) services like Netflix, Stan and Disney+ are growing strongly.

Four years ago less than two per cent of Australian homes had SVOD services while now it is nearly 60 per cent.

As the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission identified in its recent Digital Platforms report, the free to air television networks face extensive regulatory requirements, including obligations to broadcast designated amounts of Australian drama, children's and pre-school programs and documentaries - while the SVOD services have no such requirement.

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https://www.computerworld.com/article/3490061/government-relying-on-ebay-for-hardware-not-a-great-idea-aps-review-suggests.html

Government relying on eBay for hardware not a great idea, APS Review suggests

Thodey Review reveals cost to government of legacy IT

By Rohan Pearce

Editor, Computerworld | 13 December 2019 15:09 AEDT

A major government IT system is so out of date that replacement hardware for it needs to be sourced from second-hand parts sold on eBay.

The Immigration Records Information System, which processes visa applications, was originally rolled out in 1989; hardware to support the system hasn't been produced for a decade. The system is one of the examples of the burden that legacy IT imposes on the work of the Australian Public Service cited by the Independent Review of the APS.

The government today released the final report of the review, which was led by former Telstra CEO David Thodey, as well as its response to the review panel’s recommendations.

Another example the report cites of aging IT still delivering a critical function for the government is the Medicare payment system which relies on a “complex web of legacy and inflexible ICT systems”, encompassing 200 applications and 90 datasets.

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Comments more than welcome!

David.

Weekly Australian Health IT Links – 23rd December, 2019.

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

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There seems to be something odd going on at the ADHA with the resigned COO coming back in a month or two as the CEO for an indeterminate period while a new CEO is dragooned into service.

Seems really odd indeed. You really have to wonder who would want the job – as the previous COO (Bettina) clearly does not – an she knows where all the bodies are buried as they say!

The ADHA’s troubles will also be added to by the first article below I reckon!

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https://www.watoday.com.au/politics/federal/australians-shun-my-health-record-with-only-9-per-cent-ever-logging-in-20191220-p53lz0.html

Australians shun My Health Record with only 9 per cent ever logging in

By Dana McCauley

December 21, 2019 — 9.00pm

Patients, medical specialists and pathologists are shunning the federal government's $1.7 billion My Health Record system with only a small minority accessing the digital health records almost a year into its rollout.

Less than one in 10 Australians with a My Health Record have ever logged in to access their digital health record, federal health bureaucrats revealed in data supplied last week in response to questions taken on notice at a Senate estimates hearing.

Most Australians are not using their My Health Records.

Only 4 per cent of Australians with a My Health Record, most of them enrolled automatically when the opt-out system began on January 31, have accessed their digital health record more than once, while just 8 per cent of specialist practices are connected to the system.

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https://www.zdnet.com/article/resigned-adha-coo-bettina-mcmahon-to-step-in-as-interim-ceo/

Resigned ADHA COO Bettina McMahon to step in as interim CEO

Despite her recent resignation from the agency after 10 years.

By Aimee Chanthadavong | December 19, 2019 -- 01:18 GMT (12:18 AEDT) | Topic: Security

The Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA) Board has announced that Bettina McMahon will step in as interim CEO from 17 February 2020.

The appointment comes after Kelsey resigned from the CEO role earlier this month. He will finish on 17 January 2020.

McMahon will stay on with ADHA despite having recently announced her resignation from the agency after 10 years of service, where she most recently was the COO.

In her role as COO, McMahon was responsible for leading industry, government, and jurisdictional engagement for the agency, driving adoption and delivering digital health programs.

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https://www.itnews.com.au/news/australian-digital-health-agency-names-interim-chief-535816

Australian Digital Health Agency names interim chief

By Justin Hendry on Dec 19, 2019 12:13PM

Outgoing COO delays departure.

Outgoing Australian Digital Health Agency chief operating officer Bettina McMahon has delayed her departure from the agency to become interim chief executive.

The ADHA board on Thursday announced that McMahon would steer the agency in charge of the country’s digital health systems and services following current chief Tim Kelsey departure.

