I Might Be Running A Risk By Commenting On This!

This appeared last week:

AHPRA's made a serious mistake in trying to silence Dr David Berger

Dr Andrew Miller

Dr Miller is an anaesthetist in Perth and president of AMA WA.

15th July 2022

Dr David Berger has been told to pull his head in by the Medical Board of Australia who wants him to undergo a re-education course "in relation to behaving professionally and courteously to colleagues and other practitioners".

His offence, according to the board, was his passionate Tweets, sometimes containing the odd expletive, critiquing public health measures, dopey commentators and the politics of the pandemic.

This was the end result of an anonymous notification — or at least one where the 'name withheld from the registrant' — made to AHPRA

Doctors’ freedom to speak out on fundamental issues on public health, patient safety, ethical medical care should be sacrosanct.

Is Dr Berger a medical renegade influencer with a big mouth? Or is he the embodiment of the public health advocacy provisions in the medical board’s own Good Medical Practice — code of conduct, which states, under sections 7.3 and 7.4, that we must use our influence to promote health through disease prevention and control?

Is AHPRA functioning as a responsible regulator, protecting community confidence in public health. Or is it overstepping the mark into a grey area of censorship of political views that do not align with government policy based on a unidimensional, outdated view of what it means to be a medical professional?

It says something that, even as I type out these words, I’m wondering whether I can safely pose these questions.

I guess we'll find out.

By way of declaration of interest, Dr Berger became a friend of mine in 2020 when he approached me in my role as AMA WA president to assist with advocacy for healthcare worker protections from airborne COVID-19.

This was an obvious problem to aerosol scientists, as well as those with experience of SARS-1.

It was less obvious to the (ironically) titled Infection Control Experts Group and the many officials who pushed the 'droplet dogma' down the line uncritically.

Deep cleans, hand hygiene and 1.5m gaps in theatre while the virus blows right past. In short, the expert group was spectacularly wrong; Dr Berger and the rest of us listening to a diverse range of experts around the world were, unfortunately, right.

But people in aged care facilities died without airborne-disease protections in place.

Could we have expressed our views on the science more courteously? We tried and were ignored.

Was it disrespectful of me to call for the Infection Control Experts Group to be disbanded in late 2020? You bet.

But is being courteous effective when trying to be heard in the context of a command-and-control pandemic?

As someone with plenty of experience in the media and medical politics, I can attest that sending a polite letter is as useful as bringing scones, jam and cream to a knife fight.

Government officials suggested we "take our conversation offline".

I was once contacted by several intermediaries asking if I could "tone it down". I also got texts from politicians asking me to come in for a quiet chat.

One bureaucrat posted on twitter suggesting that, if I had something to say, I should call them rather than use a social media megaphone. He didn't make his number public though; probably wise.

As reported in Australian Doctor last week, the sections of the AHPRA sanction make troubling reading.

It stated: "Dr Berger has made comments that disagree with politicians, government bodies and public health organisations, pharmaceutical companies and other medical professionals. He has done so using emotive and pejorative language."

"The terms used by Dr Berger often imply that the persons or organisations at issue are acting either deceptively or coercively and for motives other than the public health interest.”

It added: "When referred to in this manner, it would be reasonable for the reader to doubt the integrity of the persons and organisations targeted by the practitioner and to lose confidence in the public health pronouncements and programs promoted by them."

Politicians and their employees acting deceptively or coercively for motives that benefit themselves rather than the public? Say it isn't so!

…..

F**k cancer. Offended? F**k heart disease too.

To silence certain doctors in the name of professional courtesy and force false displays of respect for mediocre authorities because of some 20th century notion of 'professionalism' and the fallacy that governments always act on 'the best medical advice' would be a backwards step for health.

With respect, bugger that.

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More information: Medical Board of Australia: Good medical practice: a code of conduct for doctors in Australia.

More here:

https://www.ausdoc.com.au/opinion/ahpras-made-serious-mistake-trying-silence-dr-david-berger

I have had a look at the last few days of posts and I have to say that by Twitter standards they are pretty mild and pretty typical of what can be found there.

I also have to say that the posts are clearly not directed at patients as best I can tell!

Given what we have all been through with COVID over the last few years most of the posts show remarkable equanimity!

It is really find it hard to understand just what the Medical Board is on about – feels a little heavy handed to me! You can see for yourself at @YouAreLobbyLud.

Interested to know what people think!

David.

The Evidence Keeps Coming On The Value Of Some Tech In Helping Mental Illness!

This release appeared last week:

MEDIA RELEASE

Wednesday 13th July , 2022

Virtual Reality App shown to reduce common phobias through clinical trial in New Zealand.

Results from a New Zealand University trial suggest fresh hope for the estimated one-in-twelve people worldwide suffering from a fear of flying, needles, heights, spiders and dogs.

The trial, led by Associate Professor Cameron Lacey, from the Department of Psychological Medicine, at the University of Otago, studied phobia patients using a headset and a smartphone app treatment programme – a combination of Virtual Reality (VR) 360-degree video exposure therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

Participants downloaded a fully self-guided smartphone app called “oVRcome”, developed by New Zealand based tech entrepreneur Adam Hutchinson, aimed at treating patients with phobia and anxiety.  The app, paired with a VR headset, immerses participants in virtual environments so as to relax and distract technology to help people overcome anxiety disorders and social anxiety through VR exposure therapy. Anxiety and phobias include heights, spiders, flying, dogs and dogs

The results from the trial, just published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/00048674221110779 showed a 75 per cent reduction in phobia symptoms after six weeks of the treatment programme.

 “The improvements they reported suggests there’s great potential for the use of VR and mobile phone apps as a means of self-guided treatment for people struggling with often-crippling phobias,” Associate Professor Lacey says.

 “Participants demonstrated a strong acceptability of the app, highlighting its potential for delivering easily accessible, cost-effective treatment at scale, of particular use for those unable to access in-person exposure therapy to treat their phobias.”

Adam was inspired to develop oVRcome after becoming increasingly alarmed by mental health statistics. Recognising that accessibility was a key issue, he began working with a team of clinical psychologists to develop an accessible smart-phone based tool to help. It is estimated that up to 80% of anxiety sufferers do not seek treatment currently. Barriers include cost, location of the patient, the stigma of going to a psychologist and the lack of trained psychologists.

A total of 129 people took part in the six-week randomized, controlled trial, between May 2021 and December 2021, with a 12-week follow-up. Participants needed to be aged between 18-64 years, have a fear of either flying, heights, needles, spiders and dogs. They were emailed weekly questionnaires to record their progress. Those experiencing adverse events could request contact from a clinical psychologist at any stage.

