Artificial Intelligence

The revolution changing the face of healthcare delivery

Secure health record sharing with no big build

30 July 2012

Emergency department doctors in the north of New Zealand who are trialling a new service allowing access to general practice medical records are using the program up to 20 times a night, the developers say. Developed by NZ companies HealthLink and Dr Info, the new Care Insight service allows ED doctors to access patient records, […]

BYOD on the Q&A agenda at HIC2012

30 July 2012

Governments and healthcare CIOs can no longer ignore the boom in mobile technologies and must learn to harness the power of mobility to ensure healthcare is more efficient and more affordable in the future, according to IT advisor Stephen Alexander. Mr Alexander, who will moderate an expert panel Q&A session on the topic of bring […]

How to use social media in general practice

30 July 2012

While many general and specialist practices continue to prove reluctant to use social media to engage with patients, in the near future they might have to or face being left behind. In contrast to similar markets such as the UK where practices are streets ahead, few Australian medical and healthcare practices are using social media, […]

Orion Health to detail PCEHR connectivity at HIC

27 July 2012

Orion Health will outline its work with state and territory health departments, including its efforts to connect hospital systems to the national PCEHR infrastructure, at the Health Informatics Conference, being held in Sydney from July 30. Orion Health, a member of the National Infrastructure Partner consortium that built the PCEHR infrastructure, is currently working with […]

Communicare to generate electronic discharge summaries

26 July 2012

Community healthcare software specialist Communicare eHealth Solutions will add the ability to generate CDA electronic discharge summaries in the next release of its program. Communicare’s operations manager, Heidi Tudehope, said the company had already integrated the ability to receive CDA discharge summaries into its software, but as it is also used by the tertiary sector, […]

mHealth helps patients stick with the program

26 July 2012

Online programs providing cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) to people with mild depression and anxiety are proven to work, but the new myCompass site launched by the federal Minister for Mental Health this week has a big point of difference – it’s mobile. Developed by researchers at the Black Dog Institute and the University of NSW […]

Health apps a boon for late-night browsers

26 July 2012

When health insurer Medibank first launched its Symptom Checker app in May, the company was expecting it to be most popular with young mothers, the demographic most likely to be both comfortable using apps and most concerned about personal health, particularly when it comes to their children. This expectation has certainly been borne out, with […]

“Mechanics of PCEHR are driving us mad”: AMA

24 July 2012

Medical groups and indemnity insurers are close to a final agreement with the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) for practitioner participation in the PCEHR, but the Australian Medical Association is still unhappy with the complexity of the system. AMA president Steve Hambleton said discussions between doctors’ representatives and medical indemnity insurers with DoHA over […]

Designing for wellness – the digital hospital of 2022

23 July 2012

“Salutogenic” may sound like yet another obscure term thought up to describe a bodily function by molecular biologists, but it is in fact a sociological term used to describe a different way of thinking about health and ill-health. For some time now it has also been applied to principles underlying the design and construction of […]

Telehealth for aged care

23 July 2012

This article first appeared in the July 2012 edition of Pulse+IT Magazine. The changes to the telehealth incentive scheme in the May budget will also affect the aged care sector, although it is excluded from the new requirements for a minimum 15km distance between specialist and patient location. Figures on the uptake of telehealth in […]

Use it or lose it: new rules for telehealth

20 July 2012

This article first appeared in the July 2012 edition of Pulse+IT Magazine. In 2011, the federal government announced a new initiative to encourage the use of telehealth in non-metropolitan regions involving a one-off incentive payment of $6000 and new MBS item numbers for video consultations. In 2012, the government tightened the rules and cut the […]

How to set up your PCEHR online

19 July 2012

Instructions on how to register for a PCEHR online have been added to the australia.gov.au website. As outlined in Pulse+IT last week, the first step is to create an australia.gov.au account, or if you already have one, log in to that account. Step two is to click on the link to the National eHealth Record […]

To Skype or not to Skype

19 July 2012

This article first appeared in the July 2012 edition of Pulse+IT Magazine. Probably the most contentious issue in the move towards greater telehealth use in Australia is whether or not consumer-grade video conferencing applications such as Skype are adequate for medical-grade consultations. Software vendors will tell you no, users will tell you yes and the […]