Kelsey abruptly resigned as the agency’s inaugural chief earlier this month after more than three years in the top job.

He officially exits the post on January 17 and, according to PulseIT, will take up a new role with the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society.

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https://www.digitalhealth.gov.au/news-and-events/news/media-release-bettina-mcmahon-announced-as-interim-chief-executive-officer

Media release - Bettina McMahon announced as Interim Chief Executive Officer

19 December 2019: The Australian Digital Health Agency Board is pleased to announce Bettina McMahon will be the Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Digital Health Agency from 17 February 2020.

Ms McMahon previously held the role of Chief Operating Officer at the Agency where she was responsible for leading industry, government and jurisdictional engagement for the Agency, driving adoption and delivering digital health programs.

Ms McMahon has worked with the Agency and its predecessor the National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA) for the past 10 years. She recently announced her resignation from the Agency after 10 years of service.

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https://www.9news.com.au/national/my-health-record-medication-list-to-reduce-dosage-errors/f4cfacba-d119-492d-90d0-0734450b75f6

New My Health Record medication list to reduce dosage errors

By Gabriella Rogers • Health Reporter

8:14pm Dec 20, 2019

New way to combat medication errors

The government agency in charge of managing the country's digital health records has launched a new way to combat medication errors.

About a quarter of a million Australians are admitted to hospital each year due to medication-related problems.

Adverse events can stem from inappropriate prescribing, incorrect dosing and interactions with complementary medicines.

The shared medicines list should reduce errors created with mixing drugs and dosages.

To counter the preventable harms, a new comprehensive document has been developed for pharmacists to upload onto My Health Record.

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https://www.digitalhealth.gov.au/news-and-events/news/media-release-another-milestone-reached-webstercare-becomes-the-first-organisation-to-start-using-the-pharmacist-shared-medicines-list

Media release : Another milestone reached - Webstercare becomes the first organisation to start using the Pharmacist Shared Medicines List

20 December 2019: The Australian Digital Health Agency, together with Webstercare – the creator of the Webster-pak® – has today launched a new clinical document within My Health Record to reduce medication-related problems in Australia, and specifically those experienced by Australia’s older population.

The Pharmacist Shared Medicines List (PSML) is a consolidated list of medicines prepared by a pharmacist and uploaded to a patient’s My Health Record. The PSML will compile both prescription and non-prescription medicines, including over-the-counter and complementary medicines, such as vitamins and herbal remedies.

The overview the PSML will provide for healthcare providers will enable them to make more informed prescribing and treatment decisions and assist in reducing medication mishaps.

Particularly relevant at times of transitions of care, the PSML is a comprehensive list of medicines at a specific point in time, such as on discharge from a hospital when a patient’s care is being transferred to another health care provider – a common occurrence in Australia’s elderly population.

Associate Professor Chris Freeman, National President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia says the Pharmacist Shared Medicines List represents a significant professional contribution of pharmacists to My Health Record.

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https://www.itnews.com.au/news/digital-rehab-proves-promising-for-stroke-recovery-535416

Digital rehab proves promising for stroke recovery

By Matt Johnston on Dec 16, 2019 6:59AM

Prince of Wales Hospital trials touchscreen therapy.

Sydney’s Prince of Wales Hospital has begun trialling touchscreen rehabilitation devices to deliver therapeutic games for patients with acquired brain injuries like strokes.

The solution, dubbed EDNA, was developed by researchers at RMIT University and the Australian Catholic University to improve early access to rehabilitation following a stroke and ongoing at-home care.

EDNA was initially designed for use with tabletop-sized touchscreen device, coupled with graspable tools of different shapes for therapeutic games that promote brain plasticity to help patients regain motor, cognitive and functional ability.

Game data is then collected in the cloud, meaning patients can use the device when they return home and therapists can remotely monitor their recovery.

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https://www.ausdoc.com.au/opinion/could-twitter-prevent-deaths-thunderstorm-asthma

Could Twitter prevent deaths from thunderstorm asthma?

