Artificial Intelligence

The revolution changing the face of healthcare delivery

Call for entries for Clinicians’ Challenge

10 August 2014

New Zealand’s annual Clinicians’ Challenge competition is now open, offering a $10,000 grant to a winning concept that promotes the use of information systems in healthcare. Organised by the National Health IT Board (NHITB), Health Informatics New Zealand (HINZ) and the NZ Health IT Cluster (NZHIT), the closing date for entries is October 3, with […]

Nirvana Group migrates to Medtech Evolution

10 August 2014

One of Auckland’s largest primary healthcare providers is migrating from its Medtech32 practice management software system to Medtech’s Evolution platform. The multi-clinic Nirvana Group includes East Tamaki Healthcare, Whitecross, West Auckland Healthcare and Mt Roskill Healthcare. The organisation wanted to upgrade its existing system to cater for future growth, and conducted a review of a […]

Debate continues on diagnostic reports for PCEHR

7 August 2014

The Department of Health is holding a second round of consultations this week on the best methods to upload pathology and diagnostic imaging reports to the PCEHR. Two consultation workshops were held in Melbourne last month to discuss a number of workflows for diagnostic services, including the development of an authority to post (ATP) method […]

Consumer study shows PCEHR too hard to sign up for

7 August 2014

An observational study of people in their own homes who tried to sign up for the PCEHR found that eight out of the 10 people involved failed in their attempt, with poor design and usability the main culprits. The study, carried out by Melbourne-based Navy Design, a consultancy specialising in health and medical software design, […]

Take a simple selfie to screen for anaemia

6 August 2014

Two Monash University medical students who last week won the Microsoft Imagine Cup for their Eyenaemia app have also won the quantitive self category in the Health Informatics Society of Australia’s (HISA) Apps Challenge, with the overall winner to be announced at the Health Informatics Conference (HIC) in Melbourne next week. Monash students Jarrel Seah […]

Standard terminology for electronic management of medications

6 August 2014

This story first appeared in the July 2014 issue of Pulse+IT Magazine. Public health strategies are now being implemented in all states to streamline the supply and economic management of medications in their hospitals, strategies that may also significantly reduce the risk of medication errors for patients. Standard terminology to describe medications and standards-based medicines […]

NRMA hits the road with Living Well Navigator

5 August 2014

Motoring services organisation NRMA is planning to build a ratings platform for home and residential aged care facilities and services through its Living Well Navigator platform, which launched online recently. Aged care consultant Gillian McFee, a former CEO of UnitingCare Ageing who also led the older Australians health community plan for NEHTA as part of […]

Eye app for iPad validated for measuring visual acuity

5 August 2014

A study comparing an iPad app using a portable Snellen chart found it is comparable to the traditional chart for measuring visual acuity. The EyeSnellen app for iPad and iPhone has been designed by Perth ophthalmologist Steve Colley, who works in private practice at the Western Eye clinic as well as at Royal Perth and […]

Best Practice prepares for next release

5 August 2014

Best Practice Software is planning a number of new features for the forthcoming update to its flagship clinical and practice management software, due by the end of the year. Best Practice chief commercial officer Craig Hodges said the biggest improvement on the horizon for company’s practice management solution was the inclusion of a new reporting […]

Open for comment: DoH and RACGP surveys on PCEHR

4 August 2014

The Department of Health has devised an online survey to help gauge opinion on the implementation of the recommendations of the PCEHR review as part of its month-long consultation process. The consultations, being managed on the department’s behalf by Deloitte, will also include a special session at next week’s Health Informatics Conference in Melbourne. The […]

ACRRM and HISA join forces to promote telehealth

1 August 2014

The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) and the Health Informatics Society of Australia (HISA) have agreed to jointly produce webinars promoting the use of telehealth as a tool to overcome the fragmentation of care. The overall aim is to increase the availability of quality telehealth services to people living in rural and […]

RCPA invites comment on pathology information standardisation

1 August 2014

The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) is set to release for public comment a draft document outlining updated standards, guidelines, terminology reference sets and preferred units of measure as part of its Pathology Information, Terminology and Units Standardisation (PITUS) project. Public comment will also be invited on the rendering of pathology reports in […]

