Artificial Intelligence

The revolution changing the face of healthcare delivery

Better monitoring of heart disease recognised

15 November 2011

The Latitude Heart Failure External Sensors from Boston Scientific has won the 2011 Kerrin Rennie Award for Excellence in Medical Technology. The industry award was presented as part of the Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA) conference, MedTech 2011, in Sydney on 8 November. The Latitude Heart Failure External Sensors are used to remotely monitor […]

Zedmed releases version 17

14 November 2011

Zedmed has released version 17 of its clinical and practice management solution for general and specialist practice. The software update — a six-monthly general release — will be distributed on disk to all Zedmed customers throughout November. Leveraging the work undertaken by Zedmed in its capacity as a member of the Vendor Panel, the release […]

Orion Health acquires Microsoft products, announces partnership

30 October 2011

Orion Health has announced the acquisition of a suite of Microsoft health software solutions marketed throughout Southeast Asia under the brand names Amalga HIS (Hospital Information System) and Amalga RIS/PACS. The products, which were acquired from Global Care Solutions by Microsoft in 2007, were withdrawn from sale in 2010. Microsoft has stated that their decision […]

Social networking in healthcare – security and privacy implications

14 October 2011

The Internet is in constant evolution and while most users find this exciting, it also introduces a series of new threats and a range of new opportunities for cyber criminals. New technologies such as social networking tools are rapidly growing in popularity, including amongst healthcare professionals. A growing number of organisations have jumped on the […]

Sysmex prepares to link Clinical Data Repositories in New Zealand

12 October 2011

Sysmex, developer of the Eclair Clinical Data Repository (CDR) solution, has announced plans to enable geographically dispersed installations of Eclair to be connected. Rolled out as the centralised electronic health record infrastructure for the TestSafe project in Auckland and the TestSafe South project in Canterbury, the Eclair CDR is being used to collect and store […]

NPS releases Medicine List app for iPhone

6 October 2011

The National Prescribing Service (NPS) has released ‘Medicine List’, an app that allows users to maintain a medications list on their iPhone or other iOS device. The application, developed with the assistance of Creative Licence Digital, allows users to track the brand, active ingredients, strength and dosage of their medicines, including prescription, over the counter […]

Diagnostic Imaging Pathways now available as an iPad app

5 October 2011

The University of Western Australia’s Centre for Software Practice (CSP) has released a new iPad application designed to help clinicians to choose the most appropriate diagnostic imaging examinations in a wide range of clinical scenarios. The diagnostic decision support tool and education resource has been developed by CSP in collaboration with the Department of Imaging […]

Clintel Systems certifies The Specialist for MacOS X Lion, expands claiming options

1 October 2011

Clintel Systems, developer of ‘The Specialist’ practice software solution has announced product compatibility with Apple’s recently released OS X 10.7 ‘Lion’ operating system. Managing Director of Clintel Systems, Nick Cuthbertson said that his company was keen to maintain compatibility with the evolving Mac platform, as well as other popular operating systems. “As a long term […]

Big results come from taking small steps

30 September 2011

At the time I was working in Finland in the late 90s, Nokia was in the process of releasing a new type of mobile phone that could connect to the Internet. The Internet was already a must have tool for connecting you to the people, places and information you needed through your computer, and the […]

Inala Primary Care deploys iPad for community health assessments

29 September 2011

Inala Primary Care (IPC) is using Apple iPads to mobilise its practice nurse workforce, enabling patients eligible for Medicare claimable Health Assessments to undergo preliminary review in their own home. Cathy Brown, CEO of the not-for‑profit practice in Brisbane’s South West said the innovative arrangements came about in May of this year as a result […]

Advantech upgrades patient infotainment system

28 September 2011

An upgraded and more cost-effective patient infotainment system has been released by Advantech. Powered by Intel’s first dual core Atom processor, the terminal supports full high definition video, radio, games, VoIP, email, Internet services, nurse call capabilities and emergency alarm functions. Improving upon previous models, Advantech has reduced the size and weight of the system, […]

eHealth’s search for meaning – is it a rainbow journey?