Antony Scholefield

Antony is a medical reporter with a special interest in technology and pharmacy.

16th December 2019

The 2016 thunderstorm asthma event in Melbourne was linked with 10 deaths — the most linked to a single thunderstorm asthma event anywhere in the world.

So, it’s no surprise researchers are trying to prevent a repeat.

Given mankind’s powerlessness in the face of such natural phenomena, the focus has been on predicting perilous conditions rather than preventing them, with the aim to warn people with asthma to stay indoors on high-risk days.

To do this, CSIRO researchers turned to Twitter.

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https://www.itnews.com.au/news/govt-resuscitates-medicare-legacy-payments-system-with-another-37m-535590

Govt resuscitates Medicare legacy payments system with another $37m

By Justin Hendry on Dec 16, 2019 1:15PM

MYEFO: And prepares to restart apprenticeship IT system overhaul.

The federal government will spend almost $37 million continuing to shore up the country’s legacy Medicare payments system after dumping plans for a new bespoke platform last year.

Services Australia will use the new funding for “essential” maintenance of the 30-year-old system, the government said in its 2019-20 mid-year economic and fiscal outlook (MYEFO) today.

The funding, which includes $12.8 million in capital over the next two years, will also be used to ensure that the IT platform continues to be owned and operated by the government.

The ageing mainframe platform, officially known as the health and aged care payments system, is used to deliver $50 billion in Medicare, Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, veterans and aged care payments every year.

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https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-greg-hunt-mp/media/75-million-for-artificial-intelligence-research-has-potential-to-transform-health-care

$7.5 million for artificial intelligence research has potential to transform health care

A media release from Senator the Hon. Anne Ruston MP, Acting Minister for Health, about $7.5 million for research into the use of artificial intelligence in health care.

Date published:  16 December 2019

The Morrison Government is investing $7.5 million for research into the use of artificial intelligence in health care.

Artificial intelligence (AI) will be critical in transforming the future of health care through improved preventive, diagnostic and treatment approaches.

Research into the use of AI is likely to provide significant benefits, including improved clinical decision making, new approaches in healthcare delivery and helping patients to better manage their own health.

We are providing these grants to researchers through the Medical Research Future Fund so they can help us fully understand the potential benefits of AI in health care.

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https://www.zdnet.com/article/au7-5m-stumped-up-by-australian-government-for-research-into-healthcare-ai/

AU$7.5m stumped up by Australian government for research into healthcare AI

The funding will dispersed via grants through the federal government's Medical Research Future Fund.

By Asha Barbaschow | December 16, 2019 -- 05:04 GMT (16:04 AEDT) | Topic: Innovation

The federal government on Monday announced it will invest AU$7.5 million for research into the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare.

"Artificial intelligence will be critical in transforming the future of healthcare through improved preventive, diagnostic, and treatment approaches," a statement from acting Minister for Health Anne Ruston said.

The new funding will be dispensed via grants to researchers through the Medical Research Future Fund. The government hopes the cash will be used to fully understand the potential benefits of AI in healthcare.

"AI for better health, aged care, and disability services was recently identified as one of the top three areas where Australia is well positioned to transform existing industries and build new ones, including opportunities to export solutions worldwide," Ruston's statement continued.

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https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-greg-hunt-mp/media/75-million-for-artificial-intelligence-research-has-potential-to-transform-health-care

$7.5 million for artificial intelligence research has potential to transform health care

A media release from Senator the Hon. Anne Ruston MP, Acting Minister for Health, about $7.5 million for research into the use of artificial intelligence in health care.

16 December 2019

The Morrison Government is investing $7.5 million for research into the use of artificial intelligence in health care.

Artificial intelligence (AI) will be critical in transforming the future of health care through improved preventive, diagnostic and treatment approaches.

Research into the use of AI is likely to provide significant benefits, including improved clinical decision making, new approaches in healthcare delivery and helping patients to better manage their own health.