Royal Perth begins uploading discharge summaries to PCEHR

31 July 2014

Royal Perth Hospital’s Shenton Park campus has become the first WA hospital to begin uploading discharge summaries to the PCEHR, with the main Wellington Street campus set to come online in the next few months. Royal Perth is using the Healthcare Information and PCEHR Services (HIPS) technology designed by SA Health and a vendor partner […]

Interactive dashboard to graph PCEHR indicators

31 July 2014

The Improvement Foundation has developed a new interactive dashboard and a set of eHealth indicators for its qiConnect portal, which allows general practices to automatically upload data on certain clinical measurements for analysis and benchmarking. qiConnect is used by participants in the Australian Primary Care Collaboratives (APCC), a program managed by the IF on behalf […]

Challenging apps for HISA Apps Challenge

31 July 2014

A medicines dose calculation app, a digital version of a junior doctor’s rounds sheet and an appointment booking and remote consultation system are three of 16 app concepts entered in the Health Informatics Society of Australia’s Apps Challenge, voting for which closes today. The Apps Challenge is in four categories this year, including aged care, […]

Griffith launches apps for chronic fatigue and headache research

30 July 2014

Griffith University has launched a new app to help patients with chronic fatigue syndrome better manage their illness, along with a headache app designed to be used in a research study to record daily ratings of head pain. The chronic fatigue app, called CliniHelp, is also suitable for patients with multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis […]

Feros Care will go gung-ho for an opt-out PCEHR

30 July 2014

Despite facing huge challenges in implementing the PCEHR for its aged and community care clients, aged care provider Feros Care will be “gung-ho” in supporting clients to use it to monitor and self-manage their health if it becomes an opt-out system, the organisation says. Feros Care’s manager for health and wellness, Kate Swanton, told the […]

Telehealth in the home: NBN remains the gold standard

29 July 2014

Preliminary results from several telehealth trials funded under the $20 million NBN-Enabled Telehealth Pilots Program have shown many positives for monitoring older patients living at home, with project leaders agreeing that the quality and reliability of the National Broadband Network (NBN) was clearly superior to other broadband delivery services. The NBN-Enabled Telehealth Pilots Program was […]

Telstra buys Medinexus as DCA eHealth rebrands

28 July 2014

Telstra Health has bought the Sydney-based Medinexus radiology and pathology secure messaging solution, adding to a growing portfolio of eHealth companies it has acquired since the division was established last year. Telstra’s head of health, Shane Solomon, said the company had acquired Medinexus earlier this month and looked forward “to the opportunities this provides for […]

MyPractice to launch pathway navigator, roll out Health365

27 July 2014

Practice management software vendor MyPractice is rolling out a new pathway navigator product across the Auckland and Northland regions, offering GPs an easier way to customise clinical pathways and guidelines for individual patients. The company is also in the middle of its Health365 roll-out, a patient portal that was piloted last year and has been […]

HealthLink in the midst of a paradigm shift to online services

25 July 2014

Over the past five years, Auckland-headquartered HealthLink has made the transition from secure messaging provider to what it calls an online services hub, undergoing an intensive development process that it says is set to completely redefine electronic referrals in New Zealand and Australia. According to HealthLink CEO Tom Bowden, more than 70 per cent of […]

MacRae officially takes charge at Patients First

25 July 2014

Former manager of ICT at Compass Health Jayden MacRae has officially taken up the position of CEO with Patients First as inaugural CEO Andrew Terris takes a sabbatical from the industry. Mr MacRae, who has also worked in technical operational roles with responsibility for software development and information analysis, will oversee some new developments with […]

HSAGlobal looks to share CCMS with pharmacy systems

25 July 2014

Shared care software vendor HSAGlobal is running proof of concept trials with community pharmacies in the four Northern DHBs to see how pharmacists can use its CCMS solution to share medication adherence plans with GPs. The plans are a requirement for extra funding under the Long Term Conditions Service developed under the new Community Pharmacy […]

Electronic prescribing shows quality results

24 July 2014

It is not often that Victoria’s HealthSmart roll-out receives good news, having been roundly eviscerated in a report by Victorian Auditor-General John Doyle in 2013. The report concentrated on four health services that had rolled out the Cerner electronic medical record, which one hospital is understood to have abandoned, two have rolled out fully and […]