27 September 2011

All health services face the challenge of the Commonwealth Government’s health reforms, its eHealth strategy and the pivotal Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record (PCEHR). Simultaneously, innovation and change in technology seems to be accelerating. How to move forward for the benefit of the consumer, from existing ICT systems is complex, and different for every health […]

Towards the PCEHR: An update from the Vendor Panel

26 September 2011

Introduction In November 2010, the National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA) called for proposals from clinical software developers to support a series of eHealth pilot projects being undertaken by three then-Divisions, namely GP Partners in Queensland, Hunter Urban Division of General Practice, and the Melbourne East General Practice Network. Collectively know as Wave 1, these localities […]

Enabling the Integrated Collaborative Healthcare System

23 September 2011

The promises of IT in healthcare, with a major part of this application known as eHealth, has had many false dawns, but today we can see some real changes that mean Healthcare IT may at last be able to overcome the barriers that have prevented it from moving into the 21st century. In terms of […]

IHTSDO meeting and showcase coming to Sydney in October

7 September 2011

The International Health Terminology Standards Development Organisation (IHTSDO) is holding its second major meeting for 2011 in Sydney in October. IHTSDO is an international not for profit organisation that administers the rights to the Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine-Clinical Terms (SNOMED CT), the clinical terminology selected by the National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA) as the preferred […]

MSIA: Sharing the lessons learnt: A vehicle for engagement and fast tracking eHealth adoption

6 September 2011

There is a lot of stock in the listening to the lessons of failure. However, there is greater engagement and fast tracking of uptake of lessons when they are integrated with the stories of success. The software industry is full of optimistic people. They are excited about an evolving and changing world. They often are […]

Some thoughts on cooperation, standards and interoperability

5 September 2011

In late August I attended a celebratory function in the Wellington Town Hall hosted by the New Zealand National Health IT Board. Along with three other vendors, Houston Medical had completed a ground‑breaking program in New Zealand called GP2GP. Similar initiatives have been tried elsewhere in the world but we believe, only if anecdotally, this […]

HIMSS Asia Pac event coming to Melbourne in September

12 August 2011

The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Asia Pacific Conference and Leadership Summit will take place in Melbourne, September 20-23. Held for the first time in Australia, this year’s event will incorporate the Health Information Management Association of Australia Limited (HIMAA) 2011 National Conference. Founded 50 years ago, HIMSS is a US-based organisation whose […]

Integrating medical devices in general practice

26 July 2011

Introduction Electronic medical records, document scanning, email, secure messaging and computer-based faxing have all served to put downward pressure on the amount of paper modern medical practices have to handle on a day to day basis. However while nearly all general practices are able to receive and process pathology reports sent from geographically distant laboratories […]

Identity and Access Management – how does it benefit healthcare providers?

22 July 2011

Two critical challenges to the implementation of Health Information Technology (HIT) — including electronic health records — are protecting the privacy of personal information and providing simple, efficient ways for providers to use HIT in the fast-paced workflows of healthcare. The public is concerned about privacy of data — reports of hospitals and other organisations […]

QR codes in healthcare

17 July 2011

Introduction Earlier in the year I presented my research poster at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the College of Intensive Care Medicine at the National Convention Centre in Canberra. It was recommended that flyers for each poster be printed for the benefit of the viewers. I employed a QR (Quick Response) code instead of the […]

Shared EHRs: Beyond initial deployment

15 July 2011

Over the last few years, the healthcare system — including the federal government, state jurisdictions, media, technology companies and the general public — have jointly placed a major emphasis on eHealth initiatives. While various models and strategies are still being discussed and debated, there is a core principle upon which most in the healthcare industry […]

Remote monitoring technologies help patient care

14 July 2011

Australia’s current and future challenges in delivering hospital and aged care services are well documented. The Australian health and ageing sector needs to look towards medical and information technologies to support Australians to remain in their own homes for as long as possible and to avoid unnecessary hospitalisation. The provision of care that enables individuals […]

MSIA: Procurement responsibility

13 July 2011

There is a desire by all parties involved in eHealth to ensure that eHealth delivers sustainable patient outcomes. Health commands considerable political attention so it is extremely important to ensure that money allocated to eHealth actually delivers sustainable patient outcomes. We don’t want to make it an easy target for allegations of wasteful spending. There […]

HLA to host eHealth focused professional development day

12 July 2011

Health Libraries Australia (HLA) will hold their annual Professional Development Day on 28 July at the Canberra Hospital. HLA is a specialist interest group of the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA), representing over 1,000 health librarians and 431 health libraries throughout Australia. While HLA has presented eHealth and health informatics material to its membership […]