-----

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-17/afp-commissioners-medicare-data-for-sale-on-dark-web/11796128

Medicare card details of former Australian Federal Police commissioners available on dark web

7.30

By Paul Farrell

16 December, 2019

The Medicare card details of three former Australian Federal Police (AFP) commissioners were advertised for sale on a dark web marketplace, a revelation likely to raise significant concerns about the integrity of Medicare card information.

Key points:

• Medicare details of three former AFP commissioners were advertised for sale on the dark web
• Medicare credentials can be used in identification fraud
• The introduction of the My Health Record has increased concerns about the privacy of health details

7.30 can reveal that former commissioners Andrew Colvin, Mick Keelty and Tony Negus potentially had their personal details sold on a dark web site.

The availability of Mr Colvin's data appears to have occurred while he was still commissioner.

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https://www.hospitalhealth.com.au/content/clinical-services/news/sydney-hospital-celebrates-200-robotic-surgeries-265338572

Sydney hospital celebrates 200+ robotic surgeries

Friday, 13 December, 2019

Prince of Wales Private Hospital is celebrating more than 200 robotic procedures that have been performed since the launch of its multidisciplinary robotics program in October 2018.

Prince of Wales Private Hospital General Manager Robert Cusack said the program has been more successful than anticipated.

“We were told that 100 robotic cases in our first year would be a good outcome,” he said. “So, to have surpassed the 200 mark is really above and beyond our best-case expectations.”

The Randwick-based hospital has performed robot-assisted cases across general, urology, cardiothoracic, colorectal and gynaecology surgical specialties since the arrival of the da Vinci Xi Surgical System by Device Technologies.

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https://www.ausdoc.com.au/news/gps-get-new-mbs-items-patient-enrolment

GPs to get new MBS items for patient enrolment

The government's reform will fund GPs directly, not through practices

18th December 2019

By Antony Scholefield

GPs will be offered new MBS items to enrol older patients with chronic conditions with their practice.

The $450 million Federal Government reform is being sold as a way of funding the extensive work already being done by GPs outside face-to-face consultations.

It is also being suggested the new item will fund GPs to provide telehealth and co-ordinated care for frequent-flyer patients.

Beyond the fact that it will be restricted to patients aged 70 and over, or Indigenous patients aged 50 and over, finer details have, until this week, been scarce.

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https://www.zdnet.com/article/services-australia-expands-on-988-privacy-incidents-mostly-human-error/

Services Australia's 988 privacy incidents mostly from 'human error'

Of the 988 'substantiated' privacy incidents experienced in 2017-18, Services Australia said there were some instances of documents containing personal information being released incorrectly.

By Asha Barbaschow | December 19, 2019 -- 01:26 GMT (12:26 AEDT) | Topic: Security

Newly formed Services Australia has offered further information on the 988 privacy incidents that then-Department of Human Services (DHS) suffered in 2017-18.

Initially revealed in the department's 2018-19 Annual Report, further information was made available in response to questions on notice from Senate Estimates in October.

Of the 988 "substantiated" privacy incidents experienced in 2017-18, Services Australia said there were some instances of documents containing personal information being released incorrectly.

"Where possible, Services Australia undertook steps to recover such documents upon identification of the incident," it wrote.

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https://itwire.com/government-tech-policy/encryption-law-40-of-firms-say-they-have-lost-sales-after-passage.html

Thursday, 19 December 2019 11:17

Encryption law: 40% of firms say they have lost sales after passage

Two-fifths of the respondents to a survey about the encryption law passed by the Coalition Government last year say they have lost sales or other commercial opportunities as a result of the law being in place.

The survey, carried out by the public policy and business innovation website InnovationAus in collaboration with the telecommunications lobby group Communications Alliance, the IT industry lobby group ITPA and StartupAUS, also found that 61% of the respondents had been advised of concerns around the bill by either domestic or international customers.

Conducted from 5 December to 12 December, the survey received input from a total of 70 respondents. Among these 42% were either founders, chief executives or managing directors, 10% developers and 5% legal staff. Nearly 70% of the companies covered were technology firms headquartered in Australia, while 10% were multinational technology firms.