Participants experiencing all five types of phobia showed comparable improvements in the Severity Measures for Specific Phobia scale over the course of the trial.  There were no participant withdrawals due to intervention-related adverse events.

“The oVRcome app involves what’s called “exposure therapy, a form of CBT exposing participants to their specific phobias in short bursts, to build up their tolerance to the phobia in a clinically-approved and controlled way,” Associate Professor Lacey says.

 “Some participants reported significant progress in overcoming their phobias after the trial period, with one feeling confident enough to now book an overseas family holiday, another lining up for a Covid vaccine and another reporting they now felt confident not only knowing there was a spider in the house but that they could possibly remove it themselves.”

The app programme consisted of standard CBT components including psychoeducation, relaxation, mindfulness, cognitive techniques, exposure through VR, and a relapse prevention model. Participants were able to select their own exposure levels to their particular phobia from a large library of VR videos.

 “This means the levels of exposure therapy could be tailored to an individual’s needs which is a particular strength. The more traditional in-person exposure treatment for specific phobias have a notoriously high dropout rate due to discomfort, inconvenience and a lack of motivation in people seeking out fears to expose themselves to. With this VR app treatment, trialists had increased control in exposure to their fears, as well as control over when and where exposure occurs,” says Associate Professor Lacey.

Says Adam,  “The trial has allowed us to explore efficacy and benefit from robust learnings.  We’re really pleased to learn that users were able to build confidence and take steps toward conquering their phobias. While there has been large growth in the number of apps treating anxiety and mental health issues, only a few have been rigorously clinically studied.  The findings from the trial give us real confidence as we launch the product internationally. We know that we can make a difference for so many.”

Anyone suffering from phobia or anxiety, including social anxiety is invited to find out more at www.oVRcome.io.

Ends

Here is a link:

https://futurefive.co.nz/story/virtual-reality-app-reduces-phobias-through-nz-trial

There is a huge amount of coverage of this paper of which this is typical:

NZ study finds mobile app able to alleviate symptoms of common phobias

The VR app has been shown to reduce 75% of phobia symptoms after six weeks of treatment.

By Adam Ang

July 21, 2022 01:14 am

A clinical trial in New Zealand found a virtual reality app-based cognitive behaviour therapy programme reduced the symptoms of common phobias.

FINDINGS

Conducted between May and December last year, the randomised, controlled trial recruited a total of 129 adult participants with fears of flying, heights, needles, spiders and dogs. It was led by Dr Cameron Lacey, associate professor from the Department of Psychological Medicine at the University of Otago.

The study involved the use of a mobile VR app called oVRcome, which offers an exposure therapy programme for patients dealing with anxieties and phobias. Exposure therapy helps patients build up their tolerance to their specific phobias through short bursts of exposure. 

The programme consists of standard CBT components including psychoeducation, relaxation, mindfulness, cognitive techniques, exposure through VR and a relapse prevention model.

Based on findings, which were published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, the app-based CBT programme alleviated symptoms of phobias by 75% among participants after six weeks of treatment. 

According to Dr Lacey, "some participants reported significant progress in overcoming their phobias after the trial period, with one feeling confident enough to now book an overseas family holiday, another lining up for a COVID-19 vaccine and another reporting they now felt confident not only knowing there was a spider in the house but that they could possibly remove it themselves".

The study also noted that during the trial, participants experiencing all five types of phobia exhibited "comparable improvements" in the Severity Measures for Specific Phobia scale.

WHY IT MATTERS

Dr Lacey said the study has revealed a great potential for the use of VR and mobile apps as a means of self-guided treatment for people struggling with often-crippling phobias. Globally, one in twelve people has either fear of flying, needles, heights, spiders and dogs.

oVRcome's app-based exposure therapy programme provides users with greater control of exposure to their fears, something that traditional exposure treatments do not offer. "The more traditional in-person exposure treatments for specific phobias have a notoriously high dropout rate due to discomfort, inconvenience and a lack of motivation in people seeking out fears to expose themselves to," Dr Lacey claimed.

MARKET SNAPSHOT

Most recent applications of VR technologies in Asia-Pacific are focused on medical education and helping ease physical pain. Providers in this space include the Japanese VR maker Jolly Good and Australian startup Vantari VR.  

A recent study in the United States has found that computer-assisted CBT has helped improve depression symptoms in primary care patients, compared to just regular treatment. 

More here:

https://www.mobihealthnews.com/news/anz/nz-study-finds-mobile-app-able-alleviate-symptoms-common-phobias

I have to say this is one of the first peer-reviewed studies I have been aware of that has blended an app, virtual reality and a range of different approaches to achieve a good clinical outcome for patients.

It is great that rigorous review was undertaken and it seems we can be confident the intervention(s) really work.

Shows how the clever use of not very expensive technology can make a real difference!

David.

Commentators and Journalists Weigh In On Digital Health And Related Privacy, Safety, Social Media And Security Matters. Lots Of Interesting Perspectives - July 26, 2022.

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This weekly blog is to explore the news around the larger issues around Digital Health, data security, data privacy, AI / ML. technology, social media and related matters.

I will also try to highlight ADHA Propaganda when I come upon it.

Just so we keep count, the latest Notes from the ADHA Board were dated 6 December, 2018 and we have seen none since! It’s pretty sad!

Note: Appearance here is not to suggest I see any credibility or value in what follows. I will leave it to the reader to decide what is worthwhile and what is not! The point is to let people know what is being said / published that I have come upon.

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https://www.innovationaus.com/make-australia-worlds-hardest-scam-target-gina-cass-gottlieb/

Make Australia ‘world’s hardest scam target’: Gina Cass-Gottlieb

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Brandon How
Reporter

20 July 2022

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb highlighted the importance of collaboration in the fight against scams and outlined the regulator’s three-pronged approach to make Australia the world’s hardest target for scammers.

In a speech to Law Council of Australia’s 2022 Consumer Law Forum in Sydney on Tuesday, Ms Cass-Gottlieb said the three areas of focus for the regulator are stopping scammers from reaching consumers, educating consumers to stop scams and avoid becoming victims, and stopping funds from reaching scammers.

Ms Cass-Gottlieb also revealed that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) are currently trialing an automated website takedown trial.

The regulators are working with United Kingdom-based Netcraft to remove scam websites reported to the ACCC’s Scamwatch and to ASIC. According to the ACCC chair, in the last three weeks dozens of malicious websites targeting Australians have been taken down with dozens more pending. The United Kingdom government’s National Cyber Security Centre over the last four years.