ACT Health deploys Master Catalogue Information Service

12 July 2011

A product catalogue synchronisation process has been implemented to minimise medical ordering errors and reduce data administrative workload for ACT Health. Dubbed the The Master Catalogue Information Service (MCIS), the system was developed by Australian software company Bizcaps in consultation with the National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA). Bizcaps helps create and maintain product data catalogues […]

Feature: Mobile devices security

7 July 2011

In the healthcare industry, having access to the right information at the right time is not only convenient but it could mean the difference between life and death. In the near future a doctor may be able to look up patients’ information in a shared electronic record from anywhere using a range of portable mobile […]

Clintel Systems announces distribution agreement with Omni-Health

4 July 2011

Clintel Systems (formerly HealthSolve) has announced a distribution and sales agreement with Omni-Health Technologies, covering Singapore and Malaysia. Clintel Systems is an Adelaide-based company that provides web-based clinical management software to the aged, acute and community care sectors under the product banners ‘The Specialist’ and ‘CareRight’. Omni-Health is a leading provider of Automaton Solutions and […]

iSOFT debuts Mobility Suite for iPad at Cabrini Health

3 July 2011

Doctors at Cabrini Health now have the ability to remotely access patient results and critical information for the first time, thanks to the deployment of an iPad solution developed by iSOFT. The iSOFT Mobility Suite allows doctors to view clinical information contained in a number of different hospital systems, providing a consolidated view of key […]

HIC2011 and associated events coming to Brisbane in August

2 July 2011

Australia’s longest-running eHealth event, the Health Informatics Conference (HIC2011) will be held in Brisbane this August. The conference, run by the Health Informatics Society of Australia (HISA) will celebrate the inspiration, innovation and implementation that has taken place in the sector, showcasing examples from both Australia and overseas. Attendees come from the private and public […]

Direct Control prepares Out-Of-Pocket calculator for release

1 July 2011

Direct Control has created a web-based service to assist in the calculation of Out-Of-Pocket (OOP) expenses for patients undergoing surgery. Known as ‘The OOP’, the application is designed for use in all medical disciplines but will be particularly useful for anaesthetists and assistants in surgery. Users of Direct Control can already estimate the patient’s Out-Of-Pocket […]

NPS releases electronic prescribing systems study

30 June 2011

The National Prescribing Service (NPS) has outlined a number of recommendations to enhance the quality, safety and usefulness of general practice prescribing software, with these findings released in their ‘Evaluation of Prescribing Systems study’. According to the NPS report, “there is currently no clear guidance available in Australia about the features of electronic prescribing systems […]

Video conferencing telehealth MBS item numbers precede guidelines

30 June 2011

Medicare Australia has commenced subsidising video consultations for patients in rural, remote and outer-metropolitan areas, as part of a $620 million telehealth initiative. The telehealth program will cover 62 per cent of the population, with only patients living in inner metropolitan areas excluded. General practitioners who work further than 20 kilometres from capital city centres […]

Medical Observer releases Mobile Dr iPhone app

30 June 2011

Medical Observer, one of Australia’s two weekly general practitioner newspapers, has released an iPhone application (app) for health professionals. The Mobile Dr app, which is compatible with Apple products running iOS, brings together a broad selection of over 90 clinical calculators and scoring tools, promising users to “help you spend less time crunching numbers and […]

NEHTA: New supply catalogue system for health services an Australian first

30 June 2011

Streamlining supply chain management in the Australian healthcare sector is expected to deliver substantial safety and quality benefits. This is now a step closer with the advent of the Master Catalogue Information Service (MCIS). The MCIS is an innovative supply chain solution designed to increase efficiency through the reduction of product ordering errors and automation […]

Immunisation rates boosted by text messaging initiative

30 June 2011

Immunisation rates and other healthcare outcomes are improving for Maori enrolled in Te Manu Trust’s General Practice clinics in the Bay of Plenty and Raukura Hauora O Tainui in North Waikato, assisted by the introduction of Vensa Health’s TXT2Remind system. The ‘Txt2Remind’ practice-patient messaging system assists primary and secondary health providers to send mobile phone […]

Global Health partners with Gemini Consulting

30 June 2011

Global Health Limited (GLH) announced that it has formed a strategic alliance with Gemini Consulting Pty Ltd. Gemini is a change management consultancy that specialises in sales strategy, organisational change and market development. Under the agreement, GLH will retain ownership as well as rights to its intellectual property and associated product development, while Gemini will […]

