Overhaul 'clunky' My Health Record, Medicare task force recommends

Overhaul ‘clunky’ My Health Record, Medicare task force recommends

A task force of healthcare leaders has given their recommendations to invigorate Australia’s primary healthcare, including the need to upgrade My Health Record and enable more health data sharing. WHAT IT’S ABOUT
The Australian government assembled the Strengthening Medicare Task Force to help identify the “most pressing investments needed in primary care.” It is focused on pointing out immediate actions to strengthen Medicare, the country’s universal healthcare scheme, and lay the foundations for longer-term reform and investment in the primary care system. Their recommendations also build on the government’s 10-year plan for primary care.
One of the task force’s major recommendations is to “modernise” MHR….

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ACT project tries out new mental health care navigation platform

ACT project tries out new mental health care navigation platform

A new project led by the Digital Health Cooperative Research Centre is working on a care navigation platform to help patients and healthcare providers navigate the mental healthcare system.This initiative also joins the University of Canberra, Swinburne University of Technology, ACT’s primary health network Capital Health Network, Psicost Research Association, and charity organisation Bupa Foundation.
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
The research team has designed and developed a multi-applicable, multi-modal and multi-level framework and related tools called Local Mental Health Care Operational Navigation Chart (MChart), which is currently being tested and reviewed for effectiveness in the ACT.
It has two variants: the MChart-P for clinicians, decision-makers and planners…

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Cyberattack round-up: Financial warnings and new threats to hospitals

Cyberattack round-up: Financial warnings and new threats to hospitals

Hospital financial ratings remain vulnerable to cyberattack fallout, according to a new assessment from Fitch Ratings. Meanwhile, hacktivists and ransomware gangs are recycling ransomware strains, and hacker affiliates are offering bigger payouts. Those are just a few of the healthcare cybersecurity trends we’re watching this week.Coordinated KillNet DDoS attacks highlight potential for ratings dips
Fitch Ratings says the recent coordinated distributed denial-of-service attacks on hospital websites such as ChristianaCare’s aren’t likely to drive any downgrades at this time, but cyberattacks that compromise service and affect a hospital’s financial profile could.
Last week the pro-Russian hacktivist group KillNet, known for its DDoS attacks on critical infrastructure in nations supporting…

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Australia officially opens connected health research hub

Australia officially opens connected health research hub

The Australian Research Council has formally launched its latest research hub for connected health at the University of New South Wales.Backed by A$24 million ($16.6 million) funding by the ARC’s Industrial Transformation Research Program, the ARC Research Hub for Connected Sensors for Health focuses on developing wearable health technologies.
This new research hub, which became operational in August, brings together seven universities and 26 Australian companies to build a national end-to-end ecosystem that will design, manufacture, and commercialise clinical-grade sensors and predictive analytics. It integrates existing Australian capabilities in sensors, security, software systems, data analytics, and digital health.
WHY IT MATTERS
The research hub,…

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North Queensland GPs get access to Inca's care planning platform

North Queensland GPs get access to Inca’s care planning platform

The Northern Queensland Primary Health Network is deploying a shared care platform to GPs in North Queensland. The care planning platform, INCA, developed by the health IT company Precedence Health Care, enables health professionals to manage patient health data, create and monitor care plans, and share information digitally. 
This system allows the creation of Medicare-compliant GP management plans and team care arrangements, which can be automatically shared with the care team. It also enables GPs to allocate tasks and send automatic reminders for actions needing completion, track and monitor adherence to a plan, and store all approved and shared documentation in one record.
Moreover, INCA…

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FDA approves AI ultrasound application for musculoskeletal imaging

FDA approves AI ultrasound application for musculoskeletal imaging

Clarius Mobile Health, which first introduced wireless handheld imaging for medical specialties in 2016, says its third-generation device, HD3, which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration this week, will also help improve MSK ultrasound training.WHY IT MATTERS
With clearance from the FDA, the new MSK AI model will be available with the Clarius L7 HD3 and Clarius L15 HD3 ultrasound scanners introduced last year, according to the announcement.
“AI automation is the new frontier and we’re excited to be the world’s first to receive FDA clearance to use AI for musculoskeletal ultrasound,” said Ohad Arazi, president and CEO, in the statement.
Upon…

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Cosmos, Epic's massive EHR analytics platform, helps reduce new mother readmissions

Cosmos, Epic’s massive EHR analytics platform, helps reduce new mother readmissions

Nearly 20% of postpartum patients in America develop high blood pressure; Epic Research just found in a new study that postpartum hypertension nearly triples the chances of rehospitalization.After looking at more than 1.2 million birth encounters and then grouping and comparing the highest blood pressure readings taken in the 24 hours after discharge, the study found:

Patients with blood pressure levels at or above 160/110 shortly before discharge are nearly three times more likely to be readmitted than patients with normal blood pressure readings.

More than 5% of postpartum patients with the highest blood pressure readings, equal to or greater than 160/110 mmHg,…

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Australian Health Dep't failed to manage risks in expanding telehealth: state auditor

Australian Health Dep’t failed to manage risks in expanding telehealth: state auditor

The Australian National Audit Office has conducted a review of the expansion of telehealth services across the country by the Department of Health and Aged Care in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.FINDINGS
Based on the state audit, the department fell short in governance, risk management, and evaluation of the telehealth expansion. 
While it made “significant” changes to the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS), the expanded telehealth services were “only partly supported by sound implementation arrangements.” 
The audit found that it did not require key implementation decisions and plans to be documented. 
It was also noted that the department did not manage implementation risks associated with temporary…

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Johns Hopkins AI models predict ICU delirium risk

Johns Hopkins AI models predict ICU delirium risk

Two dynamic analytics models developed at Johns Hopkins University predicted delirium-prone patients when tested on two datasets drawn from 100,000 stays at a Boston hospital’s intensive care unit, according to new research.WHY IT MATTERS
Delirium – sudden bouts of confusion, inattention, paranoia, agitation and hallucinations – can put patients at higher risk of prolonged hospitalization, future dementia and death. By forecasting delirium, alerted clinicians could apply countermeasures that can mitigate adverse outcomes, according to the premise of artificial intelligence research published in Anesthesiology. 
“For a lot of these physiological transitions, we think that there are early warning signs that may not be obvious…

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