ITAC: Telstra’s plans to ditch the pilot and roll out the jumbo

24 July 2014

Telstra Health plans to bring to market an interoperable mechanism by which the data held in aged care, general practice and pharmacy software systems is more easily shared, and is also intent on developing affordable, sustainable solutions for integrated telehealth services for independent living. Telstra Health’s two community care leads – former Victorian minister for […]

ITAC: Leecare spins out P5 Exec for accreditation standards

24 July 2014

Aged care software specialist Leecare Solutions has launched a standalone version of its P5 Exec application, which allows aged care providers to comply with the aged care accreditation standards one and four while retaining their existing clinical software. P5 Exec is an integral part of Leecare’s Platinum 5.0 browser-based clinical, care and lifestyle management application, […]

ITAC: Hills focuses on interactive tech in acute and aged care

23 July 2014

Last month, Hills Health Solutions added an exclusive distribution partnership for the Lincor range of interactive patient care technologies to its existing portfolio of IP and WiFi nurse call systems as part of its strategy to provide integrated solutions that underpin the delivery of care in hospitals and aged care. It might sound strange to […]

ITAC: ThoughtWare takes out top prize, Margelis enters the hall

22 July 2014

Software development and compliance management specialist ThoughtWare, which makes the i.on my care risk, governance and compliance system for aged and community care, was named the ICT Company of the Year at the 2014 ITAC Awards in Hobart. It is the fourth ITAC win for ThoughtWare, with previous awards including a win last year for […]

ITAC: aged care concerned over “policy silliness” of client record

22 July 2014

The aged care industry needs to step up its lobbying efforts over the direction of the central client record being planned as part of the Aged Care Gateway, with industry representatives voicing concern that it will duplicate the PCEHR and providers will be saddled with two aged care health records for each client. At an […]

ITAC: hands-free nursing through voice-activated documentation

22 July 2014

Aged care software vendor HealthMetrics has released a voice-activated, hands-free communication system that allows nurses to document care processes at the bedside by speaking into a lightweight headset, with the notes then integrated into HealthMetrics’ eCase clinical software. Based on the AccuNurse technology from US company Vocollect Healthcare Solutions, now owned by Honeywell, the voice […]

ITAC: DoH belatedly agrees to release PCEHR Pathfinder project

22 July 2014

The results of the aged care Pathfinder project, set up in 2012 to investigate what systems and processes would be required to get the aged care sector using the PCEHR, will finally be released almost two years after a report was presented to the Department of Health. Aged Care Industry IT Council (ACIITC) chairman Suri […]

Workshop on the business of IT for general practice at HIC

21 July 2014

Melbourne-based GP Nathan Pinskier will lead a workshop covering the business processes and costs of IT infrastructure in general practice at the Health Informatics Conference (HIC) next month. The workshop is aimed at both new and existing practices and will provide a cost-benefit analysis of IT in general practice. “It is really an opportunity to […]

DoH aims for pathology and imaging on PCEHR by December

21 July 2014

The Department of Health is aiming to have pathology and diagnostic imaging reports available on the PCEHR by December, but warns that a move to an opt-out model for the system by January 1 is not achievable. The department has released draft summaries of two workshops held earlier this month concerning progress towards uploading pathology […]

Telehealth research centre aims to put theory into practice

18 July 2014

The University of Queensland-led Centre of Research Excellence in Telehealth has officially launched, with a focus on translating research findings into clinical practice and education and training programs. The CRE, announced last year with funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), will provide support for teams of researchers to pursue collaborative research […]

Deloitte and DoH to begin PCEHR review consultation

17 July 2014

Consulting firm Deloitte will shortly begin organising face-to-face meetings with healthcare sector peak bodies to help the Department of Health gauge reaction to the Royle review of the PCEHR and consider any issues relating to the implementation of its recommendations. A survey will also shortly be available online at ehealth.gov.au for comments from interested parties. […]

iTransplant goes live for streamlined electronic donor record

17 July 2014

Queensland has gone live with the new DonateLife electronic donor record (EDR), joining the other states and territories in using the new real-time clinical data repository to streamline data sharing on organ donation and transplantation processes nationally. The EDR is based on the iTransplant medical information system from US company Transplant Connect, an off-the-shelf product […]