HealthLink launches campaign to boost messaging quality

18 July 2012

Electronic messaging provider HealthLink has launched a campaign to encourage electronic medical record (EMR) and practice management software companies to improve the quality of electronic messaging. HealthLink is setting up a capability register to track which vendors are working towards conformance with HL7 standards and to ensure that their systems are interoperable. HealthLink’s manager of […]

RDNS chooses HealthShare for systems integration

18 July 2012

The Royal District Nursing Service (RDNS) will use InterSystems’ HealthShare informatics platform to integrate its rostering, client management, HL7 clinical messaging, human resources and finance functions in a deal announced today. RDNS, Australia’s largest provider of home nursing services, currently maintains over 50 applications with a substantial effort required to integrate new systems via point-to-point […]

EpiSoft signs with CSC to market eAdmissions

18 July 2012

Cloud-based software platform developer EpiSoft has signed an agreement with technology leader CSC to commercialise EpiSoft’s eAdmissions system, and has also signed a recent contract to pilot-test the system at Calvary John James Hospital in Canberra with a view to a wider roll-out to the private Calvary hospitals network. eAdmissions is a secure consumer portal […]

Thinking of taking up telehealth?

18 July 2012

This article first appeared in the July 2012 edition of Pulse+IT Magazine. Technology to enable telehealth has been around for a long time but with the government’s incentive scheme now rolled out, new product solutions have flooded the market. If you are considering jumping into telehealth, there are a number of independent resources available to […]

Operational lessons from CareTrack

17 July 2012

The team behind the landmark CareTrack study into the level of appropriate care in healthcare provision in Australia, published in yesterday’s Medical Journal of Australia, is hoping to develop a set of agreed tools for data extraction and to set up expert groups to develop clinical standards for common conditions using a Wiki-like approach. CareTrack, […]

Tele-eye health teams up with EHRs for diabetes-related blindness

17 July 2012

The University of Melbourne and the Fred Hollows Foundation have launched a $3 million partnership to introduce low-cost eye exams for indigenous Australians using proven telehealth technologies and protocols. The Telehealth Eye and Associated Medical Services network (TEAMSnet) aims to increase the access of people with diabetes to appropriate eye care to reduce the risk […]

The mobile consumer a highlight at HIC2012

17 July 2012

This article first appeared in the July 2012 edition of Pulse+IT Magazine. Now in its 20th year, the annual Health Informatics Conference (HIC) has emerged to become the leading eHealth event in Australia due to the breadth and depth of its plenary, industry and scientific sessions. This year, the theme of a consumer or patient-led […]

NEHTA outlines PCEHR roadmap for coming months

13 July 2012

Software functionality to allow healthcare providers to begin uploading data to patient records held in the PCEHR system will be released in late August, the National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA) has revealed. NEHTA’s head of the PCEHR, Andrew Howard, told an online meeting of software vendors [12MB, WMV file] on June 27 that the consumer […]

Guest editorial: Electronic medical records can transform healthcare

13 July 2012

This article first appeared in the July 2012 edition of Pulse+IT Magazine. There is a growing international consensus that electronic medical records (EMRs) are essential to transform healthcare. The benchmarking of progress around the world in adopting EMRs suggests that Australia is dragging its heels. At the recent HIMSS Australia Forum 2012, international eHealth leaders […]

Victoria begins product catalogue build

12 July 2012

Health Purchasing Victoria (HPV), the organisation responsible for collective procurement for Victoria’s public hospitals and healthcare services, has started building its state product catalogue system, with a production build due at the end of the year and a rollout to hospitals beginning in 2013. The Victoria Product Catalogue System (VPCS) will maintain the Victoria Product […]

A first look inside the PCEHR

12 July 2012

It could be said that many of the 803 people who signed up for a PCEHR in the first week of operation were mainly industry insiders and health IT journalists, but with the consumer side of the system up and running, Pulse+IT decided to take a look at exactly what it contains. First, how to […]

HISA: All you need to know to become HIP

12 July 2012

This article first appeared in the July 2012 edition of Pulse+IT Magazine. The Health Informatics Society of Australia (HISA) is set to announce a number of initiatives at the upcoming Health Informatics Conference (HIC) 2012, including a new health informatics certification program to encourage members of the health workforce to gain recognised accreditation status. It […]

