28 April 2021

Data the big deal: It’s easy to take for granted the enormous role health data now plays in our 21^st century lives. Capturing, moving, storing, analysing – even protecting data – preoccupies health informaticians and health information managers. In a time of pandemic, we are hearing constant references to the value of data in digital health, telehealth, virtual care and health records. From contact tracing and recording to digital vaccination records, COVID-19 has focused us on the grave importance of clean data.

So, the upcoming HealthData21 conference on 27-28 May in Melbourne will be looking closely at how data can serve us during a pandemic. I’ll be facilitating a panel of health leaders talking about data and information management including Institute Fellow Dr Nathan Pinskier, Medi7 Medical Centres; Prof Mary-Louise McLaws, Professor of Epidemiology, UNSW and Narelle Doss, Executive Director, Digital Strategy and Transformation Branch, eHealth Queensland. This year’s Health Data conference also includes a full day on genomics presented by our newest community the Industry Genomics Network Alliance (InGeNA). A workshop during the genomics stream will give attendees a seat at the table to help shape InGeNA’s workplan and industry’s role in realising the full potential of genomics to personalise healthcare. Don’t miss this important event in Melbourne, and especially the opportunity to network with your digital health peers in person. 😊

Dr Louise Schaper PhD FAIDH FIAHSI CHIA BSc(OT)Hons

A selection of papers from the Digital Health Institute Summit 2020 Healthier Lives, Digitally Enabled are available online now from IOS Press. Themes include digital health in the care of the elderly, mental health, COVID-19, public health, and workforce. Familiar topics, such as wearables, mobile health and remote monitoring, interoperability, and data privacy are also covered, as well as telehealth, automation, bots, and other AI applications. The book will be of interest to all health professionals, especially those working in the fields of digital health informatics and telemedicine.

J O B      A D V E R T

MedInfo 2021 has extended the submission deadline to 17 May, 2021.  Details for submissions are found on the MedInfo 2021 website.  MedInfo will be a virtual conference from 2-4 October, 2021.

PhD scholarship in Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning. Both local and on-shore international students can apply.

Project Title - Mapping Clinical Classification Systems Using Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning Techniques.

Industry event ARCS virtual summit - Precision Medicine Series 28 April - 19 May: Precision medicine is an innovative approach that takes into account individual differences in patients’ genes, environments, and lifestyles. Medicines, technology and digital applications that support a more personalised approach to patient care are considered a precision medicine. The Summit is structured so that whether you know nothing about precision medicine or are deeply involved in it, the speakers will provide you with insights and perspectives that you had not previously considered. Speakers will address the fundamentals of precision medicine and how it relates to digital health technologies.

HealthData21 will bring together Australia’s genomics experts, health data leaders and digital health innovators shaping our healthcare future with data analytics and genomics. Check out the program and register before early bird rates close on 6 May.

We are calling on nurses and midwives to be part of the international nursing informatics congress NI 2021. Share your achievements with the world and raise the profile of nursing and midwifery in the digital era. Submissions close next Friday, 7 May.

The Digital Health Institute Summit 2021 will be held in-person in Melbourne 18 – 19 October. We are calling on speakers to share your work and your ideas with a national audience. Academics & researchers are also invited to submit an abstract – accepted authors can submit a full paper to Applied Clinical Informatics for a fast-tracked review process. Applications close on 7 June.

For sponsorship opportunities, please contact sponsorship@digitalhealth.org.au.

Take another step on the pathway to digital health career excellence! CHIA is open to everyone across the healthcare professions and recognizes your health informatics knowledge and experience. Make 2021 the year you get certified in digital health!

Other benefits include finding your tribe amongst our Communities of Practice, free access to hundreds of videos on Digital Health TV, subscription to Pulse+IT and more!

Study health informatics in SA: The 2021 Health Informatics Short Course at Flinders University has been rescheduled and is being conducted from 12-16 July in Adelaide (at the Victoria Square Campus). There are 20 CHIA points attached to the course which is run by Institute member Mark Brommeyer.

Prof Toby Walsh is considered the rock star of Australia’s digital revolution and his Twitter account has been voted one of the top ten to follow to keep abreast of developments in AI. Watch his HDA 2019 presentation on ‘The ethical considerations of AI in health’. For more on artificial intelligence, precision medicine and genomics, register to attend HealthData21 in Melbourne 27-28 May.

Members can also watch them on demand on Digital Health TV!