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https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/anz/roundup-monash-health-sets-virtual-clinic-blood-pressure-management-and-more-briefs

Roundup: Monash Health sets up virtual clinic for blood pressure management and more briefs

Also, the Australian government is subsidising the cost of teleconsultation for the prescription of COVID-19 antiviral medications.

By Adam Ang

July 22, 2022 12:38 AM

Monash Health pilots virtual clinic for blood pressure management 

Monash Health, a public health service in Victoria, has piloted its pharmacist-led virtual clinic for managing the blood pressure of patients with chronic diseases.

Dubbed Optimising One Medication with Patients (OOMPa), the virtual clinic sees patients for the titration and adjustment of their blood pressure medication. 

Through a mobile app, pharmacists on-site can receive patients' real-time vital sign data collected through a Bluetooth-powered blood pressure cuff. With the data, pharmacists are able to adjust their medication dose online using a guideline-based protocol. 

The online service, touted as the world's first, is being tried out among liver disease patients.

So far based on the trial, the virtual process has enabled pharmacists to constantly monitor for side effects and assess compliance while patients are able to see in real-time the results of taking their medication, according to Chloe McAinch, one of the clinic's lead pharmacists.

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https://digitalhealth.org.au/blog/critical-infrastructure-protection-act-now-covers-healthcare/

Critical Infrastructure Protection Act now covers healthcare

Jul 18, 2022 | Community Chats, Community of Practice, Cybersecurity, Data, Digital Health, eHealth

The Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure Protection) Act 2022 came into effect on 8 April 2022.

Why is this relevant to me you ask?

Well, the amendment extends the scope of the of the Security of Critical Infrastructure Act 2018 to also apply to healthcare and the medical sector and has a set of regulatory functions under the Act such as the Risk Management Program, Register of Critical Infrastructure Assets and Mandatory Cyber Incident Reporting.

I heard that this is only relevant to hospitals and only ones with ICUs, is that correct?

The key focus of the current version of amendments is on hospitals with Intensive Care Units, however it is important for all healthcare organisations to be aware of the requirements as the original version of the Act amendments had a raft of additional considerations but got scaled down, so the scope is likely to be extended. I guess I am saying, take a bit of time out to familiarise yourself and be prepared!

OK, OK, so you have my attention, what is this all about?

Basically, from 8 April, hospitals need to register their critical infrastructure assets. You can do this at the Cyber and Infrastructure Security Centre Cyber and Infrastructure Security Centre (cisc.gov.au), for more info see this fact sheet CISC Factsheet – Register of Critical Infrastructure Assets 25 March 2022. Additionally, any security incident in relation to these assets needs to comply with mandatory cyber Incident reporting – see this fact sheet on the incident reporting processes CISC Factsheet – Cyber Security Incident Reporting.

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https://medinfo2023.org/about/aidh/

AIDH - MEDINFO

About AIDH

The Australasian Institute of Digital Health (AIDH) is the peak body for digital health, representing a united and influential voice for health informatics and digital health leaders and practitioners.

The vision of the Institute is “healthier lives, digitally enabled”.

Fellows and Members of the Institute are actively involved in the national health agenda and the opportunities to advance healthcare delivered in a digital world.

The independent and not-for-profit Institute represents a broad and diverse membership of health informaticians, clinicians, researchers, healthcare managers and executives, data analysts, designers, project managers, business analysts, technologists and digital innovators.

Special digital health interest areas include precision health, genomics, virtual care, cybersecurity, clinical informatics, nursing informatics, health UX and digital public health.

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https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/kids-online-privacy-threat/news-story/fd4c1f94d9bde70b2a021581b44762f6

Kids’ online privacy threat

Joe Kelly

8:34PM July 21, 2022

The Coalition is urging the Labor government to implement new online privacy laws following an audit showing popular entertainment apps aimed at children were collecting and sharing personal data.

Opposition legal affairs spokesman Julian Leeser and communications spokeswoman Sarah Henderson seized on an audit of 186 entertainment apps commissioned by Children and Media Australia.

The results showed that more than 100 of the apps contained risky code which allowed some companies to gather data and build profiles on children which could then “follow them for life.”

“Anthony Albanese and his government need to act now,” Mr Leeser and Ms Henderson told The Australian.

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https://www.afr.com/companies/healthcare-and-fitness/amazon-makes-5-6b-march-into-healthcare-20220722-p5b3pg

Amazon makes $5.6b move into healthcare

Manas Mishra and Jeffrey Dastin

Jul 22, 2022 – 9.17am

New York | Amazon on Thursday (Friday AEST) agreed to buy primary care provider One Medical for $3.9 billion ($5.6 billion), expanding the e-commerce giant’s virtual healthcare and adding brick-and-mortar doctors’ offices for the first time.

The acquisition is the latest attempt by Amazon to become a leading player in the healthcare industry, from becoming an online pharmacy to providing telehealth services. One Medical offers a subscription-based model where users can pay a monthly fee to have access to doctors.

“We think healthcare is high on the list of experiences that need reinvention,” said Neil Lindsay, senior vice president of Amazon Health Services.

The online retailer first piloted virtual care visits for its own staff in Seattle in 2019 before offering services to other employers under the Amazon Care brand. It likewise bought online pharmacy PillPack in 2018, underpinning a prescription delivery and price-comparison site it later launched.

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https://www.innovationaus.com/health-agencys-27-million-global-switch-exit-running-late/

Health agency’s $27 million Global Switch exit running late

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Joseph Brookes
Senior Reporter

21 July 2022

The Australian Digital Health Agency’s mandated move out of a Chinese owned data centre cost more than $27 million and is running late, missing the government’s deadline for a new data sovereignty scheme this month.

The health agency this week confirmed it was yet to finish decommissioning its hardware in the Global Switch Ultimo (GSU) facility in Sydney, but completed its migration of sensitive data earlier this month, around a week after the deadline.

The Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA) is one of four agencies which agreed to exit the GSU by the end of last month under a Home Affairs Affairs-led $115 million ‘securing sovereign data’ project, after missing an original self-imposed 2020 deadline.

The other members of the group – the Department of Home Affairs, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and the Australian Communications Media Authority (ACMA) – have all left the facility, meeting the latest June 30 deadline.