Preparing practice data for the PCEHR

11 July 2012

This article first appeared in the May 2012 edition of Pulse+IT Magazine. High quality and accurate clinical notes are an integral part of a computerised general practice. However, the ongoing transition from paper-based and hybrid records to fully electronic records has resulted in some variability. The PCEHR may serve as a catalyst to improve electronic […]

Questioning telehealth and sustainability

10 July 2012

This article first appeared in the July 2012 edition of Pulse+IT Magazine. Australia has entered the telehealth arena with a number of pilot studies, many funded by government and looking at disparate aspects of the healthcare system. This, however, leads to fragmentation and no clearly defined plan for telehealth uptake. What is needed are large […]

PCEHR launch “the softest in history”: AMA

9 July 2012

AMA president Steve Hambleton has characterised last week’s launch of the PCEHR as “probably the softest launch of a major government initiative in Australian political history”, saying the target of the PCEHR was a noble one but the process in getting there was not. Writing in today’s issue of MJA InSight, Dr Hambleton said confusion […]

803 sign up in PCEHR’s first week

9 July 2012

Over 800 people registered for a PCEHR in its first week of operation, either by telephone, online or in person at a Medicare shopfront, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Ageing said. Online registration is now possible through the ehealth.gov.au website, with the system functioning well over the weekend despite some glitches earlier […]

The Healthcare Identifier Service: an introduction for practices

9 July 2012

This article first appeared in the May 2012 edition of Pulse+IT Magazine. The Healthcare Identifiers (HI) Service is a key foundation technology for not only the personally controlled electronic health record (PCEHR), but many other eHealth-related services that stand to benefit from more accurate identification of patients, providers, and the organisations for which they work. […]

eMental health strategy launched through consumer portal

9 July 2012

The federal government has launched a new eMental health portal for consumers called Mindhealthconnect to access a range of information and support services on anxiety and depressive disorders. Part of an overall eMental health strategy, the portal will be boosted by a range of resources for practitioners later this year, including access to online training […]

PharmCIS PBS system to include medicines terminology

6 July 2012

The federal government will introduce its long-promised Pharmaceutical Consolidated Information System (PharmCIS) in December, with Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme data now referencing NEHTA’s Australian Medicines Terminology (AMT). The launch of PharmCIS, originally slated for release in October 2011, “was delayed to ensure all downstream data users are ready to accept the new data formats”, according to […]

Vendors outline PCEHR-enabled software plans

6 July 2012

This article first appeared in the May 2012 edition of Pulse+IT Magazine. With funding support from government, a GP desktop software vendor panel was convened to incentivise software developers to create interfaces to the PCEHR, and in doing so, ensure practices will have access to PCEHR-enabled versions of their existing practice software. The panel initially […]

GP launches free Skype teleconferencing network

5 July 2012

Melbourne GP Jonathan Brown has set up a new website allowing GPs and specialists to conduct teleconferences through Skype. The Consult Online site is completely free, includes easy steps to show practitioners how to download Skype and then register for ConsultOnline, and includes a list of the Medicare item numbers they need to claim a […]

NPS RADAR added to Best Practice and Medtech32

4 July 2012

The NPS RADAR decision support tool will shortly be available to users of Best Practice and Medtech32 clinical software. NPS RADAR reviews new drugs as they become available on the PBS and alerts the GP with a pop-up summary of key information the first time he or she prescribes the drug. The tool is currently […]

Skinner outlines four-year plan for NSW eHealth

3 July 2012

NSW is planning to introduce a uniform email system for all NSW Health staff, along with a range of new phone apps to provide patients with up to date information on location and availability of health services and waiting times. Speaking today at a Committee for the Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) function in Sydney, […]

PCEHR call centre overwhelmed at launch

3 July 2012

The hotline set up to help consumers register for the PCEHR was engaged for most of the first working day since the official launch of the new eHealth records system on July 1. Pulse+IT made repeated attempts to register for a PCEHR through the 1800 723 471 hotline from nine o’clock on July 2, but […]

