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Tech could be used to tackle the UK's loneliness epidemic, according to a new report.

In support of a paperless industry, the Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA) has launched an initiative to enhance secure messaging functionality by 2020. The initiative, an A$30,000 boost to software vendors, aims to enable clinical software providers with the support necessary to adopt and integrate new secure messaging standards into existing clinical information and messaging systems. All private vendors that currently operate a clinical information or secure messaging system with secure messaging capabilities at two different sites as a minimum are eligible for the funding. The move is expected to help health professionals using different platforms to securely send important health information, such as referrals, specialist letters and hospital discharge summaries, to patients and other health professionals. Eliminating paper-based messaging in healthcare has been a priority for the National Digital Health Strategy, which was approved in 2017 by all states and territories through the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Health Council. Since then, the ADHA has been working with software and healthcare providers to develop a set of standards that will improve the secure exchange of healthcare information. A trial of the co-designed standards was run in 2018, overcoming what were then the two final hurdles to making different platforms interoperable: universal message formats and the ability to search multiple databases of healthcare providers. “The industry has agreed to the same interpretations and allowed their systems to display messages in a number of formats: RTF, PDF, CDA, and HL7 version 2,” ADHA Chief Operating Officer Bettina McMahon said previously. Being able to find the details of a healthcare provider was the other major hurdle, as different healthcare vendors maintain their own databases and a GP using a platform from one vendor often can’t find clinicians using a different one. The set-up of a distributed directory would allow clinicians with one vendor to be able to search all databases, according to McMahon. Following the success of the trial, the agency is now encouraging widespread adoption. ADHA Chief Medical Adviser Clinical Professor Meredith Makeham said many healthcare professionals are already using secure messaging platforms; however, many of them are not compatible with one another, resulting in these professionals using fax machines or the post to send information to one another.   “The inability of healthcare providers to share information quickly can lead to communication breakdown, which can contribute to poor health outcomes and unnecessary duplication of care,” Makeham said.  “This is a significant step toward ensuring healthcare providers can use the tools they already have to send information to their patients and other clinicians providing those patients care, and in turn provide safer and more comprehensive care.” Consumers Health Forum of Australia Chief Executive Officer Leanne Wells said a modern, connected health system requires modern communication technologies and interoperability. “Manila folders of paper records and fax machines aren’t good enough in the 21st century – secure, robust and interoperable messaging is fundamental to creating the patient-centred health system Australia needs and deserves,” she said. General Practitioner and Advisor to the ADHA, Dr Nathan Pinskier said the initiative is an “important next step” on the path to mainstream adoption of secure electronic communications in healthcare. “Secure communications will provide more efficient, safer and direct transfer of clinical information between healthcare providers,” he said. “Numerous coroners’ reports have highlighted the risks of a continued reliance on legacy systems such as fax and post. It’s time for healthcare as an industry and profession to adopt 21st century communications solutions.” Vendors interested in the initiative can express their interest on ADHA’s website. This article first appeared on Healthcare IT News Australia.