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https://www.itwire.com/business-it-news/security/making-australia-the-world%e2%80%99s-hardest-target-for-scams-accc-202207200221.html

Wednesday, 20 July 2022 12:14

Making Australia the world’s hardest target for scams: ACCC

By Staff Writer

The financial and emotional devastation caused by scams every year in Australia can be reduced if government, consumer groups and the private sector work together to make Australia a much harder target for scammers, according to ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb.

The chair of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission - Australia’s competition watchdog - said this would require a three-pronged approach when delivering a speech to the Law Council of Australia’s 2022 Consumer Law Forum in Sydney on Tuesday night.

“First, we need to stop scammers reaching consumers by disrupting the means by which they contact would-be victims – whether through phone calls, SMS, email, social media,” Cass-Gottlieb said.

“Second, we need to better educate consumers so that if a scam contact makes it through to them, they are able to recognise it as a scam. Scammers are increasingly sophisticated and cunning in the ways they trick consumers and businesses, so this is a key challenge to address.

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https://www.hospitalhealth.com.au/content/technology/article/the-hospital-of-the-future-1184154340

The hospital of the future

By Amy Sarcevic
Monday, 27 June, 2022

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If you close your eyes and picture the hospital of the future, a few images may spring to mind. Robots wandering the hallways and checking patient vitals. Machines dishing out medications, or performing complex surgeries.

While these would not be foolish ideals to aim for, the Chief Executive of Health Infrastructure, Rebecca Wark, believes sometimes it is the simpler innovations that make the largest difference to patient experience.

“There is something to be said for simplicity when planning for future hospitals,” Wark said.

“Sweeping innovations that drastically alter clinical practice are important, but so are the more basic technology upgrades that make a big difference to patients and their families feeling comfortable — like better Wi-Fi connections, so that visitors stay by bedsides for longer.”

Wark’s aspirations for yet-to-be-invented healthcare technologies are of a similar ilk: simple tools that support people through the hospital system, or minimise clinician involvement.

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https://theconversation.com/6-steps-to-making-a-covid-plan-before-you-get-sick-187158

6 steps to making a COVID plan, before you get sick

Published: July 19, 2022 12.34pm AEST

Author

1. Oliver Frank Disclosure statement

With COVID cases, hospital admissions and deaths resurging, every Australian needs to know what they can do to reduce their risk of becoming seriously unwell.

Last week, Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler advised Australians who are at higher risk of becoming seriously unwell with COVID to consult their GPs and make a plan for what they will do if they are infected.

But what should you ask your GP? And what information can you provide them with to ensure you have a COVID plan in place and can access the right treatment when you need it?

Antivirals for mild cases

Two oral COVID treatments are available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme for use at home by people who have been diagnosed with mild COVID illness and who are at elevated risk of becoming seriously ill: Lagevrio and Paxlovid.

To reduce the risk of progression to severe disease and hospitalisation, these treatments must be started as soon as possible, within five days of when symptoms start.

Nirmatrelvir plus ritonavir (Paxlovid) is the more effective of these two treatments but it can have complex interactions with many common medicines.

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https://itwire.com/business-it-news/security/tiktok-admits-australian-user-data-can-be-accessible,-posing-security-and-privacy-concerns.html

Tuesday, 19 July 2022 08:32

TikTok admits Australian user data can be accessible, posing security and privacy concerns

By Kenn Anthony Mendoza

Australian user data on TikTok can be accessed by the social media platform's employees, warns Shadow cybersecurity minister James Patterson.

Patterson wrote in a tweet last 4 July 2022 that he sent a letter to TikTok Australia following revelations in the US that user data is accessible in mainland China.

"Australian TikTok users deserve to know whether their private information is equally exposed," he wrote.

Almost a week after on 13 July 2022, TikTok Australia replied to Patterson's inquiry and admitted that Australian user data is also accessible in mainland China.

However, it said: "There are strict protocols in place to protect Australian user data. Australian user data is stored in Singapore and the US. Our security teams minimise the number of people who have access to data and limit it only to people who need that access to do their jobs. We have policies and procedures that limit our employees' internal access to Australian user data wherever they're based, based on need."

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https://www.smh.com.au/business/entrepreneurship/wartime-ceo-mark-zuckerberg-s-ruthlessness-is-what-facebook-needs-now-20220718-p5b2bd.html

Wartime CEO: Mark Zuckerberg’s ruthlessness is what Facebook needs now

By Parmy Olson

July 19, 2022 — 7.40am

Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai sent a surprising memo to his staff this week: “Moving forward, we need to be more entrepreneurial, working with greater urgency, sharper focus, and more hunger than we’ve shown on sunnier days,” he wrote, according to tech news site The Verge.

Not only did his message underscore the increasingly challenging outlook for tech firms, it marked a shift to a tougher tone from the tech industry that is poised only to intensify in the weeks ahead. Meta chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg’s own warning to employees last month was even darker: “Realistically, there are probably a bunch of people at the company who shouldn’t be here,” he said in one of his weekly Q&As with staff. The Facebook founder added that he was pushing for more aggressive goals. “Some of you might decide that this place isn’t for you,” he added, “and that self-selection is okay with me.”

It’s a little jarring to hear a tech CEO turn up the heat in a way that echoes Jack Welch’s rank-and-yank approach to culling low performers. Tech companies, after all, have generally operated like employee nirvanas, paying high salaries and offering lavish perks from catered meals and free concerts, to on-site massage and egg freezing.

But the sharper tone is necessary. Tech has entered an unfamiliar era of uncertainty, marked by tumbling shares and hiring slowdowns — challenges that would have been shocking even a year ago. To make matters worse, social media firms like Google’s YouTube, Facebook and Instagram are also facing heightened regulatory scrutiny while trying to refashion their products on the fly to fend off competition from ByteDance’s TikTok.

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https://www.ausdoc.com.au/opinion/ahpras-made-serious-mistake-trying-silence-dr-david-berger

AHPRA's made a serious mistake in trying to silence Dr David Berger

Dr Andrew Miller

Dr Miller is an anaesthetist in Perth and president of AMA WA.

15th July 2022

Dr David Berger has been told to pull his head in by the Medical Board of Australia who wants him to undergo a re-education course "in relation to behaving professionally and courteously to colleagues and other practitioners".

His offence, according to the board, was his passionate Tweets, sometimes containing the odd expletive, critiquing public health measures, dopey commentators and the politics of the pandemic.

This was the end result of an anonymous notification — or at least one where the 'name withheld from the registrant' — made to AHPRA

Doctors’ freedom to speak out on fundamental issues on public health, patient safety, ethical medical care should be sacrosanct.