Study into patients’ perspectives of personal EHRs

3 July 2012

Victoria’s Barwon Health and Deakin University have launched a research study into patients’ perspectives of personal electronic health records (PeHRs). The study will conduct detailed interviews with a sample of patients of Barwon Health who are currently using Medenotes, Barwon Health’s personal eHealth records system. Lisa Hanna, senior lecturer in the Faculty of Health at […]

Privacy Commissioner reveals investigative powers over PCEHR

2 July 2012

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) has released details of the powers it has been awarded under the PCEHR Act to investigate breaches of the new system. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) was appointed as the independent privacy regulator of the PCEHR under the new Act, which came into effect […]

HIMAA releases app for clinical abbreviations dictionary

2 July 2012

The Health Information Management Association of Australia (HIMAA) has launched a mobile version of its Australian Dictionary of Clinical Abbreviations. HIMAA’s web and IT services manager Ralph La Tella said the app was a web-based application which would be updated on a daily or at the least a weekly basis with new terms, acronyms and […]

Online patient appointment system gathers momentum

29 June 2012

Online search and appointment booking service 1stAvailable.com.au has added its name to this growing market, signing up more than 1000 practitioners since launching at Easter. While there are several other online appointment booking services available in Australia – including WA-based GP search site HealthEngine and practice-specific booking services such as Clinic Connect – 1stAvailable’s founder […]

eClaims on the menu for medical admin course

28 June 2012

Distance education provider the Open Training and Education Network (OTEN) has incorporated courses on the eClaims system into its curriculum for a certificate in medical administration. The Certificate III in Business (Medical) Administration and Statement of Attainment in Medical Reception are run by OTEN in association with TAFE NSW. Both of these courses will now […]

Stars begin to align for electronic health records

28 June 2012

When Ed Hammond first began thinking about electronic health records, it was 1970 and he was working on a minicomputer. At the time, he thought EHRs would be something that could be developed in a couple of years, would come into widespread use very quickly and then the healthcare industry could move on to solving […]

Superfast broadband to make healthcare affordable: IBM report

26 June 2012

IBM has launched a new report into Australia’s digital future, pinpointing healthcare as one of the most significant industry sectors that will be revolutionised by ubiquitous high-speed broadband. The report – A Snapshot of Australia’s Digital Future to 2050 – was commissioned by IBM and written by IBISWorld founder Phil Ruthven. He believes it to […]

AMA launches desktop toolkit for GP resources

25 June 2012

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has developed a GP Desktop Practice Support Toolkit for members to provide easy access to over 300 commonly used administrative or diagnostic tools. The toolkit, which is free to members, can be downloaded from the AMA’s website. It will sit on the GP’s desktop computer as a separate file and […]

InterSystems adds to HealthShare portfolio

25 June 2012

InterSystems has won two contracts to install its HealthShare health informatics platform in the US. One contract, for the New York eHealth Collaborative (NyeC), will see the company link up regional health information organisations (RHIOs) to create a state health information network covering the whole of New York state, which at 19 million has a […]

Sysmex Eclair upgrade to benefit clinicians

22 June 2012

Sysmex has released version 6.4 of its Eclair clinical data repository, featuring a new user interface design and enhanced functionality to its orders module, clinician’s enquiry and the patient record display. Enhancements to Eclair 6.4 include a new collection management module for managing inpatient collects, allowing phlebotomists or clinical staff to access outstanding orders in […]

PCEHR terms and conditions agreement close: RACGP

21 June 2012

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is close to approving the federal government’s proposed terms and conditions for healthcare practitioner participation in the PCEHR. The terms and conditions have been repeatedly revised by the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) due to fears from medical groups that doctors taking part in the PCEHR […]

NPS releases app for antibiotic alerts

21 June 2012

NPS has launched a new app for iPhone and iPad to help patients remember to take their antibiotics correctly. The new Antibiotics Reminder app allows users to set reminders for each dose of antibiotics, track whether doses are taken correctly and record progress in a daily recovery diary. The Antibiotics Reminder app can search for […]

PCEHR legislation passes but soft launch expected

20 June 2012

The legislation enabling the personally controlled electronic health record (PCEHR) passed the Senate last night, less than two weeks before the system is due to launch. Opposition and Greens senators had previously indicated they would support the legislation. It passed unopposed. Consumers will be able to register for a PCEHR on July 1, either by […]

