The government has rejected a call to extend the My Health Record opt-out period while amendments are made to ensure the privacy and security of the system.
Finding ways to link health care data in a secure and confidential way.
PopTika/Shutterstock.com
In the age of ‘fake news’ it’s more important than ever to make sure that what’s being published is the truth – especially when it comes to reporting research and science.
A plan to fine hospitals for avoidable hospitalisations and pay GPs to prevent them has many issues. The main problem is that it’s impossible to measure the outcomes of health care in Australia.
Africa battles with a dearth of data and seems unable to scale up health innovations. If these can be systematically addressed, the continent can take great strides towards better health for all.
Donatien Beguy, African Population and Health Research Center
The truth is that data in Africa are not produced on time, not frequently enough, are of poor quality and aren’t accurate. This makes it difficult to make data driven decisions.
Telstra Health has won the contract to manage the National Bowel Cancer and Cervical Screening Program registries.
from shutterstock.com
The cancer screening registry contract won by Telstra Health is only the first of the potential outsourcing of health programs. It creates a precedent that needs to be right.
Mapping health outcomes and life expectancy against train stations reveals stark inequalities across cities.
AAP/Tracey Nearmy
Where you live affects your health and life expectancy. This makes it possible to map health outcomes against train stations, so that you can readily see the inequalities across cities like Melbourne.
Australia is a sporting nation and the tragic death of batsman Phil Hughes is still very much in the hearts and minds of fans and players alike. Deaths in sport are rare but history does tell us that they…
What it takes to get to the top.
Rugby by Shutterstock
With a “win-at-all-costs” culture firmly embedded in elite sport, coaches are increasingly turning to technology in attempts to zoom in on the slightest deficiencies perceived to be thwarting the performance…
No longer restricted to elite athletes, personal fitness data can be collected from people jogging, going to the gym – even sleeping.
Josh Janssen/Flickr
Beyond simply counting steps, fitness tracking technology creates personal black boxes that archive everything we do – even sleeping. So it’s not surprising to see that a Calgary law firm, representing…
We collect climate data. We collect health data. What if we combined the two?
Kevin
As the world wakes up to the power of data, we need to start working out how to join up all this information. We need to turn it into meaningful findings that will help us to make changes to the way we…
Pinpoint that sex offender or maybe your own past problems.
heiwa4126
The average citizen may not feel that they have anything to fear from the rise of apps that promise to identify sex offenders in their area but they are part of a worrying trend that should act as a warning…
Professor (adjunct) and Senior Fellow, Institute for Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto
Honorary Enterprise Professor, School of Population and Global Health, and Department of General Practice and Primary Care, The University of Melbourne