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https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/distinguished-professor-says-time-australia-makes-waves-about-gravity/news-story/285851dc2655a15fa807bca22ac2cb75

Distinguished professor says time Australia makes waves about gravity

Sarah Ison

6:53PM July 17, 2022

A Canberra professor has become the first Australian to join a prestigious international group studying the forces of gravity – which included names like the late Stephen Hawking – and has called on Australia to establish its own gravitational wave detector to be part of the next generation of scientific discovery.

Australian National University Distinguished Professor Susan Scott has dedicated her life to the study of gravitational waves ­rippling through space time, indicating phenomenon like the collision of black holes, with her work altering understanding of the deepest parts of the universe.

In recognition of her contribution, Professor Scott was elected as a Fellow of the International Society on General Relativity and Gravitation. She is the first Australian to be chosen for the elite group, which was founded by colleagues of Albert Einstein, who developed the theory of general relativity in 1915.

The society connects researchers, organises conferences and publishes world-leading ­research.

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https://www.hospitalhealth.com.au/content/technology/news/health-leaders-face-persistent-barriers-to-effective-data-use-report-88426000

Health leaders face persistent barriers to effective data use: report

Philips Australia & New Zealand

Wednesday, 13 July, 2022

While many healthcare leaders trust the insights data delivers, they continue to face perennial barriers to effective data usage that stop them from fully using data and predictive analytics, according to a new report by Royal Philips.

The global health technology provider has released its Australian Future Health Index (FHI) 2022 report: ‘Healthcare hits reset: Priorities shift as healthcare leaders navigate a changed world’.

Now in its seventh year, the report is based on insights from 3000 respondents across 15 countries, including Australia, and explores how healthcare leaders are harnessing the power of data and digital technology as they look to address their key challenges coming out of the pandemic.

“The results of the 2022 report continue to show that Australian healthcare leaders believe digital technologies can solve some of the most pressing issues currently challenging our health system,” said Matt Moran, Managing Director of Philips Australia & New Zealand.

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https://www.afr.com/technology/retailers-would-be-breaking-new-laws-governing-facial-recognition-20220715-p5b1v1

Retailers would be breaking new laws governing facial recognition

John Davidson Columnist

Jul 15, 2022 – 5.02pm

The former human rights commissioner says that what Bunnings and Kmart are doing with facial recognition technology should be against the law “if it’s not already”.

The retailers are being investigated by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner for potential breaches of Australia’s existing Privacy Act.

The retailers did not appear to be obtaining sufficient consent from customers to meet the standards of the upcoming model law, said Edward Santow, the former human rights commissioner and a professor at the University of Technology, Sydney, who specialises in artificial intelligence.

UTS is drafting a model law with the participation of the federal government, due for release in September. If that law were adopted, what Bunnings and Kmart are doing would be illegal, Professor Santow told AFR Weekend.

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David.

Weekly Australian Health IT Links – 25 July, 2022.

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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Quite a lot going on this week and we have had a pretty busy comment flow on the blog. Interesting how comment streams evolve!

The telehealth debate continues and the Government is yet to notice what a ‘steaming pile of poo’the #myHR is!

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https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/anz/australia-launches-digital-cancer-hub-children-families

Australia launches digital cancer hub for children, families

It builds on Canteen Connect, an online support community for young cancer patients and their families.

By Adam Ang

July 17, 2022 10:23 PM

The Australian government has launched a digital cancer hub to support young cancer patients and their families. 

The Cancer Hub was developed in partnership with three of the leading children's cancer support groups in Australia, namely Canteen, Camp Quality, and Redkite.

Based on a media release, the digital hub will be providing online counselling services to children under 12 with cancer and their parents. It builds on Canteen Connect, a mobile app-based online community for people aged 12-25 dealing with their own or a family member’s cancer. 

The federal government has provided A$3.3 million ($2.2 million) to Canteen to deliver the Cancer Hub until the end of 2023. This includes A$1.8 million ($1.2 million) in funding to continue its Canteen Connect service and A$1.5 million ($1 million) to offer a cancer navigation service.

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https://medicalrepublic.com.au/level-c-phone-backflip-falls-short/73274

18 July 2022

Level C phone backflip ‘falls short’

COVID-19 Drugs PBS

By Francis Wilkins

Reinstating MBS rebates for longer phone consults just for antiviral prescribing ignores the bigger picture.

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The government has partially resurrected a popular MBS telehealth item but limited it to covid antiviral prescribing, brushing off the ongoing needs of people without access to reliable fast internet. 

The Level C phone consults for antiviral prescribing will expire at the end of October, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said at the weekend. 

RACGP president Adjunct Professor Karen Price said she welcomed the news but that it fell short of what was needed for non-covid patients.  

“Chronic, isolated and vulnerable patients will now either need to be cut off at 20 minutes, come in face to face, or go without,” she tweeted on Saturday morning. 

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https://www.hospitalhealth.com.au/content/aged-allied-health/news/rural-and-remote-patients-left-behind-by-telehealth-cuts-racgp-1652286015

Rural and remote patients left behind by telehealth cuts: RACGP

Wednesday, 20 July, 2022

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The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has once again urged the federal government to make Medicare rebates for longer telehealth phone consultations a permanent fixture of the nation’s telehealth scheme so that patients living outside of major cities can get the care they need when they need it.

It comes following reports of a study released by Phillips, which found that 40% of people living in rural and remote areas had internet speeds that were less than 28 kilobits per second. This makes conducting telehealth video consultations challenging, if not impossible, given that the minimum recommended speed for video calls is 600 kilobits per second. In addition, other people are not confident using the technology or find the cost of purchasing a smartphone or laptop prohibitive.

The latest Medicare Benefits Schedule, which came into effect on 1 July, has removed a patient rebate for GP phone appointments longer than 20 minutes, but kept patient rebates for video consults that are 20–40 minutes and longer (>40 minutes).* 2.5 million Australians are not using the internet due to issues including access and affordability. It’s estimated that 1 in 4 people in Australia are being “digitally excluded” and unable to properly take advantage of digital technology, according to the RACGP.

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https://www.itnews.com.au/news/gov-spends-another-9m-on-data-analytics-to-detect-medicare-fraud-582779

Gov spends another $9m on data analytics to detect Medicare fraud

By Justin Hendry on Jul 19, 2022 11:55AM

Looks to Quantium Health.

The federal government will pay Woolworths-backed Quantium Health another $9 million over the next year for tools to detect suspected instances of Medicare claims fraud by health providers.