Father of HL7 to address eHealth standards seminar

20 June 2012

Ed Hammond, considered the “father of HL7”, will headline HL7 Australia’s seminar on the future of eHealth standards in Sydney next month. Professor Hammond will outline current and planned developments in eHealth and Health Level 7 Standards of the future. The seminar will also explain the fast healthcare interoperability resources (FHIR, pronounced “fire”), devised by […]

Call for nominations for HISA board

19 June 2012

The Health Informatics Society of Australia (HISA) is calling for nominations for five places on its board. Elections will be held at the HISA annual general meeting on Wednesday, August 1 in Sydney. The official notice of the AGM, the agenda and the board nominees’ statements will be distributed on Wednesday, July 11. HISA CEO […]

Best Practice training weekend

18 June 2012

Clinical software vendor Best Practice is holding a two-day training session on Queensland’s Fraser Island in July. Day one will cover the clinical aspects of Best Practice and day two its management system. Attendees can attend one or both of the sessions. The clinical training session will be held on Saturday, July 14, followed by […]

Authentication service not ready for PCEHR launch

18 June 2012

The National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA) has confirmed that the National Authentication Service for Health (NASH), a key plank in the development of the government’s national eHealth system, will not be ready for the PCEHR’s official launch on July 1. IBM Australia was awarded $23.6 million in March 2011 to build NASH, which will issue […]

$36.8 million PCEHR package in Tasmanian health bailout

18 June 2012

The federal government has allocated $36.8 million over four years to roll out the PCEHR in Tasmania’s hospitals as part of its $325 million “emergency rescue package” for Tasmania’s health system. The bailout is part of protracted negotiations with independent Tasmanian MP Andrew Wilkie over his support for the minority government. In a statement, Health […]

North Queensland EMR to follow NT’s example

15 June 2012

The electronic medical record being planned for far north Queensland is likely to be similar to that which has been successfully implemented for remote communities in the Northern Territory, industry sources have told Pulse+IT. Queensland recently won a grant of $35 million from the federal government to build the new EMR and to improve eHealth […]

Asthma management on a mobile app

14 June 2012

Medical technology company iSonea has released a smartphone app called AsthmaSense to help asthmatics manage their condition. The app, available for $4.49 from iTunes for iPhones and iPads and $4.09 from Google Play for Android devices, is aimed at helping asthmatics follow their asthma action plan, providing active reminders to take medications or lung function […]

Mobile is global but docs aren’t too keen: PwC

14 June 2012

An international study into the emerging market of mobile health (mHealth) has found that while the majority of consumers believe mobile technology will improve the convenience, cost and quality of their healthcare, doctors were reluctant to encourage patient use of mHealth and a large minority believed it would make patients too independent. The study, conducted […]

Online hub for antidepressant information

12 June 2012

NPS has launched a new online knowledge hub for consumers providing information on depression and antidepressant medications. More calls are answered by NPS Medicines Line pharmacists about antidepressants than any other class of medicine, the organisation said. NPS clinical adviser Philippa Binns said depression is second only to high blood pressure as the most common […]

Health systems of the future workshop for WA

12 June 2012

The Western Australian branches of the Health Informatics Society of Australia (HISA) and the Health Information Management Association of Australia (HIMAA) are co-hosting a conference on health informatics in Perth on October 19 and are looking for leaders and presenters for two workshops on health informatics. The Health Information and Technology WA conference (HITWA) is […]

Medical Director, PracSoft training for SA

12 June 2012

Health Communication Network (HCN) is holding training sessions for Medical Director 3 and PracSoft in Adelaide next month. The PracSoft training day will be held on Wednesday, July 4, at Express Training Connections on Gawler Place. Topics include an overview of the Appointment Book and the Waiting Room, adding and editing patient details and processing […]

PCEHR terms and conditions under review

8 June 2012

The Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) is working on another revision of the draft agreement for healthcare provider organisations to participate in the PCEHR. Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) president Claire Jackson wrote in her weekly newsletter to members today that following a meeting with DoHA on Tuesday, DoHA agreed to do […]

MyPractice user group meeting

8 June 2012

New Zealand clinical software vendor MyPractice is holding a user group meeting in Auckland next Wednesday, June 13. User group meetings allow attendees to learn about the latest features of MyPractice, meet other MyPractice users to share ideas and tips and make suggestions for future program development. MyPractice has also set up a wiki on […]