Among the industries covered were software and software-as-a-service (33%), communications (14%) and cyber security (14%).

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https://www.itnews.com.au/news/australias-digital-identity-bill-tops-200m-535700

Australia's digital identity bill tops $200m

By Justin Hendry on Dec 19, 2019 6:59AM

DTA reveals Govpass cost since 2015 Turnbull directive.

Australia’s Govpass digital identity project has cost the federal government more than $200 million since the Digital Transformation Agency was tasked with the work almost five years ago.

The agency revealed the price tag in answers to questions on notice from recent budget estimates, with total approved investment now sitting at $204.3 million since 2015.

This includes the recent $5.9 million funding injection in the mid-year economic and fiscal outlook, released on Monday, for the DTA to continue the project until at least July 2020.

“The total approved investment in digital identity from its commencement in financial year 2015-16 to the end of financial year 2019-20 is $204.3 million,” the agency said.

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https://itwire.com/security/quarterly-rise-in-zero-day-malware-detections.html

Monday, 16 December 2019 03:02

Quarterly rise in zero day malware detections

By Peter Dinham

There has been a major rise in zero day malware detections, increasing use of Microsoft Office exploits and legitimate penetration testing tools in the third quarter of 2019, according to a new Internet security report.

And significant increases in both malware and network attacks, multiple Apache Struts vulnerabilities – including one used in the devastating Equifax data breach – appeared for the first time on list of the most popular network attacks in Q3 2019, according to the report from security vendor WatchGuard Technologies.

“Our latest threat intelligence showcases the variability and sophistication of cyber criminals’ growing playbook. Not only are they leveraging notorious attacks, but they’re launching evasive malware campaigns and hijacking products, tools and domains we use every day,” said Corey Nachreiner, chief technology officer at WatchGuard Technologies.

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https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/latest-news/welfare-debts-reaping-tax-office-millions/news-story/a71d87087b50fc31784e37df3c0bb62a

No clarity on how many owed back robo-debt

·         By Finbar O'Mallon

·         Australian Associated Press

·         December 16, 2019

Australia's welfare department can't confirm how many people may be owed back money from incorrect robo-debt notices.

The department, now known as Services Australia, also doesn't know how much money it may need to repay.

More than 734,000 people have been overpaid welfare, according to income compliance reviews.

Ros Baxter from Services Australia said "a proportion" of these people would have been ensnared by the flawed income averaging technique of the robo-debt scheme.

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https://www.computerworld.com/article/3490329/myefo-government-funds-work-on-medicare-payments-ato-resilience.html

MYEFO: Government funds work on Medicare payments, ATO resilience

Funds also allocated to hosting strategy

By Rohan Pearce

Editor, Computerworld | 16 December 2019 11:28 AEDT

The government’s Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) reveals that an additional $36.3 million (including $12.8 million in capital funding) is being put towards maintaining the Medicare payments system.

The funds, allocated to Services Australia, will “ensure that the Government continues to own and operate the ICT systems that deliver Medicare, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, Aged Care and related payments into the future,” the MYEFO states.

The 2018-19 federal budget included $106.8 million over four years to modernise the health and aged care payment systems.

“This measure includes funding for replacing and decommissioning ageing ICT systems, upgrading cyber security, and introducing user experience improvements for consumers and providers of health and aged care services,” budget documents stated.

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https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/financial-services/accc-delays-banking-data-access-reforms/news-story/3cbfa31ae572bed425bb54a9a9e28eb9

ACCC delays banking data access reforms

Joyce Moullakis

·         December 20, 2019

The competition regulator has delayed the start of key open banking reforms, which allow customers to have control of their data, by five months to July 2020.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said it has postponed the start date from February, citing in a statement “new additional implementation work and testing” of systems related to the Consumer Data Right (CDR).

Consumers will be able to direct major banks to share their credit and debit card, deposit account and transaction account data with approved providers from July rather than February. Consumers’ mortgage and personal loan data will be able to be shared after November.

