International health IT week in review: June 23

Pulse+IT's weekly round-up of international health IT news for the week ending June 23: Digital health system in Finland, GP at Hand in Birmingham, data breach causes bankruptcy, 'axe the fax' is premature, Facebook predicts mental health, digital pathology through AI, eTriage in urgent care, telehealth by TV, infusion pump vulnerabilities
Digital Finland: Towards an ecosystem of health and wellbeing apps
MobiHealthNews ~ Philipp Grätzel von Grätz ~ 18/06/2019
Patient access to the individual digital data is implemented via the My Kanta portal which has become hugely popular in Finland.
GP at Hand to go live in Birmingham after expansion is approved
Digital Health News ~ Andrea Downey ~ 19/06/2019
The local CCG is footing the bill for the entire patient list, which has sparked heavy backlash from doctors and politicians.
AMCA bankruptcy filing in wake of breach reveals impact
Healthcare Info Security ~ Marianne Kolbasuk McGee ~ 19/06/2019
In a case underscoring the potential financial havoc wreaked by data breaches, the 42-year-old parent company of American Medical Collection Agency has filed for bankruptcy just weeks after disclosing a data breach that affected its largest clients and millions of patients.
Calls for BMA to oppose Hancock’s ‘ill-conceived’ ban on outdated tech
Digital Health News ~ Andrea Downey ~ 18/06/2019
East Midlands Regional Council proposed a motion labelling secretary of state for health and social care, Matt Hancock’s, flagship Axe the Fax and Purge the Pager campaigns “premature and ill-conceived”.
Facebook posts support predictions of patient medical conditions
Health Data Management ~ Greg Slabodkin ~ 18/06/2019
The language that people use in their postings on Facebook is effective in predicting diabetes and mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression and psychoses.
London hospital trials digital triage service in urgent care departments
Digital Health News ~ Hannah Crouch ~ 20/06/2019
In January 2018, Queen Mary’s Hospital in Sidcup introduced eTriage, a system where patients self-check in and are automatically triaged by clinical need.
Mount Sinai to host center of excellence for digital pathology
Health Data Management ~ Fred Bazzoli ~ 18/06/2019
Two vendors – LabCorp and Philips – are collaborating with Mount Sinai Health System on the initiative, which will be called the Mount Sinai Digital and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Enabled Pathology Center of Excellence.
Survey reveals technology cost is a barrier for healthcare staff
Digital Health News ~ Hannah Crouch ~ 20/06/2019
A further 35% of healthcare professionals said they believed it will take at least 10 years before their organisation is paperless.
Klobuchar, Murkowski introduce bill bolstering health app, DNA test data privacy
MobiHealthNews ~ Nazila Hafezi ~ 18/06/2019
The Protecting Personal Health Data Act would establish sensitive data standards alongside a national task force for concerns on cybersecurity and privacy.
Millions budgeted for improved digital services left unspent, figures reveal
Digital Health News ~ Andrea Downey ~ 17/06/2019
More than £130million allocated to improve digitisation, data processing and cyber security across the NHS went unspent last year, new figures have revealed.
Two medical practices among latest ransomware attack victims
Healthcare Info Security ~ Marianne Kolbasuk McGee ~ 17/06/2019
Some security experts suspect that such attacks are still underreported to regulators.
Cisco, American Well collaborate to expand telehealth reach
Health Data Management ~ Joseph Goedert ~ 17/06/2019
The goal of the initiative could ultimately result in the conversion of in-home television sets into a telehealth consultation.
Digital Healthcare Scientist role to be created through new degree
Digital Health News ~ Hannah Crouch ~ 14/06/2019
This represents the formation of a new healthcare professional and a new branch within the academy, the first for many years.
Is the next big digital health device going to be your TV?
MedCity News ~ Kevin Truong ~ 17/06/2019
Companies ranging from American Well to Comcast to Independence Blue Cross are looking to the television sets in people's home as a healthcare delivery method
Alerts: some BD infusion pumps vulnerable to remote attacks
Healthcare Info Security ~ Marianne Kolbasuk McGee ~ 14/06/2019
Medical device vendor Becton Dickinson and U.S. federal regulators have issued security alerts about vulnerabilities that potentially put certain infusion pump products from the manufacturer at risk for remote hacker attacks.
Posted in Australian eHealth