Medicare ECLIPSE usage doubles

12 June 2011

Medicare Australia’s Electronic Claim Lodgement Information Processing Service Environment (ECLIPSE) has doubled in usage since January last year, with recent figures showing that 30 per cent of all In-Patient Medical Claims were lodged through the electronic system. ECLIPSE is an extension to Medicare’s online claiming servers, in which In-patient Medical Claims are lodged directly through […]

HINZ to host Innovation seminar

10 June 2011

In the next instalment of their seminar series, Health Informatics New Zealand (HINZ) will present ‘Innovation: Putting Evidence to Work’ in Auckland on June 24. Keynote speaker, Sir Muir Gray, will address attendees on the possibility of revolutionising healthcare in order to make it more sustainable. Through an interactive session, Sir Muir will explore the […]

HISA NSW to hold annual general meeting

27 May 2011

The Health Informatics Society of Australia’s NSW branch will hold their Annual General Meeting at St Vincent’s Private Function Room in Darlinghurst on June 23. The event for members of HISA will commence with a presentation from HISA’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Louise Schaper, followed by the agenda of the General Meeting. An election of […]

HISA to host inaugural Data Governance Conference in May

13 May 2011

The Health Informatics Society of Australia and its Healthcare Management Informatics and Computing (health-mic) special interest group will hold its inaugural Data Governance Conference in May. The first Australian event of its kind, the conference will focus on ‘Data Governance: Concepts, Current Concerns and Emerging Issues’, ‘Data Governance in Practice’, and ‘Data Access and Availability’. […]

Cloud computing in the health sector – ready for the prime time?

5 May 2011

What is cloud computing? Cloud computing is a new term that is being increasingly used thanks to the large interest the media are showing on the topic. But what is cloud computing exactly? Should health professionals consider cloud computing? What implications will a health professional be facing if considering the adoption of this technology? Typically […]

Orion Health in running for six New Zealand Hi-Tech Awards

13 April 2011

Orion Health has been named as a finalist in six categories in the New Zealand Hi-Tech Awards, including the Software Product Award for their Electronic Health Record (EHR) solution, Hi-Tech Company of the Year and Hi-Tech Company of the Decade. The New Zealand Hi-Tech Awards recognise achievements in the New Zealand technology industry. Companies enter […]

NSW Ambulance Service upgrades Case Management System

13 April 2011

The Ambulance Service of NSW is extending its use of Resolve’s Case Management System with the inclusion of a new solution to address the processes of the Death and Disability Unit (D&D). This follows the use of the system within the Professional Standards and Conduct Unit (PSCU) of the Ambulance Service. Resolve is an Australian […]

eJHI releases 9th issue online

13 April 2011

The Electronic Journal of Health Informatics (eJHI) has released its latest issue, Volume 6, Number 1 (2011). First published in 2006, eJHI is an open access international journal dedicated to the advancement of Health Informatics and information technology in healthcare. Guest-edited by Vitali Sintchenko and Peter Croll, the current issue is a special issue on […]

Speech Solutions revises MedSpeech voice recognition pricing

9 April 2011

Speech Solutions has announced a revised pricing model for its MedSpeech voice recognition system, which is currently available to practices running Genie. The previous upfront cost for the solution — around $5500+GST per doctor — proved an impediment to adoption for many practices, notwithstanding the positive feedback the solution has garnered from early adopters of […]

Pavilion Health releases Performance Indicators for Coding Quality version 7

7 April 2011

Pavilion Health has announced the release of Performance Indicators for Coding Quality (PICQ 7.0) Enterprise and Local Health Network versions. PICQ is a set of indicators which identifies records in admitted patient morbidity data-sets that may be incorrectly coded based on Australian Coding Standards. The software looks at the disease and procedures codes used in […]

Vensa Health appoints new executives

7 April 2011

Vensa Health has appointed two new executives, with Cornelius Dirven taking over the position of National Sales Director and Anossis Oliveira commencing as General Manager ICT. Vensa Health is an Auckland-based Mobile Health (mHealth) provider. Their ‘Txt2Remind’ practice-patient messaging system assists primary and secondary health providers to send mobile text message appointment reminders and health […]

Letter to the Editor: A perspective on the PCEHR

1 April 2011

I am a Medical Officer at Peel Health Campus in Western Australia. This is a small regional hospital servicing the Peel region, which is south of Perth, around Mandurah. I write regarding the article entitled “Defining the Role of the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record” by A/Prof Charlie Corke in Pulse+IT Issue 21, page 8. […]