In support of a paperless industry, the Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA) has launched an initiative to enhance secure messaging functionality by 2020.  The initiative, a $30,000 boost to software vendors, aims to enable clinical software providers with the support necessary to adopt and integrate new secure messaging standards into existing clinical information and messaging systems.  All private vendors that currently operate a clinical information or secure messaging system with secure messaging capabilities at two different sites as a minimum are eligible for the funding. Eliminating paper-based messaging in healthcare has been a priority for the National Digital Health Strategy, which was approved in 2017 by all states and territories through the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Health Council.  Since then, the ADHA has been working with software and healthcare providers to develop a set of standards that will improve the secure exchange of healthcare information.  A trial of the co-designed standards was run in 2018, overcoming what were then the two final hurdles to making different platforms interoperable: universal message formats and the ability to search multiple databases of healthcare providers. “The industry has agreed to the same interpretations and allowed their systems to display messages in a number of formats: RTF, PDF, CDA, and HL7 version 2,” ADHA Chief Operating Officer Bettina McMahon said previously. Being able to find the details of a healthcare provider was the other major hurdle, as different healthcare vendors maintain their own databases and a GP using a platform from one vendor often can’t find clinicians using a different one.  The set up of a distributed directory would allow clinicians with one vendor to be able to search all databases, according to McMahon.  Following the success of the trial, the agency is now encouraging widespread adoption. ADHA Chief Medical Adviser Clinical Professor Meredith Makeham said many healthcare professionals are already using secure messaging platforms; however, many of them are not compatible with one another, resulting in these professionals using fax machines or the post to send information to one another. “The inability of healthcare providers to share information quickly can lead to communication breakdown, which can contribute to poor health outcomes and unnecessary duplication of care,” Makeham said. “This is a significant step toward ensuring healthcare providers can use the tools they already have to send information to their patients and other clinicians providing those patients care, and in turn provide safer and more comprehensive care.” [Read more: Paving the way for interoperability in Australian healthcare | To fax or not to fax?] Consumers Health Forum of Australia Chief Executive Officer Leanne Wells said a modern, connected health system requires modern communication technologies and interoperability. “Manila folders of paper records and fax machines aren’t good enough in the 21st century – secure, robust and interoperable messaging is fundamental to creating the patient-centred health system Australia needs and deserves,” she said. General Practitioner and Advisor to the ADHA, Dr Nathan Pinskier said the initiative is an “important next step” on the path to mainstream adoption of secure electronic communications in healthcare. “Secure communications will provide more efficient, safer and direct transfer of clinical information between healthcare providers,” he said. “Numerous coroners’ reports have highlighted the risks of a continued reliance on legacy systems such as fax and post. It’s time for healthcare as an industry and profession to adopt 21st century communications solutions.” Vendors interested in the initiative can express their interest on ADHA’s website.

The HELP Committee on Tuesday heard feedback from stakeholders about how the proposed rules from CMS and ONC should be fine-tuned for optimal effect.

The health system saved money by avoiding equipment purchases and reducing rental expenses; RTLS also saved it $300,000 and more than 10,000 staff hours annually.

A new study found that clinicians using VR tech could reach targeted vessels faster than today’s standard approach.

HIMSS has crafted a new definition for interoperability. HIMSS, the owner of Healthcare IT News, described the new concept as one specifically fit for the larger healthcare ecosystem. Senior Director of Informatics at HIMSS, Mari Greenberger, explained that there are now four layers to the proposed interoperability definition: foundational, structural, semantic and organisational. "This definition is an aspirational one," Greenberger said. "It's what HIMSS is trying to accomplish and work toward when it comes to achieving global interoperability. We added the additional level of ‘organisational’ to illustrate the critical need for a robust interoperability infrastructure as well as highlighting the non-technical considerations that play into successful interoperability. "HIMSS is trying to define interoperability and its various levels with an international perspective," she added. "We also worked to elevate the need for improved cross geographic jurisdictions/cross-border exchange." With that, here’s the full definition HIMSS proposed: Interoperability is the ability of different information systems, devices or applications to connect, in a coordinated manner, within and across organisational boundaries to access, exchange and cooperatively use data amongst stakeholders, with the goal of optimising the health of individuals and populations. Health data exchange architectures and standards allow relevant data to be shared effectively and securely across the complete spectrum of care, within all applicable settings and with relevant stakeholders (including with the person whose information is being shared). Optimally, interoperability facilitates connections and integrations across these systems to occur regardless of the data’s origin or destination or the applications employed, and ensures the data are usable and readily available to share without additional intervention by the end user. In the health ecosystem, interoperability furthers the goal of optimising health by providing seamless access to the right information needed to more comprehensively understand and address the health of individuals and populations. Systems participating in information exchange do so with varying degrees of interoperability. Each component, described below, demonstrates the types of exchange organisations may engage in and such exchanges may occur simultaneously within a single healthcare setting: Foundational interoperability develops the building blocks of information exchange between disparate systems by establishing the inter-connectivity requirements needed for one system or application to share data with and receive data from another. It does not outline the ability for the receiving information technology system to interpret the data without interventions from the end user or other technologies.   Structural interoperability defines the structure or format of data exchange (i.e., the message format standards) where there is uniform movement of healthcare data from one system to another such that the clinical or operational purpose and meaning of the data is preserved and unaltered. Structural interoperability defines the syntax of the data exchange. It ensures that data exchanges between information technology systems can be interpreted at the data field level.   Semantic interoperability is the ability of two or more systems to exchange information and to interpret and use that information.Semantic interoperability takes advantage of both the structuring of the data exchange and the codification of the data, including standard, publicly available vocabulary, so that the receiving information management systems can interpret the data. Semantic interoperability supports the electronic exchange of patient data and information among authorised parties via potentially disparate health information and technology systems and products to improve quality, costs, safety, efficiency, experience and efficacy of healthcare delivery.   Organisational interoperability encompasses the technical components as well as clear policy, social and organisational components. These components facilitate the secure, seamless and timely communication and use of data within and between organisations and individuals. Inclusion of these non-technical considerations enables interoperability that is integrated into end-user processes and workflows in a manner that supports efficiencies, relationships and overall health and wellness through cooperative use of shared data both across and within organisational boundaries. HIMSS is seeking feedback, so interested parties can comment here until March 23, 2019.