Portland Hospital to produce PBS-compliant discharge scripts

16 July 2014

Earlier this year, Portland Hospital in Victoria’s south-west switched on medications management functionality through its TrakCare health information system in all wards of the hospital, the first facility in the South West Alliance of Rural Health (SWARH) to do so. While implementing EMM is a difficult process that requires a lot of change management, Portland […]

iPad version of ACE dementia test automatically calculates scores

16 July 2014

Australian and UK researchers have released a free iPad version of Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination (ACE), a popular screening test for dementia and other cognitive disorders, which will allow clinicians to automatically calculate patients’ scores and create a report for their medical records. Developed by Neuroscience Research Australia’s (NeuRA) Professor John Hodges and colleagues at Plymouth […]

Refreshed national eHealth strategy delayed until COAG meets

15 July 2014

The “refresh” of the 2008 national eHealth strategy will not be finalised until the federal government finishes its consultations on the review of the PCEHR, while the results of the Pathfinder project for the aged care industry are unlikely to see the light of day. Deloitte was contracted to develop the 10-year national eHealth strategy […]

Get out the shredder: medical records found in garden shed

15 July 2014

A Melbourne medical centre has been found to have committed a breach of the Privacy Act when it failed to properly secure or dispose of old medical records that were discovered in a garden shed after a break-in. Pound Road Medical Centre (PRMC) had operated a medical centre at a site in Narre Warren South […]

Decision Assist website goes live with telehealth and app to come

15 July 2014

The first stage in the Decision Assist palliative care and advance care planning advisory service has gone live, with a website launched and a 24/7 telephone advice service on advanced care planning now available for GPs and aged care providers. Decision Assist is the collective name for the Specialist Palliative Care and Advance Care Planning […]

Bug in PCEHR documents in older version of clinical software

15 July 2014

Practices using superseded versions of Medical Director are being encouraged to upgrade to the latest version if they are also participating in the PCEHR, following advice that some CDA documents are including the practitioner’s personal contact details as well as their organisation’s. In a circular to MD users, HCN says it has been advised by […]

GPs must lead eHealth debate: RACGP president-elect

14 July 2014

Promoting the status of the expert-generalist and leading the debate on eHealth are two of the main missions for the next president of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, WA-based GP and adjunct associate professor Frank Jones. Dr Jones was announced as the president-elect today following a competitive month-long election, in which he vied […]

Waitemata DHB signs with Orion for Long White Health Cloud

11 July 2014

Orion Health has signed a three-year agreement with Waitemata District Health Board (DHB) to co-develop eHealth initiatives at North Shore Hospital’s special care baby unit and haematology ward. The agreement will use Orion’s new national innovation platform, which it has dubbed the Long White Health Cloud (LWHC), to improve existing and develop new technologies based […]

Shared health information platform for Kiwi kids

11 July 2014

New Zealand’s Midlands Health Network will pilot a new National Child Health Information Programme (NCHIP) in Waikato from August, consisting of a shared health information platform that will give each health provider involved in a child’s care a view of the their milestone achievements. The Pinnacle-owned Midlands Health Network has partnered with the NZ Ministry […]

Pacific Edge to launch eCommerce site for diagnostic testing

11 July 2014

Dunedin-based cancer diagnostics company Pacific Edge will launch an eCommerce platform this month to allow consumers to order a urine test for bladder cancer online, with the results sent to their GP. Pacific Edge, which makes a non-invasive diagnostic system called Cxbladder that measures the gene expression levels of five biomarker genes that represent a […]

eHealth workshops at rural medicine conference

11 July 2014

A preliminary program for Rural Medicine Australia 2014 has been released, featuring workshops on the use of digital technology for patient self-management and how to use technology to optimise access to health services in rural and remote communities. Rural Medicine Australia, the annual conference and scientific forum of the Australian College of Rural and Remote […]

Cabrini goes mobile with MedChart

10 July 2014

Melbourne’s Cabrini Health has very much been a pioneer in using mobile devices for clinical use in Australia, having rolled out CSC’s Mobility Suite back in 2011. Through their own personal devices, Cabrini’s visiting specialists can check their patient lists and locate where their patients are, view a patient’s PACS image and result, and order […]

