International health IT week in review: November 29

Pulse+IT's weekly round-up of international health IT news for the week ending November 29: Digital health passport, blockchain for COVID status, exposure notification apps, AI for suicide prevention, Amazon's pharmacy venture, cyberattack knocks out EMR, mental health demand, cloud EMR market growth
Leading airlines roll out digital health passport
Healthcare Global ~ Leila Hawkins ~ 26/11/2020
The CommonPass saves the user's test results onto their mobile device, along with any other health screening information mandated by the destination country. The pass then generates a QR code which can be printed or scanned by airline staff to confirm the passenger's health status.
Blockchain could be the key to vaccine distribution, says IBM
MobiHealthNews ~ Laura Lovett ~ 25/11/2020
IBM has been working on a structure to address this very issue, called IBM Health Pass, which would use blockchain to verify a person’s COVID-19 status.
A covid-fighting tool is buried in your phone. Turn it on.
Washington Post ~ Geoffrey A Fowler ~ 25/11/2020
Millions of Americans now have access to free, anonymous coronavirus exposure notifications. Too bad so few people use them.
Can an algorithm prevent suicide?
New York Times ~ Benedict Carey ~ 23/11/2020
The Department of Veterans Affairs has turned to machine-learning to help identify vets at risk of taking their own lives.
Finding peace in your smartphone (really)
Politico ~ Heidi Vogt ~ 25/11/2020
As the pandemic has surged, so have downloads of meditation apps to help us cope, de-stress and grasp at the idea that maybe we can find a little equilibrium when the world is out of control.
What Amazon’s big pharmacy news means for US health care
Vox ~ Dylan Scott ~ 23/11/2020
Is Amazon coming to disrupt health care? The short answer is no. At least, not yet.
UVM restoring access to EHR weeks after cyberattack
Healthcare IT News ~ Kat Jercich ~ 23/11/2020
The system's Epic electronic health record has been in "read-only" status at several of the system's sites, with MyChart patient portals also inaccessible.
Telehealth not enough to offset crushing demand for mental health services
MedCity News ~ Elise Reuter ~ 20/11/2020
Lightened telehealth regulations have expanded access to virtual visits for therapy and other mental health services. But many patients still aren’t having their needs met.
EHR market expected to grow 6% per year through 2025
Healthcare IT News ~ Kat Jercich ~ 20/11/2020
A new report predicted that cloud-based systems will see the fastest growth over the next five years, with the need to manage chronic conditions fueling the growth.
Posted in Australian eHealth