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https://itwire.com/strategy/australia-well-placed-to-carve-out-%E2%80%98important-niche%E2%80%99-in-global-machine-learning-field.html

Monday, 16 December 2019 23:26

Australia well placed to carve out ‘important niche’ in global machine learning field

By Peter Dinham

Australia has an opportunity to carve an important niche in the global machine learning field, according to a report into the sector’s patent filings launched by the Minister for Science, Karen Andrews on the Gold Coast on Monday.

The report, prepared by the Australian Computer Society, the professional association for Australia's technology sector, and IP Australia, examined global trends in the patenting of machine learning and AI-related technologies.

The report found Chinese organisations dominate the world’s machine learning IP filings with 25,319 patents, with the US second - while Australia ranks 17th with 59 applications.

Of the top five Australian applicants, the top patent filer is the CSIRO, with five patent families. In second place is HRO Holdings with three patent families - and in shared third place are four entities: Atlassian, CRC Care, NewSouth Innovations and the University of Technology Sydney, with each having two patent families.

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https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/leadership/2019-ceo-survey-stephen-rue-nbn-co/news-story/71c52d1b729d95ab9711a12d66f2edbd

2019 CEO Survey: Stephen Rue, NBN Co

John Durie

·         2:06PM December 21, 2019

Every year The Australian’s John Durie asks some of the biggest names in Australian business five key questions about what’s coming in the year ahead.

How is your company affected by low-interest rates and what is needed to boost the economy?

We know that discretionary spending remains constrained due to a multitude of factors. Telecommunications and broadband are considered essential services, and we see a clear correlation between the delivery of secure, reliable, high-speed broadband and the proliferation and acceleration of the digital economy. Our purpose is to lift the digital capability of Australia and, in addition to completing construction of the volume rollout by June 2020, we’re introducing significant discounts and additional data capacity inclusions across most of our wholesale discount bundles to make it more affordable for residential and business customers to upgrade to higher-speed services.

What is the impact of government regulations on your company, including those applying to the financial sector?

The telecommunications sector is regulated by the ACCC and the ACMA. NBN maintains a constructive dialogue with both regulators across a wide range of issues. As a general principle, we believe that commercially negotiated outcomes between NBN Co and retail service providers are the most effective way to improve standards and customer experience.

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https://itwire.com/business-it-news/data/australians-set-for-a-digital-summer-with-home-data-consumption-to-spike.html

Thursday, 19 December 2019 10:50

Australians set for a 'digital summer' with home data consumption to spike says NBN Co

By Peter Dinham

The number of internet-connected devices is expected to grow in Australia from 186 million to 212 million in 2020, with growth in the number of devices predicted to increase by 14% in 2020 and home data consumption set to spike by 70% on Boxing Day, according to a report from NBN Co, the operators of the National Broadband Network.

The report also reveals that home entertainment is set make its mark during the holiday season, with one in five Aussies anticipating smart speakers to “take the pride of place in their homes”.

Other sought-after connected items this Christmas are wearables and smart appliances with smart appliances expected to make up 41% of all appliance sale revenue by 2023.

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https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/nbn-scams-on-the-rise/news-story/aa047ace121a225ca27c835bc4205701

NBN scams on the rise

David Swan

·         12:00AM December 19, 2019

Australians are being warned to remain vigilant when it comes to NBN impersonators, named by far the most reported scam for 2019.

The Australian Media and Communications Authority (ACMA) on Thursday revealed the top five phone scams most reported to the agency, with NBN impersonators followed by scammers pretending to offer technical support for your computer, which they often claim has a virus.

Other scams include a text message which appears to come from Australia Post, claiming there is problem with delivery of a package.

The SMS includes a link to a fake Australia Post website that will ask for your personal and financial details.

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https://itwire.com/security/nbn-impersonations-top-the-list-of-most-reported-scams-in-2019-acma.html

Thursday, 19 December 2019 13:25

NBN impersonations top the list of most reported scams in 2019: ACMA

By Peter Dinham

NBN impersonations have been revealed as by far the most reported scam for 2019, according to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).