Best Practice previews new version at Summit

21 March 2011

Speaking at the launch of the inaugural Best Practice Summit, company founder, Dr Frank Pyefinch, previewed a selection of new features included in the latest version of Best Practice. Best Practice is a clinical and practice management solution which counts over 1400 Australian general and specialist practices as customers. The new version, dubbed “Build 532” […]

NEC deploys Internet access to senior Australians

15 March 2011

NEC Australia has announced the Yarraville Senior Citizens Centre as the 2000th site to receive a Broadband for Seniors Kiosk, facilitated by the Australian Government’s $15 million Broadband for Seniors initiative. According to the company, the kiosks are aimed at increasing the confidence and skills of senior Australians in using computers and technology, increasing community […]

Health-e-Nation conference coming to Melbourne in April

14 March 2011

To be held at the RACV Club in Melbourne, CHIK Services’ Health-e-Nation conference returns in its ninth year with the theme, “Investing in Australia’s Health: It’s everyone’s business.” Confirmed speakers for the conference include Jane Halton, Secretary, Department of Health and Ageing; Peter Fleming, CEO of the National E-Health Transition Authority; Marianne Shearer, CEO of […]

Maestro Toolbar connects practice software with Healthcare Identifier Service

11 March 2011

NEXVIEW Systems has previewed a software utility that can enable clinical software to interface with Medicare Australia’s Healthcare Identifier Service. This repository contains over 23 million Individual Healthcare Identifiers (IHI), which are intended to be used to assist disparate healthcare organisations to reliably transfer patient information electronically. Dubbed the Maestro Toolbar, the software is designed […]

NPS study into GP clinical software shows room for improvement

10 March 2011

NPS better choices, better health (NPS) has continued its research into Australian clinical software, previewing an as yet unpublished paper in an editorial piece featured in the February 2011 edition of Australian Prescriber. The editorial overviews a process undertaken by NPS whereby seven general practice clinical software products were selected and assessed against a comprehensive […]

DONORtrak system to streamline organ transplant process

8 March 2011

A clinical information system designed to streamline the administrative and clinical processes associated with organ transplant is being evaluated by the Australian Government’s Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation Authority, alongside a number of internationally developed products. The DONORtrak solution was developed by NEXVIEW Systems in collaboration with staff of the Flinders Medical Centre, with […]

Orion Health updates its Rhapsody Integration Engine

7 March 2011

Orion Health has released an updated version of its Integration Engine (version 4.1), which it states will speed up interface development through the addition of a unit testing framework and an improved, simplified graphical interface to assist with complex routing. “Rhapsody is designed for rapid, effortless installation and use, and enables fast accurate and efficient […]

iMIMS drug reference application released for Apple iPhone

6 March 2011

MIMS has released a version of its ubiquitous drug reference product for the iPhone and other devices running Apple’s iOS, including the iPad and iPod Touch. The product is built around a drug reference database containing over 5500 products contextualised specifically for the Australian healthcare sector. As with other MIMS products, iMIMS brings together comprehensive […]

MSIA: Taking shortcuts will get you lost

6 March 2011

I spend a lot of time in Auckland. Auckland is a wonderful and beautiful city. I like to think Auckland is well known to me. I know Auckland CBD better than the locals. I know how to get to where I want to go. But because I know Auckland, it doesn’t mean I know the […]

Stat Health Systems commences software rollout

6 March 2011

Stat Health Systems has commenced the rollout of their new practice software for both general and specialist practice, dubbed ‘Stat’. As a fully integrated solution, the product contains both clinical and practice management features, including billing, claiming and appointment functionality. Stat has been in live beta testing since August 2010. Since this time the company […]

New research offers insight into Supply Chain reform

4 March 2011

Why is it that companies such as Wal-Mart, Zara and Dell find their way into any text on supply chain management whereas there is rarely a mention of a hospital that is a leader in this field? That’s the question at the centre of new research by Melbourne University academic Dr Vikram Bhakoo … The […]

Internet Backup for medical practices

28 February 2011

The importance of performing daily backups of clinical data is well understood by medical practices and larger healthcare organisations. The devastation that befell a number of such organisations as a result of the recent Australian floods and the tragic Christchurch earthquake serves as a telling reminder for the need for robust, off-site backup procedures to […]

Information security and social engineering

27 February 2011

Often, when I discuss the topic of Internet security with health professionals, I receive a lot of scepticism and a common question: “We are not a bank or a corporation with valuable trade secrets! Why would someone be interested in hacking into my practice information system? Why would a hacker be interested in accessing my […]