Technology supports new models of care for long-term conditions

10 July 2014

The inaugural Australasian Long-Term Conditions Conference, which was held in Auckland in 2011, made it obvious that technology is a crucial enabler in a health system that strives to meet 21st century demands. Three years later, the 2nd Australasian Long-Term Conditions Conference will reveal how that is already happening. Also being staged in Auckland, at […]

Real-time ED data for Canberra community

10 July 2014

The ACT has gone live with a real-time data website that tracks waiting times for treatment or admissions in the emergency departments of its two public hospitals. In addition to data on current activity at both Calvary and Canberra Hospital emergency departments, it includes links to other services such as the nurse-led walk-in centres for […]

Facebook app to analyse changes in mood

10 July 2014

Melbourne researchers have officially launched a year-long study into whether the use of a Facebook app can predict and prevent a relapse in people living with bipolar disorder. The Facebook use in Affective Disorders (FAD) study is thought to be a world first and involves an app developed by researchers at the Monash Alfred Psychiatry […]

Ageing at home: ICT and seniors’ living

8 July 2014

This story first appeared in the May 2014 issue of Pulse+IT Magazine. The 7th annual Information Technology in Aged Care (ITAC) conference is being held in Hobart later this month. As the role of technology in helping people to stay at home longer continues to grow in importance, this year’s conference theme of the ‘digital […]

NEHTA’s future in the hands of COAG: Hambleton

8 July 2014

Former AMA president Steve Hambleton intends to play an active role in improving clinical input into eHealth and in influencing the direction of the National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA) despite the recommendation of the Royle review, of which he was a member, that the organisation be dissolved. Dr Hambleton, who was appointed chairman of NEHTA […]

RACGP presidential candidates have their say on eHealth

7 July 2014

Voting for a new president for the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners has been underway since June 16 and is due to close this Friday. Five GPs have put their names forward for the two-year position, which will commence in October when current president Liz Marles finishes her term. Statements from the five candidates […]

RACGP election interview: Dr Frank Jones

7 July 2014

Frank Jones is a GP based in Mandurah, WA, who believes the RACGP must lead the eHealth debate. A fan of general practice software, he believes interaction with hospital IT needs to be fixed before an electronic shared record can work. In what areas do you feel IT could most improve general practice, either clinically, […]

RACGP election interview: Dr Harry Nespolon

7 July 2014

Sydney GP Harry Nespolon has acted in various roles with the AMA, Divisions of General Practice, Medicare Locals and in general practice training over the years. He is not afraid to say that he thinks the PCEHR implementation has been a disaster and that “Medicare Locals were trying to blow up an eHealth balloon with […]

RACGP election interview: Dr Danny Byrne

7 July 2014

Danny Byrne is a GP in Happy Valley, Adelaide, who has declared his passion for eHealth, which he says is a no-brainer when it comes to changing healthcare for the better. He has recently acted as a clinical adviser to NEHTA. In what areas do you feel IT could most improve general practice, either clinically, […]

RACGP election interview: Dr Sam Heard

7 July 2014

Darwin-based GP Sam Heard has a deep knowledge of eHealth, having helped set up health informatics firm Ocean Informatics as well as the openEHR Foundation, of which he has been a director and chairman. In what areas do you feel IT could most improve general practice, either clinically, administratively or both? 1. Workflow: Business processes […]

Doctors’ views on iPads at the bedside

3 July 2014

A small study of a group of doctors who used iPads on ward rounds shows that while they like the device and used it to access clinical data, they still preferred to share information verbally with their patients. The study, conducted at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney by a team from the University of NSW’s […]

Sharing health information and the privacy paradox

3 July 2014

A survey of consumer willingness to trade digital privacy for greater convenience has found that while Australians and New Zealanders have confidence that governments and organisations will keep their data safe, they are yet to be convinced to give up their online privacy. The Privacy Index survey, conducted by IDC on behalf of data storage […]

NICTA develops WebRTC platform with an eye on allied health

2 July 2014

ICT research and commercialisation organisation NICTA is looking for pilot customers for its new WebRTC-based telepresence platform, which is aimed at both the health and government services sectors and at the business community. NICTA recently demonstrated the potential of the technology at Singapore’s CommunicAsia expo, where WebRTC product manager Silvia Pfeiffer and the director of […]