The Department of Health and Aged Care entered the contract for ‘data analytics services to support health provider compliance’ this month, extending its existing relationship with Quantium Health.

Quantium Health is jointly owned by the data analytics firm Quantium Group, which is majority-owned by the Woolworths Group, and South African insurer Discovery Limited.

The company first began providing data analytics services to support health provider compliance in June 2019 under a now-expired $19.6 million contract that climbed to $28.6 million last year.

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https://www.itnews.com.au/news/home-affairs-asic-acma-leave-global-switch-data-centre-582807

Home Affairs, ASIC, ACMA leave Global Switch data centre

By Justin Hendry on Jul 19, 2022 6:37AM

Under $115m 'securing sovereign data' project.

Three federal government agencies exited Global Switch’s Sydney-based data centre in line with a July 2022 deadline to migrate all sensitive data from the facility, with a fourth agency expected to leave this week.

iTnews can reveal the Department of Home Affairs, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and the Australian Communications Media Authority (ACMA) all left the Chinese-owned facility before the end of last month.

The group of agencies agreed to exit GSU by the end of the 2021-22 financial year under the Home Affairs-led ‘securing sovereign data’ project, replacing a previously self-imposed deadline of September 2020.

The deadline coincides with the requirement under the hosting certification framework that agencies now host all sensitive government data, whole-of-government systems and systems rated to a protected-level with only ‘certified strategic’ or ‘certified assured’ data centre providers.

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https://www.mobihealthnews.com/news/anz/nz-study-finds-mobile-app-able-alleviate-symptoms-common-phobias

NZ study finds mobile app able to alleviate symptoms of common phobias

The VR app has been shown to reduce 75% of phobia symptoms after six weeks of treatment.

By Adam Ang

July 21, 2022 01:14 am

A clinical trial in New Zealand found a virtual reality app-based cognitive behaviour therapy programme reduced the symptoms of common phobias.

FINDINGS

Conducted between May and December last year, the randomised, controlled trial recruited a total of 129 adult participants with fears of flying, heights, needles, spiders and dogs. It was led by Dr Cameron Lacey, associate professor from the Department of Psychological Medicine at the University of Otago.

The study involved the use of a mobile VR app called oVRcome, which offers an exposure therapy programme for patients dealing with anxieties and phobias. Exposure therapy helps patients build up their tolerance to their specific phobias through short bursts of exposure. 

The programme consists of standard CBT components including psychoeducation, relaxation, mindfulness, cognitive techniques, exposure through VR and a relapse prevention model.

Based on findings, which were published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, the app-based CBT programme alleviated symptoms of phobias by 75% among participants after six weeks of treatment. 

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MEDIA RELEASE

Wednesday 13th July , 2022

Virtual Reality App shown to reduce common phobias through clinical trial in New Zealand.

Results from a New Zealand University trial suggest fresh hope for the estimated one-in-twelve people worldwide suffering from a fear of flying, needles, heights, spiders and dogs.

The trial, led by Associate Professor Cameron Lacey, from the Department of Psychological Medicine, at the University of Otago, studied phobia patients using a headset and a smartphone app treatment programme – a combination of Virtual Reality (VR) 360-degree video exposure therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

Participants downloaded a fully self-guided smartphone app called “oVRcome”, developed by New Zealand based tech entrepreneur Adam Hutchinson, aimed at treating patients with phobia and anxiety.  The app, paired with a VR headset, immerses participants in virtual environments so as to relax and distract technology to help people overcome anxiety disorders and social anxiety through VR exposure therapy. Anxiety and phobias include heights, spiders, flying, dogs and dogs

The results from the trial, just published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/00048674221110779 showed a 75 per cent reduction in phobia symptoms after six weeks of the treatment programme.

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https://www.crn.com.au/news/datacom-hires-pauline-soo-as-health-director-to-lead-medical-sector-expansion-582996

Datacom hires Pauline Soo as health director to lead medical sector expansion

By Jeremy Nadel on Jul 21, 2022 1:11PM

Systems integrator Datacom has appointed Pauline Soo to a newly created, Melbourne-based health director role following an expansion of its medical organisation client base.

The Australian Federal Department of Health renewed its IT outsourcing contract with Datacom this April by three years and expanded its services agreement, with the total contract value reaching over $500 million. The company also entered a six-month, $250,000, ‘vaccine clinic finder support service contract’ with the Australian Digital Health Agency at the beginning of the month. 

Datacom said the heavy regulatory and compliance requirements that came with these partnerships made it necessary to hire an aged-care and healthcare veteran with an understanding of the sector’s unique needs. 

Datacom chief innovation and technology officer Matthew Gooden said Soo had the experience to guide Datacom’s expansion into the health industry. 

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https://www.itnews.com.au/news/healthscope-appoints-interim-ciso-to-permanent-role-582603

Healthscope appoints interim CISO to permanent role

By Kate Weber on Jul 22, 2022 6:30AM

Concludes three-month search.

Healthscope has appointed its deputy and interim CISO Varun Acharya to the permanent CISO position vacated by Mitra Minai back in May.

Acharya stepped into the acting CISO role at the private hospital operation and healthcare provider soon after Minai left to join KPMG.

He revealed on LinkedIn that he has now been appointed as Healthscope's permanrnt CISO “after nearly three months serving as the deputy and interim CISO”.

Acharya was the company's head of cyber security for threat intelligence and security operations for just over a year prior to taking on the new role.

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https://www.cesphn.org.au/news/latest-updates/5513-improving-data-quality-through-diabetes-and-immunisation-data

Improving data quality through Diabetes and Immunisation Data

This 30-minute session will provide an overview of the importance of high-quality patient clinical records and practical examples of how to improve your practice’s data quality, using either a diabetes or immunisation quality improvement activity.

This session will aim to guide medical practice administrative and clinical staff in gaining a foundational understanding of:

• The clinical risks of poor data;
• The importance of coding clinical information to ensure quality diagnosis and medical history/observations data;
• Importance of medical terminology; and
• The benefits of up-to-date and accurate data within clinical software's and when uploading documents to the My Health Record.

Diabetes data (28/07/2022):
This training will support practices to use PIP QI Improvement Measures relating to diabetes (measures 1 and 10) to improve their data quality.
Register here.

Immunisation data (25/12/2022):
This training will support practices to use PIP QI Improvement Measures relating to influenza immunisation and diagnosis data (measures 5 and 6) to improve their data quality.
Register here.

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https://insightplus.mja.com.au/2022/27/is-telehealth-really-the-great-panacea-for-rural-health/

18 July 2022

Is telehealth the great panacea for rural health?