Intelligent data analysis expert to headline informatics workshop

7 June 2012

Italian bioinformatician Riccardo Bellazzi will be the keynote speaker at the 6th Australasian Workshop on Health Informatics and Knowledge Management (HIKM), being held in Adelaide early next year. HIKM is an established forum held annually as part of Australasian Computer Science Week, and will run from January 29 to February 1, 2013. The organisers are […]

Secure message exchange market opens up

7 June 2012

Healthcare providers using secure electronic messaging services will now be able to communicate more easily following the announcement of a collaborative agreement between three leading service providers. Global Health, HealthLink and DCA, which service the industry with the ReferralNet, HealthLink and Argus products respectively, have formed Secure Message eXchange (SMX) to open up secure messaging […]

NEHTA announces members of aged care software vendor panel

7 June 2012

The National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA) has announced the successful companies who will take part in the aged care software vendors panel to work on the implementation of specifications to link the aged care sector to the PCEHR. The vendors include some of the market leaders in aged and community care software, including Autumncare, Database […]

Queensland to build EMR for Cape York communities

7 June 2012

The $35 million in funding allocated to Queensland Health for an unspecified eHealth project in last month’s federal budget will go towards building an electronic medical record in Cape York, the Queensland government has confirmed. The funding is part of the regional priority round of the Health and Hospitals Fund, announced in the May federal […]

Orion Health wins contract for eHealth record in Northern Ireland

6 June 2012

Auckland-based eHealth software vendor Orion Health has won a contract to implement an electronic care record across all public health providers in Northern Ireland. The seven-year, $NZ18.5 million contract will see Orion’s electronic care record (ECR) deployed in 18 acute and community hospitals, all GP practices, and in community, mental health and social care providers […]

Update on the GP software vendor panel

6 June 2012

This article first appeared in the May 2012 edition of Pulse+IT Magazine. As the centralised PCEHR infrastructure being developed by the National Infrastructure Partner is being prepared for launch, a group of primary care software developers are hastening to extend the functionality of their own products in support of the government’s ambitious eHealth timelines. This […]

SA pushes the button on statewide EHR

5 June 2012

While Victoria has dumped its statewide eHealth program, South Australia is forging ahead, committing an extra $142.6 million over 10 years in last week’s budget for the development of its Enterprise Patient Administration System (EPAS). The EPAS, announced in mid-December last year and funded by $318 million from the state government and $90m from the […]

Telehealth support officers on offer to Medicare Locals

5 June 2012

Expressions of interest are being sought from Medicare Locals in outer urban and rural and remote regions to secure the services of one of 13 telehealth support officers (TSOs) being funded to assist practices to build telehealth capability. The TSOs are being funded by the Department of Health and Ageing through the Australian Medicare Local […]

PCEHR participation agreement under discussion

5 June 2012

Representatives of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and the Australian Medical Association (AMA) are meeting with the Department of Health and Ageing in Canberra today to find a solution to the hotly disputed terms and conditions for healthcare provider participation in the PCEHR. The terms and conditions are in their third revision […]

PCEHR to save $11.5 billion over 15 years: Deloitte

5 June 2012

The Department of Health and Ageing has released a summary of economic modelling undertaken by Deloitte in 2010-2011 into the cost benefits of the PCEHR, showing the net direct benefits are expected to be worth approximately $11.5 billion over 15 years. The figure was used by the Minister for Health, Tanya Plibersek, in a speech […]

PCEHR safety and liability: who takes the rap?