And after the NBN impersonations, the next most reported scams were by scammers pretending to offer technical support for your computer, which they often claim has a virus.

Together, the top five scams accounted for 87% of scam reported to the ACMA.

ACMA Authority member Fiona Cameron also warned people to be vigilant against SMS phishing scams targeting Australia Post customers.

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https://www.computerworld.com/article/3510480/nbn-launches-satellite-service-for-enterprise-applications.html

NBN launches satellite service for enterprise applications

ABS service can deliver committed information rates of up to 50Mbps

By Rohan Pearce

Editor, Computerworld | 18 December 2019 11:23 AEDT

NBN Co has officially launched its Access Bandwidth Service (ABS). The service, designed for enterprise customers, offers wholesale committed information rates (CIR) of up to 50/13Mbps and unlimited data.

Bandwidth can be ordered in 1Mbps increments. An ‘ABS Burst’ feature allows a service to support bursting up to 10, 20 or 50Mbps when needed.

A ‘Time of Day’ feature supports two speed profiles per 24 hours, allowing a business to switch to higher download or upload speeds at regular periods of peak demand.

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https://itwire.com/telecoms-and-nbn/more-to-be-done-to-recognise-impact-of-%E2%80%98unreliable-telco-services%E2%80%9D-on-consumers,-says-accan.html

Tuesday, 17 December 2019 16:59

More to be done to recognise impact of ‘unreliable telco services” on consumers, says ACCAN

By Peter Dinham

ACCAN, the consumer group representing telecommunications consumers, says more needs to be done to recognise the impact of unreliable telco services on consumers.

Commenting on the Federal Government’s announcement on Tuesday of the second stage of a review of telecoms consumer safeguards, the Australian Consumer Communications Action Network (ACCAN) said more needs to be done to recognise the impact of ‘unreliable telco services” on consumers,

ACCAN said the telco reliability framework remains a work in progress.

ACCAN Director of Policy, Una Lawrence said “having a clear framework that makes it easy to understand when consumers can expect issues with their phone or internet service to be fixed is an important first step”.

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https://itwire.com/telecoms-and-nbn/government-review-to-%E2%80%98overhaul%E2%80%99-protections-for-telecoms-consumers.html

Tuesday, 17 December 2019 13:32

Government review to ‘overhaul’ protections for telecoms consumers

By Peter Dinham

The Federal Government is overhauling consumer protections to "better reflect the way that modern telecommunication services" are delivered in Australia.

The Government's announcement follows the release on Tuesday of The Consumer Safeguards Review Part B report which contains 14 recommendations to implement a framework to support "the reliability of modern communication services".

The Part B report is the second stage of the Government’s three-part Consumer Safeguards Review which is designed to prepare the telecommunications industry for a post-2020 operating environment when the National Broadband Network (NBN) is fully rolled out.

Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts Paul Fletcher said the existing consumer safeguards were designed for voice services delivered over the copper telephone network.

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https://www.itnews.com.au/news/nbn-co-to-trial-750-50mbps-as-near-gigabit-hfc-tier-535812

NBN Co to trial 750/50Mbps as 'near gigabit' HFC tier

By Ry Crozier on Dec 19, 2019 1:00PM

First outcome from closed-door gigabit consultation.

NBN Co is set to trial what is effectively a 750/50Mbps tier as a near gigabit plan for the hybrid-fibre coaxial (HFC) portion of its network.

The network builder released technical documentation [pdf] on Wednesday night pointing to progression in its thinking around the issue of providing gigabit speeds over HFC.

The company wants to launch more affordable gigabit services, but acknowledged in a recent closed-door consultation that HFC users might struggle to actually maintain gigabit speeds.

“To help protect the shared end user experience and manage capacity, what is an acceptable ‘typical’ or ‘prevalent’ maximum information rate on the layer 2 wholesale service for [up to 1Gbps] on HFC to drop to (accepting it will always burst to 1000Mbps at some point during a day), and why?” NBN Co asked its retail service providers (RSPs).