Authored by  Simon Judkins, Belinda Hibble, Stephen Gourley

Issue 27 / 18 July 2022

Instead of a telehealth explosion, where “we will get back in touch with you”, we need to refocus on a rural workforce explosion, where we can have clinicians and patients actually within hand’s reach of each other

OUT of a crisis comes opportunity, and with the effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic marching on, opportunities to transform many aspects of our health care systems have flourished.

One of the areas that has gained much interest is the potential expansion of investment in telehealth in its various guises. We have seen utility in supporting primary care, managing outpatient clinics, mental health consultations, and increasing use in emergency department (ED) settings.

The stars have aligned for this innovation in health care. Telehealth manages the risk of exposure to a wildly contagious disease (for both staff and patients). It allows for reduced movement of people within the community – a further benefit during lockdowns.

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https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/anz/northern-health-expand-virtual-ed-access-covid-19-aged-care-patients

Northern Health to expand virtual ED access to COVID-19, aged care patients

This will help free up ambulances and hospitals that are currently overwhelmed with rising COVID-19 cases.

By Adam Ang

July 21, 2022 01:16 AM

Northern Health is expanding the access to its virtual emergency department service to people living in residential aged care facilities and COVID-19 patients being treated at home via the COVID-19 Positive Pathway Program.

This comes as part of the additional A$162 million ($122 million) funding provided by the state government of Victoria to the health service to improve the operations of Ambulance Victoria.

Due to this, the capacity of the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED) will be doubled from 250 patients per day. The service virtually connects patients with non-life-threatening emergencies to nurses and doctors via video call. It also enables paramedics to connect patients on scene for virtual assessment, management and referral.

THE LARGER CONTEXT

The additional funding for the VVED is part of the Victorian government's initiative to support the state health workers and patients amid a fresh outbreak caused by the emergence of new COVID-19 variants. 

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https://www.hospitalhealth.com.au/content/technology/news/aidh-ehealth-nsw-partner-for-digital-health-conference-133131690

AIDH, eHealth NSW partner for digital health conference

Monday, 18 July, 2022

The Australasian Institute of Digital Health is partnering with NSW Health’s digital health agency eHealth NSW to host a digital health conference and expo in Sydney in October.

The Digital Health Summit by AIDH and eHealth NSW will focus on innovations and advances in digital health across NSW Health’s local health districts, specialty health networks and agencies that span the state’s metropolitan, regional and rural areas.

To be held at the International Convention Centre from 17–18 October 2022, the event will feature more than 100 presentations on digital health, virtual care, genomics, precision health, nursing and midwifery, mental health, allied health, safety and quality, patient and workforce experience, as well as highly specialised fields within health informatics.

AIDH CEO Dr Louise Schaper said the institute had worked closely with eHealth NSW for many years.

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https://www.hinz.org.nz/news/611925/St-John-launches-telemonitoring-service.htm

St John launches telemonitoring service

July 22, 2022

NEWS - eHealthNews.nz editor Rebecca McBeth

St John is trialling a telemonitoring service to improve access to healthcare for Māori and Pasifika with high blood pressure.

Manaaki Mamao has been developed in partnership with technology company Spritely and builds on a successful pilot that attracted Ministry of Health funding and will eventually involve more than 100 participants.

Participants are given a tablet computer that automatically pairs to a blood pressure monitor that they use at home and allows people to track health vitals.

St John national Māori advisor - customers and supporters, Malcolm Kendall, says the easy-to-use kit makes taking readings simple.

“We can’t change what we can’t measure. Being able to see their readings gives whaiora (patients) something to aim for and to change,” he says.

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https://www.greatlakesadvocate.com.au/story/7588342/scamwatch-its-a-rental-scam-but-with-a-twist/

Scamwatch: It's a rental scam but with a twist

July 22 2022 at 1:00pm

Scams, and the con artists behind them, are forever evolving and becoming more sophisticated and harder to spot.

ACM has compiled a list of current scams identified on sites such as scamwatch.gov.au, cyber.gov.au and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's website dedicated to informing people about fraudulent and dishonest activities.

If you have been the victim of a scam report it to scamwatch.gov.au/report-a-scam.

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https://www.hinz.org.nz/news/611225/South-Island-links-into-national-image-exchange-solution.htm

South Island links into national image exchange solution

Wednesday, 20 July 2022  

NEWS - eHealthNews.nz editor Rebecca McBeth

Four South Island districts have gone live with PACSLink, providing staff with easier access to radiology images and reports from around the country.

More than 30 radiology providers nationwide are now using the service, which means staff can pull radiology images and reports from other services automatically.

Canterbury, West Coast, South Canterbury and Nelson Marlborough districts of Te Whatu Ora (previously DHBs) went live with the system in February 2022.

These four regions already share a regional Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS).

SI regional radiology systems manager Hayley Stewart says that previously, staff would have to spend time sending emails and placing phone calls to other DHBs or providers to request images or reports be transferred.

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https://www.hinz.org.nz/news/611224/Tech-enables-national-GPMRI-service.htm

Tech enables national GPMRI service

Monday, 18 July 2022  

NEWS - eHealthNews.nz editor Rebecca McBeth

Technologies enabling the new GPMRI service mean GPs can directly refer ACC patients for MRI scans, and referrals can be tracked through the system.

The service allows GPs who have received MRI training to directly refer patients for a scan if they have knee, lumbar, or upper spine injures.

Patients previously faced an average wait of 23 days to receive MRIs for some musculoskeletal injuries, which jumped to approximately 30 days in Auckland.

The roll out follows a pilot with ProCare and Mercy Radiology which begun in Auckland in 2017 and the wait time from referral to MRI is now down to 12.4 days.

Paul Roseman, ProCare’s general manager strategic development, says GPs in the upper North Island are using the inhouse built referral platform Profusion for the GPMRI programme. This is a webform tool, integrated with the major patient management systems.

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https://www.digitalhealth.gov.au/careers/director-communication-and-marketing-delivery

Director Communication and Marketing Delivery

EL2 ($149,194 - $176,637)
Corporate Services Division > Communications
Brisbane, Canberra, Sydney

Closing - 1 Aug 2022

Division Overview

Corporate services – responsible for bringing together our corporate enabling services so that they are coordinated, effective and mutually reinforcing.

Primary Purpose of the Position

As the Director Communication and Marketing Delivery you will hold management responsibility across a broad portfolio of design, media and digital products and services. The primary objective of the position is to manage brand reputation and ensure online presences delivers against key outcomes for all audiences.