OzeScribe named a preferred provider for Queensland Health

2 July 2014

Medical transcription service OzeScribe has been appointed as a preferred provider for Queensland Health, joining a panel of five. OzeScribe, which was established in Melbourne in 1999 and now works with an estimated 98 per cent of public hospitals in Victoria, is integrated with most general practice and medical specialist practice management software, including Medical […]

Technology as a tool to keep people at home

1 July 2014

This story first appeared in the May 2014 issue of Pulse+IT Magazine. RDNS has nearly 130 years’ experience in the provision of home healthcare, and its growing range of services reflect the challenges of an ageing population and increased rates of chronic disease. RDNS has taken a leadership role in using technology for the past […]

Costs and benefits of IT in aged care

1 July 2014

This story first appeared in the May 2014 issue of Pulse+IT Magazine. Lynden Aged Care in Melbourne’s Camberwell has been an early adopter of IT systems for resident care and staff convenience, and it is particularly pleased with its investment in a full medications management system. Visiting GPs use its clinical system when on the […]

Authority to post a sticking point for PCEHR pathology reports

30 June 2014

The Department of Health has released two consultation papers on proposed models for uploading pathology and diagnostic imaging reports to the PCEHR and is looking for feedback to refine the models further. The papers detail in full where discussions on uploading pathology and imaging data got up to before the PCEHR review was announced last […]

cdmNet expands into preventative health collaboration

30 June 2014

Precedence Health Care has expanded the capabilities of its cdmNet chronic disease management software to include a number of common preventative health assessments such as the 45-49 health check and home medicine reviews so they can be integrated into one plan of care. cdmNet was originally aimed at assisting GPs to create GP management plans […]

Kangaroos through the windscreen: the case for rural telehealth

26 June 2014

Rural general practices looking to get in on the telehealth boom should remember to keep the technology simple, develop relationships with specialists and use telehealth to not only improve patient care but for clinical training as well, telehealth advocate Ewen McPhee believes. Dr McPhee, who runs the Emerald Medical Centre in central Queensland, says his […]

Hambleton confirmed as next NEHTA chair, Halton leaves DoH

26 June 2014

Former AMA president Steve Hambleton has been confirmed as the new chairman of the National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA), taking over from businessman David Gonski. As reported yesterday, Mr Gonski has stood down from the role after six years. In a statement, NEHTA said its constitution meant he was not eligible for a third three-year […]

Apotex enters the automatic refill app market with NPS

25 June 2014

Generic pharmaceuticals company Apotex has partnered with NPS MedicineWise to add new functionality to the NPS MedicineList+ smartphone app, including the ability to download data on medicines directly from pharmacy dispensing software. NPS launched the new version of MedicineList+ earlier this year, adding extra functions such as the ability to scan in barcodes to add […]

Widespread WiFi allows aged care to connect

25 June 2014

This story first appeared in the May 2014 issue of Pulse+IT Magazine. As a smaller aged care provider, Queensland-based Feros Care has invested heavily in technology to not only bridge the distance between its facilities and its staff, but to improve the care and the experience of older people. The organisation also provides community care […]

Board changes likely at restructured NEHTA

25 June 2014

A new chair for the National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA) is likely to be announced in the next few days, with current chair David Gonski set to stand down after almost six years in the role. Pulse+IT understands that former AMA president Steve Hambleton has been asked to become the new chair. A well-placed source […]

Community AF screening with iECG feasible and cost effective

24 June 2014

A Sydney research team that has been trialling the use of the AliveCor heart monitor and iPhone ECG device in both community pharmacies and general practice has found that it is both a feasible and a cost-effective way to better screen older people for atrial fibrillation (AF), one of the leading causes of stroke. The […]

RDNS takes to the road with mobile devices

24 June 2014

An edited version of this story first appeared in the May 2014 issue of Pulse+IT Magazine. RDNS has recently undertaken a refresh of its mobile computing device deployment, rolling out a new range of lightweight devices with improved battery life and several layers of connectivity. The organisation is also exploring the use of telehealth through […]

Medtech gets the go-ahead for CHF home monitoring

23 June 2014

A proposal by technology vendor Medtech Global and Peninsula Health in association with the CSIRO to trial remote monitoring of patients with chronic heart failure in their homes has been selected to receive full funding as part of the Victorian government’s Health Market Validation Program (Health MVP). The project was one of 12 feasibility studies […]