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https://www.itnews.com.au/news/nbn-co-faces-aggregate-reliability-standards-535680

NBN Co faces "aggregate" reliability standards

By Ry Crozier on Dec 17, 2019 12:43PM

Unclear what they should be.

NBN Co’s connection and repair timeframes and keeping of appointments “need to improve beyond what is being currently offered”, a report released by the government says.

That will mean subjecting NBN Co to “wholesale connection, repair, and appointment keeping timeframes and establishing overall penalties where aggregate benchmarks are not achieved,” the Department of Communications-prepared report states.

However, the nature of those proposed timeframes is unclear. 

While the department floated some proposals a year ago - including connections and repairs to be performed in a handful of days, and customers notified in advance if appointments are to be missed - these are not repeated in the final report released today.

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https://itwire.com/telecoms-and-nbn/govt-announces-$9m-to-quell-health-fears-over-telco-networks.html

Monday, 16 December 2019 10:14

Govt announces $9m to quell health fears over telco networks  

By Sam Varghese

The Federal Government has announced a sum of $9 million to build public confidence in the safety of telecommunications networks, presumably in reaction to the large number of submissions to a 5G inquiry that expressed fears about the alleged health hazards of 5G networks.

A total of 354 submissions was received by the House of Representatives standing committee before submissions closed on 1 November and only a handful went beyond listing what the writers claimed to be the harmful health effects of 5G.

The inquiry held its first hearing in Southport, Queensland, on 19 November. A second was held in Canberra on 6 December.

In a statement issued on Monday, the government said the money was meant "to address misinformation about electromagnetic energy emissions which has caused concern in some parts of the community".

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https://www.itnews.com.au/news/feds-prescribe-9m-cash-injection-to-counter-5g-phobias-535588

Feds prescribe $9m cash injection to counter 5G phobias

By Julian Bajkowski on Dec 16, 2019 11:43AM

Bid to counter spread of "misinformation".

The federal government has gone on the offensive against a growing anti-5G movement in some communities, freeing-up a cash splash of $9 million over four years to get back on the community relations front foot with “additional scientific research and further public education”.

The move, announced on Monday, comes amid broader government and industry concern that US-style conspiracy theories – which cover topics ranging from public health immunisation, water fluoridation and the electromagnetic radiation – are quickly taking root in some communities.

The proliferation of community based opposition to the rollout of 5G, which is just starting to occur across Australia, is potentially a major headache for the government and telecommunications industry because of its potential disrupt infrastructure renewal and substantially increase costs.

While most anti-5G groups initially muster and organise their actions online, the political trench warfare typically starts at the local government level in the form concerned resident opposition to the construction and placement of new infrastructure.

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https://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/9-million-safety-campaign-for-5g-rollout/news-story/ded993154f90ec63b30e185ff844b8fb

$9 million safety campaign for 5G rollout

Misinformation about the 5G network will be the target a $9 million safety awareness campaign.

Finbar O'Mallon

Australian Associated Press December 16, 2019 9:02am

Health scares and lies about the incoming 5G mobile network will be targeted by a new awareness campaign.

Public money will also go towards researching the electromagnetic energy emitted by the technology.

Telcos have been calling on the federal government to counter misinformation about the 5G rollout.

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https://www.itnews.com.au/news/nbn-co-offers-holdouts-half-price-internet-for-a-year-535764

NBN Co offers holdouts half-price internet for a year

By Ry Crozier on Dec 18, 2019 1:45PM

New 'first timers discount' revealed.

NBN Co is hoping to drive take-up in the fixed line footprint with a “first timers discount” that gives half-price internet for a year to new users that have so far rebuffed offers to join.

The discount will be available for the first six months of 2020, and could be important to NBN Co presenting a strong set of take-up numbers when it nominally completes the build (save 100,000-odd hard to reach premises).

It could also help NBN Co reach a segment of the market that received NBN infrastructure and - for whatever reason - did nothing more with it.

NBN Co said that it would provide a discount for the first service provided to a customer “for the first 12 billing periods” once a connection is live.

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Enjoy!

David.