In addition, the Director Communication and Marketing Delivery will be an effective leader, adept at leading and developing teams of specialists in delivering complex and time-sensitive outcomes in a dynamic and changing environment, using active planning and optimisation of resources.

Although on call duties are required, it is anticipated that actual response to any issues will be on a very infrequent basis, and the exception rather than the rule.

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https://www.digitalhealth.gov.au/careers/programme-support-officer

Programme Support Officer

APS5 ($90,901 - $98,303)
Technology Services Division > Programme Management
Brisbane, Canberra, Sydney

Closing - 7 Aug 2022

Division Overview

Technology services – responsible for the operation of high quality, trusted, reliable and secure national digital health infrastructure and health support systems.

Primary Purpose of Position

Do you have a passion for quality assurance and continuous improvement? Are you up to the task of driving and supporting high quality performance and culture? Then the Programme Support Officer role is for you! As the Programme Support Officer, you will be responsible for building and maintaining productive and positive stakeholder relationships both within and outside the Agency and will work closely with the Knowledge Management team and Escalations Team within Customer Support. From time to time you may be required to perform other duties as required and assist the Knowledge Management (KM) team to ensure various articles are kept current and up to date.

The Programme Support Officer will be responsible for the following, but not limited to:

• Apply a best practice approach to support the Agency in delivering high quality My Health Record services through regular and robust quality assurance activities.
• Assist in providing operational oversight and governance of customer support operations to ensure contractual obligations and service standards are being met by the Contact Centre.
• Interpret and apply policies, legislation and guidelines relating to My Health Record and other related programs to ensure a high standard of customer service is delivered.
• Assist in the implementation of improvements to drive quality performance, considering the broader work environment.
• Be accountable for own tasks and decisions and provide support and guidance to others to build capability within the team.
• Provide technical expertise that contributes to business unit outcomes.
• Apply innovation initiatives to maximise the benefits of change and contributes to the improvement in quality and efficiency of services.
• Assist with audits and maintaining appropriate risk management programs.
• Perform in-depth analysis of Contact Centre and Customer Support operations to ensure adherence to process and procedure and identify targeted training needs for staff.
• Perform trend analysis of inbound call volumes and topics and identify emerging trends and issues and raise these accordingly.
• Ensure provision of high-quality customer service to support continuous improvement.

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https://www.digitalhealth.gov.au/newsroom/product-releases/snomed-ct-au-and-australian-medicines-terminology-july-2022-release

SNOMED CT-AU and Australian Medicines Terminology July 2022 Release

Published 21 July 2022

The National Clinical Terminology Service (NCTS) is pleased to announce that the July combined release of SNOMED CT® AU[1] and the Australian Medicines Terminology (AMT) is now available to registered users from the NCTS website.
 
The latest Release Note and all release files (RF2 bundle, reference sets) can be downloaded from the ACCESS tab.

Important information

The SNOMED International update is currently being targeted for the September SNOMED CT-AU release.  Further information will be provided to licence holders once it has been confirmed.
 
If you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact us by emailing help@digitalhealth.gov.au. 

Where can I find technical guides and other resources?

All SNOMED CT AU and AMT documentation, including technical and implementation guides, is freely available for download from the NCTS Document Library without registering or logging in. However, if you are a registered user we recommend that you log in before downloading any material so that we can better target our communications to you, based on the resources that you have downloaded.

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https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/technology/the-nbn-faces-a-slide-in-demand-as-retailers-ramp-up-the-sales-pitch-on-cheaper-faster-5g/news-story/b494697b1b489a248147d171278414f5

NBN facing 5G threat as cost of living bites

Telcos are ramping up sales of their own 5G products, which they say are faster - and cheaper - than their NBN counterparts, and thousands of consumers are making the switch.

By David Swan

July 22, 2022

The NBN faces a slide in demand as retailers ramp up the sales pitch on cheaper, faster 5G offerings – as the competition watchdog considers a proposal from the broadband network that could see internet bills double in a decade.

More than a quarter of Australians consider their phone and internet costs to be unaffordable, a recent study from the Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) found, and retailers are now increasingly pushing wireless 5G plans which in many cases are superior – and less expensive – than those offered by NBN.

In May TPG’s subsidiary brands launched a new $60 per month 5G home internet service that the telco said offers superior value compared to NBN’s 50 megabit per second plans and is particularly customers keeping a close eye on their budget. Home 5G typically offers speeds of between 100 and 600 megabits per second, which in many cases is as much as 12-times the speed of NBN’s 50 megabits per second plans.

TPG executives say the migration of every 100,000 NBN customers back onto its own infrastructure represents around $50m in annual savings for the telco.

Since launching its 4G and 5G home broadband services last year, it has signed up more than 110,000 customers nationally.

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https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/james-webb-telescope-spots-the-oldest-galaxy-back-in-time-20220723-p5b3yn.html

James Webb telescope spots the oldest galaxy back in time

By Sarah Knapton

July 23, 2022 — 11.54am

London: The earliest light in the known universe may have been captured in the latest images from a NASA telescope which shows a star-filled galaxy 13.5 billion years old.

The collection of stars known as GLASS-z13, dates back to 300 million years after the Big Bang. This beats the previous oldest galaxy, spotted by the Hubble Space Telescope, by about 100 million years.

“We’re potentially looking at the most distant starlight that anyone has ever seen,” said Rohan Naidu of the Harvard Centre for Astrophysics.

The universe formed 13.8 billion years ago but was initially dark, taking a while for matter to clump together in such dense formations that stars eventually burst into life.

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https://www.theaustralian.com.au/world/the-times/galaxys-peculiar-heartbeat-has-scientists-enthralled/news-story/f0c127f3a5d33a0a3c85c5318b4ab5e3

Galaxy’s peculiar ‘heartbeat’ has scientists enthralled

·         By Hugh Tomlinson

·         The Times

·         9:38AM July 18, 2022

Astronomers have detected a mysterious radio burst with a pattern akin to a heartbeat emerging from a galaxy about a billion light years away.

The fast radio burst, named FRB 20191221A, was picked up on radio telescope by the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (Chime) at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory in British Columbia. Its cause and the galaxy from which it came are unknown.

Astronomers using Chime spotted the signal in 2019 and have just set out their findings in the Nature journal. The team said it was unusual because it lasted for about three seconds, a thousand times longer than is typical.

Hundreds of fast radio bursts have been found at distant points since the first one was detected in 2007.

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Enjoy!

David.