31 May 2012

The issue of potential liability for misadventure due to errors in the PCEHR is still being worked out with doctors’ professional associations, less than five weeks before the system is about to launch, a Senate Estimates hearing was told last night. A clinical lead for the National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA), Dr Chris Mitchell, told […]

September the month for PCEHR-enabled GP software

31 May 2012

The federal government is expecting the roll out of GP desktop software with the capability to upload shared health summaries to the PCEHR to commence in September. Speaking at a Senate Estimates hearing in Canberra last night, the deputy secretary of the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA), Rosemary Huxtable, confirmed that the only functionality […]

PCEHR awareness low, support high

31 May 2012

A survey of consumer and healthcare provider attitudes towards the PCEHR has found that while the majority of respondents support its implementation, few are even aware of its existence and only 50 per cent intend to sign up. The survey, designed by Elin Lehnbom, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Centre for Health Systems and […]

Kaiser Permanente puts mobile health first

31 May 2012

Consumers are now accessing personal information through mobile devices in such numbers that US health insurer Kaiser Permanente is now adding functionality to its My Health Manager mobile app before its website. Kaiser Permanente’s vice president of online services, Anna-Lisa Silvestre, told the National Medicines Symposium in Sydney last week that while the My Health […]

Patient and safety advocates a highlight at HIC2012

30 May 2012

US-based patient advocate Regina Holliday will be a featured speaker at the upcoming Health Informatics Conference (HIC), being held in Sydney in late July. Ms Holliday speaks regularly on the importance of co-ordination of care through sharing of health information, telling a personal story of losing her husband at an early age to highlight how […]

Drugs data a Catalyst for HCN

29 May 2012

Health Communication Network has officially launched its new Catalyst medicines information product, aimed at clinicians at the point of care with a particular emphasis on the acute care sector. HCN said Catalyst is the first Australian medicines information product that integrates product information (PI), consumer medicine information (CMI), independent drug monographs, drug product images, a […]

Clinical IT safety under inspection in TechWatch study

28 May 2012

The new NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in eHealth has launched a 12-month study into the safety of IT systems used in general practice, setting up a TechWatch website to track critical incidents. The study, jointly led by Farah Magrabi, Michael Kidd, Teng Liaw and Enrico Coiera from the University of NSW and Flinders University, […]

NEHTA briefing for pharmacy vendors’ panel

28 May 2012

The National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA) is holding an online industry briefing this Thursday to explain what will be involved in its new community pharmacy vendor panel for implementing the pharmacy components of the PCEHR. NEHTA recently issued a call for expressions of interest from community pharmacy software vendors to join the panel to work […]

Registrations for Sysmex conference open

28 May 2012

New Zealand-based software vendor Sysmex will hold its biannual conference in Wellington in October, focusing on solutions to help improve clinical workflows and patient care. The conference, being held at Te Papa Museum from October 10 to 12, will feature sessions on electronic medicines reconciliation, GP2GP electronic transfer of patient records, shared care management and […]

Guest editorial: Will the PCEHR have meaningful use?

25 May 2012

This article first appeared in the May 2012 edition of Pulse+IT Magazine. The US government is driving a faster adoption of eHealth, through a legislated program termed ‘Meaningful Use’, with financial incentives and implementation benchmarks. Does Australia need to do something similar with its own eHealth strategy? The Commonwealth government has an ambitious and laudable […]

Connectathon connects with the PCEHR

25 May 2012

Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE), the international not-for-profit standards organisation, is holding its annual Connectathon in Melbourne in July. IHE is calling for expressions of interest from IT vendors and PCEHR Wave sites to take part in the Connectathon, which will focus on connecting to the PCHER. IHE event manager Bernie Crowe said the PCEHR […]

Cardiac rehab uptake improves with mobility

23 May 2012

A clinical trial of a cardiac rehabilitation program using mobile phone technology has shown a large increase in uptake and completion rates. The trial, a joint initiative between the Australian eHealth Research Centre (AeHRC), the Prince Charles Hospital and Metro North Primary and Community Health Services in Brisbane, has been ongoing since 2006, with clinical […]

Dr Pat gears up to launch PAT for doctors

22 May 2012

Bundaberg GP Patrick Byrnes is gearing up to launch his new Patient Assistance Tool (PAT) for chronic disease management in July. PAT, which Dr Byrnes has developed with software engineers from Bundaberg-based clinical software company Best Practice, has been designed to generate general practice management plans (GPMPs) and to provide ongoing education to both patients […]

Medicare Locals key to eHealth adoption: AML Alliance

22 May 2012

The newly elected chair of the Australian Medicare Local Alliance (AML Alliance) transitional board, Arn Sprogis, has called on the federal government to resolve the stand-off with general practice groups on how to adequately fund the implementation of eHealth reforms at a practice level. Dr Sprogis, a well-known GP from the Hunter region of NSW […]