How to set up telehealth in rural general practice

23 June 2014

The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine is holding a webinar on Wednesday explaining how to incorporate telehealth into general practice. Featuring well-known GP and telehealth advocate Ewen McPhee, his wife and practice manager Wendy McPhee and Department of Health medical advisor Megan Kearney, the webinar is aimed at GPs, specialists, nurses, midwives and […]

NHI errors drop with more robust platform

21 June 2014

The amount of duplicate National Health Index (NHI) numbers has dropped to below one per cent a year after the index was upgraded to a new technology platform, the NZ government says. Health Minister Tony Ryall said the new system went live in May last year with better search functionality for healthcare providers to find […]

Patients First set to release PMS review round two

20 June 2014

New Zealand’s not-for-profit health IT organisation Patients First is getting ready to release the first of four reports in round two of its practice management system (PMS) review, focusing on the capabilities and potential for patient portals in line with the NZ National Health IT Board’s roadmap. Patients First is also set to release an […]

Clinicians’ Challenge winner launches clinical translation app

20 June 2014

The winning entry in the 2011 Clinicians’ Challenge has been officially released after several years of development, resulting in an app that can be used by patients with speech difficulties or English as a second language to communicate with clinicians, and vice versa. Listen Please was first put forward in the 2011 competition, which is […]

Southern DHB plans to extend telehealth links

20 June 2014

A trial of telemedicine that allows rehabilitation specialists in Dunedin to hold clinics by video conference with Southland Hospital has proved successful, according to Southern DHB. The trial has been going since the start of the year and links the ISIS rehabilitation ward at Wakari Hospital to the Assessment Treatment and Rehabilitation (ATR) team at […]

CPR app with chest compression time assist

20 June 2014

New Zealand’s St John ambulance and emergency service has released a new CPR app that features a beeping and vibrating assistance function to help time consistent chest compressions. The free app is aimed at the general public and includes simple, user-friendly instructions as well as tutorials on CPR for adults, children and infants. The app […]

Technology, self-management and chronic disease models of care

20 June 2014

The New Zealand Long-Term Conditions Clinical Network and the Health Navigator Charitable are co-hosting the second Australasian Long-Term Conditions conference in Auckland in late July, which will have an emphasis on developing new models of care for people and communities with chronic illness. Keynote speakers include futurist Ross Dawson, who will discuss the future of […]

GP2GP sets records for medical record transfers

20 June 2014

NZ’s Patients First is getting ready to release an updated version of its GP2GP patient file transfer system, featuring an increase to the file size limit and some back-end fixes that promise to make the system run more smoothly. GP2GP has been operating in New Zealand for over two years to allow general practices to […]

GP co-pay: where is the data?

19 June 2014

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) and the Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association (AHHA) have both hit out at the lack of evidence or data modelling underpinning the federal government’s plans to introduce a $7 co-pay for GP consultations and pathology and diagnostic imaging tests. In a strongly worded opinion piece in Fairfax newspapers today, AMA […]

eHealth at the centre of NSW state health plan

19 June 2014

The NSW government has released its full state health plan covering the next six years, focused around three directions to be implemented through four strategies, including eHealth. The three directions are keeping people healthy (preventative health), providing world-class clinical care (acute care) and delivering integrated care. These will be implemented through workforce measures, supporting research […]

PCEHR release 5 planned for late 2014, opt-out a different story

18 June 2014

Release five of the PCEHR, which is intended to include a new section to display pathology and diagnostic imaging results, is scheduled for later this year but a move to an opt-out model is not likely until next year, according to NEHTA representatives. Addressing an Australian Association of Practice Managers (AAPM) webinar today, NEHTA’s clinical […]

Fred tests NXT close to home

18 June 2014

Fred IT CEO Paul Naismith has begun live testing the company’s new cloud-based dispense and management solution NXT at one of his own pharmacies in Melbourne. Fred NXT is an integrated system for dispense, point of sale, professional services and retail management, hosted in the cloud with some locally installed proprietary and third-party software. Mr […]

Webstercare integrates with Manad Plus for medications admin

17 June 2014

Medications management specialist Webstercare has integrated its MedSig medication administration record system with Manad Plus, a care management solution developed by aged care software vendor Management Advantage. Manad Plus is now able to communicate new admissions or changes in resident details directly to MedSig, with data then sent to the nominated pharmacist’s system. The integration […]