Two Australian doctors have collaborated in creating a new telehealth web portal to provide dermatologist services to rural and regional Australia. Dermo Direct Co-founders Dr Christopher Ross and Dr Dev Tilakaratne decided to band together for a real-time telehealth video consultation service as they aimed to bring dermatology to those who would otherwise struggle to access such care – due to distance, mobility, being short on time or other issues. “We created Dermo Direct to help with the follow-up of our pre-existing country patients and for any rural patients that have limited access or have to pay a lot of money to travel and see visiting dermatologists across various parts of Australia,” Ross told HITNA. “A lot of dermatology diagnosis is visual, so this service speeds up diagnosis and management.” Dermo Direct covers all dermatological cases but has limitations on skin cancer checks or skin lesions suspected of being connected to skin cancer. Ross said unlike other telehealth platforms, Dermo Direct brings the web-based portal direct to patients, as the GP isn’t also required to be present to coordinate care. “We ask the GPs for referrals direct to our service. All the patient then has to do is log on to our website and input their information, photos, or any other data necessary and book an appointment with a dermatologist,” he said. “Using a smartphone, tablet or computer with the usual microphone, camera and speakers that you would use for a standard video call such as Skype, Gruveo or Facetime, we then have that consultation with the patient. “The resulting bloodforms are electronically sent to the patient’s email, while a letter of diagnosis goes to the patient and to their GP. Not all pharmacists accept electronic copies, so at this stage, we also send them a hard copy of the prescriptions through mail,” he said. [Read more: Mobile app brings specialist advice to burn victims | How can Australia do remote healthcare better?] Ross said none of the teleconference videos are recorded but the notes and photos from the telehealth consultations are kept on a server in Darwin Dermatology, a private clinic that Tilakaratne runs. “We treat patient information just as how we would in a face-to-face consultation. As for the photos sent through the system, they are stored in a compliant program and the patients are given the option of uploading them when they first book online. “From a patient’s perspective, nothing changes because we treat the photos that they send us how we would if we took them ourselves in a clinic and uploaded them onto the system,” Ross mentioned. Dermo Direct is predominantly targeted at Australians living in rural and remote parts of the country, but isn’t only limited to patients in those areas. “As the Medicare rebate still exists for rural patients, and those in nursing homes, for example, the out-of-pocket cost isn’t as much as them having to see a visiting dermatologist. The website is set up to see if a patient is eligible to use the rebate, using their postcode. “The service is also eligible for those residing in cities, but they wouldn’t be covered by the Medicare rebate, so their out-of-pocket would be much higher. But sometimes the waiting time to see dermatologists can be up to six months in cities, so they can opt to use this service instead.” Currently, Ross and Tilakaratne are the only two dermatologists currently available on the platform, but Ross mentioned that there is capacity to bring on board other dermatologists if the platform picks up pace. Moving forward, Ross also said he envisions for Dermo Direct a reach beyond just dermatology. “We would like to get other specialists involved with telemedicine as well, to amplify efficiency for both a business model and a patient model,” he added.

The health system co-designed a platform that provides multifactorial data analysis and direct-to-physician communication, as well as continuing education material.