Webinars

27 February 2011

The Pulse+IT webinar series brings you eHealth and Health IT presentations from healthcare facilities, vendors and academics. Pulse+IT webinars are free to attend, allowing participants to increase their awareness of the latest eHealth and Health IT developments in Australia and New Zealand from the convenience of their workplace or home. If your organisation would like […]

eJHI releases 8th issue online

25 February 2011

The electronic Journal of Health Informatics (eJHI) has just published its latest issue, Volume 5, Number 2 (2010), which is available on its website. In a statement accompanying the release of the 8th issue, Dr Sebastian Garde, Managing Editor remarked that this “is the first issue to only include ‘normal’ papers that were unsolicited and […]

“First do no harm” – Clinical Safety Management in e-health

22 February 2011

Whilst rare, it is an unfortunate fact of life that the very health services that the public rely on to make them better can end up causing them harm. Errors in medication management, incorrect or ‘wrong-side’ surgery and hospital acquired infection can all contribute to patient mortality and morbidity. No wonder then that patient safety […]

Why is ‘IT’ all so hard in Pathology?

17 February 2011

At the heart of a modern Pathology laboratory is a complex set of Information Technology (IT) systems that are critical to its operation. Users are often frustrated and disappointed at the difficulties they experience when systems fail, when requesting changes or seeking new IT functionality. Having worked in a number of industries before coming to […]

Defining the Role of the Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record

26 January 2011

Australia, in line with a number of European countries, is currently investigating innovative use of Internet technology to improve access to patient information by the broader group of healthcare providers involved in delivering healthcare to an individual. To date most exchanges of information occur across health teams, for example the sending of a discharge summary […]

HCN and HealthLink collaborate to extend secure messaging network

4 November 2010

HCN and HealthLink have connected their respective secure messaging infrastructures, allowing customers of both companies to communicate with a greater number of healthcare organisations. The development means doctors using HCN’s Medical Director software will be able to send clinical information to any healthcare provider on the HealthLink secure messaging network. This ‘interconnectivity’ has been made […]

HL7 Australia to host international working group meeting in Sydney

1 November 2010

HL7 Australia will host the January meeting of the “HL7 International” healthcare interoperability standards organisation in Sydney from 9 January to 14 January 2011. The HL7 International Standards and Education Meeting will provide a forum for more than 50 work groups, committees and task forces designed to progress standards including HL7 version 2, HL7 version […]

Bigpond releases faster mobile broadband modems

1 November 2010

Telstra’s consumer division has begun retailing its ‘Ultimate’ wireless broadband modem, which has a theoretical download speed of 42Mbps, twice that of the company’s previous fastest offering. As with all wireless broadband services however, real-world performance using the device is likely to vary greatly, the company advising that speeds of anywhere between 1Mbps and 20Mbps […]

AMA negotiates IT discounts for its members

1 November 2010

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has released the details of a new crop of IT-related discounts available to its members. Companies enlisted in the ‘PowerBuy’ program include Apple, Dell, APC, Lenovo, Netgear, CISCO and Fuji Xerox, each of whom are offering discounts to AMA members that purchase selected products. While the terms and conditions attached […]

Alphastudy acknowledged with NSW Health Award

1 November 2010

Emergency department staff at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, in collaboration with Alphastudy, have been awarded a NSW Health award in the ‘Making Smart Choices’ category. The award recognised the team’s work on a project designed to improve emergency department training and quality improvement capacity through the use of the Alphastudy collaborative learning system. Accessible via […]

Panasonic updates its Mobile Clinical Assistant, drops price

1 November 2010

Panasonic has updated its CF-H1 Toughbook, a tablet computer designed specifically for clinical settings. As with its predecessor, the CF-H1 MkII has been built upon Intel’s ‘Mobile Clinical Assistant’ (MCA) reference design, which specifies the types of hardware functionality that can be leveraged in healthcare environments. As with other devices in the Toughbook range, the […]

OPTALERT driver fatigue monitoring system wins InterSystems Award

1 November 2010

InterSystems Corporation has announced that Australia-based OPTALERT has been recognised with an InterSystems Award for Breakthrough Applications. The award program honours developers who “create game-changing applications using InterSystems’ advanced technologies”. The web-based OPTALERT system is the only real-time safety system in the world that detects the early onset of drowsiness during a journey by accurately […]