Software as a solution to aged care risk management

17 June 2014

This story first appeared in the May 2014 issue of Pulse+IT Magazine. Residential aged care faces numerous challenges, not the least of which are tight budgets, a casualised workforce and skill shortages. When added to the demands on staff that the volume of mandatory documentation places, the potential clinical risk is high. Software that is […]

Work restarts on pathology and diagnostic imaging for PCEHR

17 June 2014

The Department of Health has issued invitations to expert groups to take part in workshops next month to finalise the design and integration of pathology and diagnostic imaging reports into the PCEHR. It appears likely that pathology and imaging reports will be uploaded as “immutable” or unmodifiable PDFs. Diagnostic images themselves will not be uploaded, […]

PicSafe Medi adds offline, barcode and notification functions

16 June 2014

The team behind the PicSafe Medi patient-consented clinical image capture system has added new functionality to the software, including a safe offline mode, an in-built barcode reader and generator and a notification function for urgent cases. PicSafe Medi was launched in March last year as a way to overcome legal and privacy issues while at […]

HCN signs on as local arm for Map of Medicine

16 June 2014

Clinical and practice management software vendor Health Communication Network (HCN) has signed an agreement with UK-based Map of Medicine to act as the Australian contact for the clinical pathway solution. Map of Medicine, which was developed in 2001 by two doctors in association with University College London and the Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust, is […]

HealthEngine releases practice app, aims to double its market

16 June 2014

Online appointment booking and directory service HealthEngine has developed a practice-specific appointment booking app and is promoting its practice management system integration as part of the plans to double the number of practices using its services. The Perth-based company, which last year signed a $10 million partnership with Telstra and Seven West Media, is also […]

PCEHR future, e-Patient Dave and YouTube wunderkind at HIC

12 June 2014

A panel session hosted by Q&A’s Tony Jones on investing in eHealth and a workshop on the PCEHR are two drawcards at the Health Informatics Conference (HIC 2014), being held in Melbourne in August, along with a US teenager who has developed a new method of cancer detection and patient advocates e-Patient Dave and Regina […]

Telehealth in community aged care: sustainable models required

12 June 2014

This story first appeared in the May 2014 issue of Pulse+IT Magazine. The vast majority of older people want to remain independently in their own homes as they age, which has the benefit of being a cheaper option than institutionalised care. Technology is a means to support this end, but sustainable models for funding telehealth […]

Cutting Edge offers free version for low-volume DVA claims

12 June 2014

Electronic claiming specialist Cutting Edge Software is offering a free version to allied health practices that do low volumes of claims to Medicare and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA). Cutting Edge’s web-based system normally comes in two versions: a Standard version for allied health practitioners that is suitable for billing electronically to Medicare or […]

Update to Medical Director with PCEHR usability enhancements

11 June 2014

Health Communication Network (HCN) has released a cumulative update to Medical Director and PracSoft, including the assisted registration tool for the PCEHR, a view of the National Prescription and Dispense Repository and clinical usability improvements. Update 3.15.2 builds on the full 3.15 release from December and also includes improvements to the National Inpatient Medication Chart […]

eRx scores in Victoria as iAwards heat up

11 June 2014

eRx Script Exchange’s Express app took out the health category at the Victorian state iAwards last week, with Alzheimer’s Australia winning the education category for its Perc Walkley Dementia Learning Centre. The Victorian awards are the first to be held in the lead up to the national iAwards in late August, with Queensland set to […]

Financial support the missing link for aged care

10 June 2014

This story first appeared in the May 2014 issue of Pulse+IT Magazine. The Aged Care Industry Information Technology Council (ACIITC) has called on the government to invest $10 million as a starting point to get wider IT adoption moving in the sector, which has experienced slow uptake of technologies besides clinical care software. It also […]

IT and the medication use pathway

10 June 2014

This story first appeared in the May 2014 issue of Pulse+IT Magazine. Medication misadventure and miscommunication is one of the most serious issues in healthcare, and it has particular ramifications for the elderly. In residential aged care, the adoption of a resident-centred IT model, with a single resident profile, ensures that every step in the […]

« Previous 1 … 66 67 68 69 70 … 83 Next »