Why the axe fell on HealthSMART

21 May 2012

The Victorian government has put an end to the troubled HealthSMART program, citing cost overruns and lengthy delays in implementation of the project. The announcement was not unexpected, as the government had cut funding for staff numbers last year, according to The Age newspaper, and the project was the subject of a scathing report recently […]

$50m extra for PCEHR implementation

18 May 2012

The federal government has allocated an extra $50 million over two years to assist Medicare Locals to help GPs use the eHealth records system. Health Minister Tanya Plibersek said the funding was part of a package to support doctors to help roll out the new system. The extra funds come on the back of a […]

MSIA: The eHealth paradigm and the PCEHR

18 May 2012

This article first appeared in the May 2012 edition of Pulse+IT Magazine. The 2008 National eHealth Strategy set out a number of noble aims that were supported by industry and government alike. Industry confidence was at a high when then-Health Minister Nicola Roxon outlined her plans for a national eHealth system. Things have not progressed […]

Healthways trials mobile glucometer

18 May 2012

HCF and telephone health counselling provider Healthways Australia have partnered to trial the use of a Bluetooth-enabled glucometer to improve health outcomes for HCF clients. The partnership is running an open-ended trial to gauge patient acceptance of electronic blood sugar level reporting through the patient’s mobile phone. While the technology is not new, Healthways managing […]

Vensa Health adds rich content to patient information

17 May 2012

Auckland-based mobile health specialist Vensa Health is in beta testing of a new application that will enable clinicians to add richer content to electronic communications with patients. Vensa’s M-Site, which is being trialled now with primary care clinics in New Zealand, is a way of attaching a mobile site link to messages sent to patients. […]

MD3 and PracSoft training sessions for Queensland

16 May 2012

Health Communication Network (HCN) is holding a series of training sessions for users of Medical Director 3 and PracSoft in Brisbane next month. The training sessions – MD3 on Friday, June 22 and PracSoft on Friday, June 29 – will be held at the Redcliffe Leagues Club. Topics in the PracSoft session include using Medicare […]

Call for committee nominations for HISA NSW

16 May 2012

The NSW branch of the Health Informatics Society of Australia has called for nominations to join its branch committee. Nominees will be elected at the branch’s AGM, being held on Thursday, June 21, at St Vincent’s Private Hospital’s function room in Darlinghurst, Sydney. Nominations open on Wednesday, May 24 and must be received by Friday, […]

InterSystems gets active with HealthShare

15 May 2012

InterSystems has extended its HealthShare strategic informatics platform, adding patented new technology called iKnow that allows users to retrieve and use unstructured data such as dictated notes, images and free text. It has also added new Active Analytics technology that enables up-to-the-minute patient data to be analysed and acted upon. InterSystems’ group commercial director Steve […]

Healthbank upgrades telehealth service, sets sights on expansion

15 May 2012

Clinical software and telehealth developer Healthbank has released an upgrade to its Healthbank Consult telehealth service, and is now intent on expanding its market throughout Australia. Healthbank, which markets an electronic health record to clinicians based on its parent company Medtel’s WinChart peri-operative anaesthetic solution, established the Healthbank Consult telehealth service in its home state […]

Free seminars on NPC and eProcurement

14 May 2012

GS1 Australia and the National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA) are hosting seminars in Melbourne and Sydney next week to introduce the healthcare supply chain industry to their latest initiatives in national health supply chain reform and the use of GS1 standards. Purchasers, suppliers and distributors of medicines, medical equipment and consumables are invited to attend […]

HCN training sessions for NSW

14 May 2012

Health Communication Network (HCN) is holding a series of training sessions for users of Medical Director 3, PracSoft and Blue Chip in Sydney next month. The training sessions – PracSoft on June 13, MD3 on June 14 and Blue Chip on June 15 – will be held at HCN’s headquarters in St Leonards. Topics in […]

MyPractice releases 12.4 update

14 May 2012

New Zealand-based clinical software vendor MyPractice has released version 12.4 of its popular practice software. The new release includes enhancements to its waiting room management function, which allows users to display patients in the waiting room in the order in which they arrived, and to display an arrivals list for the next available practitioner. It […]

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