Free Snomed CT browser launched

1 November 2010

The Australian e-Health Research Centre (AEHRC) has released Minnow, a free browser for both SNOMED CT AU and the Australian Medicines Terminology (AMT). CSIRO Principal Research Scientist, Dr Michael Lawley, said that the browser is designed to provide a simple and intuitive means to explore both SNOMED CT and the Australian Medicines Terminology. “Minnow offers […]

Nuance releases Dragon Dictate for Mac

1 November 2010

In late September, Nuance Communications announced the release of Dragon Dictate for Mac 2.0, a voice recognition system for MacOS X users running the latest version of the operating system, Snow Leopard. The product is the successor to MacSpeech Dictate 1.5, software acquired by Nuance in February 2010. At the time of the acquisition, Nuance […]

NEHTA and MSIA release joint statement to the software industry

1 November 2010

The National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA) and the Medical Software Industry Association (MSIA) have released a joint statement to address some concerns software developers have expressed regarding the way industry has been engaged by the government-funded organisation. NEHTA has been undertaking its e-health work program for over five years, however its shifting focus from specification […]

Genie Solutions releases integrated MedSpeech voice recognition

1 November 2010

Genie Solutions has upgraded its flagship GP and Specialist practice software, Genie, giving users the option to interface their software with the MedSpeech voice recognition system. The integrated solution was officially launched in mid-October with the release of Genie version 7.7.1 following six months of development and beta testing. MedSpeech utilises the SpeechMagic engine, which […]

Telstra enters tablet market

1 November 2010

Telstra has launched the T-Touch Tab, a diminutive tablet computer priced at $299. Weighing 500 grams and bundled with a stylus pen, the T-Touch features a seven inch screen, which Telstra touts as being around three times larger than a typical smart phone screen. The display uses resistive technology and has a resolution of 800 […]

RACGP expands e-health focus in new Standards for general practice

1 November 2010

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners launched their 4th edition Standards for general practice at the GP10 conference in Cairns in early October. According to the RACGP, the process of developing the 4th edition of the Standards was aided by a separate e-health standards working group that reviewed all the standards and their alignment […]

Medicare releases electronic claiming usage statistics

1 November 2010

Medicare has released its annual report for the 2009-2010 financial year. The document contains an overview of the performance of the various electronic claiming channels available to patients, including Medicare Online, Medicare Easyclaim and Electronic Claim Lodgement Information Processing Service Environment (ECLIPSE). The report reveals that as of the end of June 2010, 36 of […]

Medical Software Industry Association hold CEO Forum and AGM in Darling Harbour

1 September 2010

The Medical Software Industry Association’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) and second CEO Forum for 2010 were held in early September at iSOFT’s offices in Darling Harbour. With around 80 member companies represented at the meeting, the MSIA believe this year’s AGM was the most well attended in the association’s history. The association’s representative base has […]

Introduction to health research text book released

1 September 2010

An introductory statistics text book with a focus on health research has been released by Spinoza Publishers. Written by biostatistician Dr Ronald Hicks, “Primer for Health Research: Design & Basic Statistics” is pitched at health professionals and other people interested in undertaking health research. Dr Hicks has worked as a biostatistician in numerous countries, including […]

Free Auslan tutorial application launched for iPad

1 September 2010

The Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children (RIDBC) has released what it is touting as the “World’s first free Australian sign language iPad application” to coincide with the organisation’s 150 year anniversary. The application, dubbed “RIDBC’s Auslan Tutor: Key Signs” features 150 commonly used terms presented in Australian Sign Language (Auslan). The application displays […]

MIMS to add drug-herb interactions to products

1 September 2010

MIMS Australia and IMgateway have announced plans to release a drug herb interactions database for healthcare professionals. The database has been developed by researchers from the Faculty of Pharmacy at The University of Sydney. The project has been headed up by Professor Basil Roufogalis and Professor Andrew McLachlan, with the database having been maintained and expanded […]

NEHTA releases updated electronic script transfer specifications

1 September 2010

The National E-Health Transition Authority has released draft version 1.1 of its Electronic Transfer of Prescription Package, a suite of documents designed to steer the ongoing development of electronic prescribing workflows in Australia. The latest release expands on previous versions in three key areas, extending the transfer of prescriptions to a wider range of care […]

Consumer e-health survey results released by CSC

1 September 2010

CSC has released a report detailing the findings of a consumer e-health survey it commissioned in March this year. Conducted by Newspoll, 1208 Australian adult health consumers were surveyed by telephone and asked a range of questions about their own health, their current health record keeping practices, and their attitudes toward electronic health records. The […]

HISA elects new members to board, outlines priorities for coming year

1 September 2010

The Health Informatics Society of Australia (HISA) has announced the results of its annual elections. Nominations were received from 17 candidates, with the HISA membership tasked with having to appoint just five of these people to the organisation’s board. Votes were cast at the HISA AGM, which was held during the organisation’s Health Informatics Conference […]

AMT goes live in Victoria

1 September 2010

NEHTA has announced the first live implementation of the Australian Medicines Terminology (AMT) in a clinical environment. Box Hill Hospital, part of Eastern Health Services, has started generating prescriptions for outpatients and discharge using AMT, through their HealthSMART Clinical System. AMT delivers a standard national approach for the identification and naming of medicines. This includes […]

NEHTA to outsource National Authentication Service for Health

1 September 2010

The National E-Health Transition Authority (NEHTA) has launched a request for tender process “to deliver the design, build and operations of a National Authentication Service for Health (NASH).” NASH has been a core component of NEHTA’s work program since the organisation’s inception in 2005. However its failure to deliver a service that facilitates healthcare providers […]

Australia to host international telehealth conference

1 September 2010

Australia will host Global Telehealth 2010 (GT2010), the 15th Annual Scientific Meeting of the International Society for Telemedicine and eHealth (ISfTeH). According to the organisers, the meeting has become well established as the major international telehealth conference, which is coming to Australia for the first time. The three day event is being held in Fremantle, […]

Australian doctor releases iDoctor app for iPhones, iPads and iPods

14 July 2010

In collaboration with developer Bonobo, Dr Rhys Clark from Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth has released “iDoctor”, a software application (app) for Apple iPhone and iPod Touch devices, and also the iPad. Primarily targeted at junior doctors working in hospital settings, iDoctor offers a suite of five different logging systems that allow clinicians to […]

IHE releases Connectathon results, prepares for conference Showcases

14 July 2010

IHE Australia has released the official results from its “Connectathon”, which was held over the course of a week in late April. During an IHE Connectathon, software developers endeavour to enhance their products and demonstrate an ability to exchange data with other relevant systems. If successful in this process, software vendors are able to publish […]

HISA prepares for 18th Health Informatics Conference

14 July 2010

The Health Informatics Society of Australia (HISA) is preparing for the peak group’s Health Informatics Conference 2010 (HIC2010), which will commence on Tuesday, August 24, at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. With a theme of ”Informing the business of healthcare”, the conference has attracted an impressive contingent of local and international keynote speakers, including […]

Health-e-Nation conference coming to Sydney in September

14 July 2010

In 2010 the pressing need for Health reform unites the world. Australia is one of many countries seriously considering alternatives to our current model of care delivery with an increasing emphasis on connecting care communities from hospitals to home‑based care. While hospitals remain a core facet of healthcare, politicians and consumers alike are recognising the […]

Spellex releases Australian Medical and Pharmaceutical spelling software

14 July 2010

The US-based Spellex Corporation has announced an Australian version of their medical and pharmaceutical spelling software, which integrates with products from Microsoft as well as a range of other programs. The release includes thousands of new medical and pharmaceutical words with proper spelling specific to Australia. The products are pitched as an alternative to paper […]

DCA acquires ArgusConnect

14 July 2010

Database Consultants Australia (DCA) has entered into an agreement to acquire ArgusConnect, the developer of the Argus suite of secure messaging solutions. The acquisition was announced prior to the formal process taking place in response to market speculation in early May, with the acquisition being completed in early July. Ross Davey, ArgusConnect’s CEO has been […]

GS1 and Deakin University partner on iPhone App for allergy sufferers

15 May 2010

Barcode administrator GS1 Australia has teamed up with Deakin University and Nestlé to develop an iPhone application that will shortly give allergy sufferers the ability to scan supermarket barcodes to determine what they can safely eat. Information about potentially risky substances such as wheat, eggs, peanuts and shellfish is often found on product labels — […]

Information Technology Aged Care conference coming to Melbourne

30 April 2010

The fourth Annual Information Technology in Aged Care (ITAC) conference will be held on Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 July at the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins. Jointly convened by the Aged Care Association Australia, Aged and Community Services Australia, and the Health Informatics Society of Australia, the conference will bring together local and international experts […]

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