Professor Michael Georgeff is the Director of the e-Health research unit at Monash University. He has over 25 years experience in software innovation and bringing these technologies to market. In the 1980s, Georgeff was Program Director in the Artificial Intelligence Center at SRI International (formerly Stanford Research Institute). He was also a member of Stanford University’s Center for the Study of Language and Information, a select group of researchers exploring the frontiers of human and machine cognition. During this period, he and his team created one of the first implementations of an intelligent software agent, using it to help control NASA´s space shuttle during space missions.
I chatted with him recently about the state of e-Health in Australia and about some of the challenges and opportunities in the area. For the last few years he has been working on “Health Web”, an online resource to bring healthcare providers, agencies and patients into one giant online research clinic.
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I would hazard a guess that Michael was brought in to apply his AI knowledge in e-health but to hear his frustration with basic connectivity was amazing. He has clearly been battling for some time with basic issues as he could frame them in a way that most pollies / health professionals should understand.
Anyone know much about the whole PC in the doctor’s room thing. I don’t go to doctors often but last time I did their PC application had drug advertising all over the screen.
I know full well how large government projects get bogged down in standards for communications but it was exiting and invigorating to here the ‘build it and they will come’ focus of just providing connectivity that Michael has.
angus – the main software package that GPs use is called Medical Director, and yes, it’s ad-supported, but still costs the surgery! How they put up with it I don’t know, but Medical Director was among the first on the scene when scripts were digitised, and the most polished at the time (even with the ads).
They’re also pushing pharmacies to install broadband not only via the Broadband for Health subsidies, but also by slowly migrating the PBS claims system online (only came online recently, and surprise surprise, the servers were down for most of the week because it couldn’t handle the load).
Some pharmacies also participated in a set of studies, named PROMISe, conducted by the University of Tasmania which transferred prescription data on to their servers so they can share any incident data, adverse reactions etc. The study completed a while back, and not sure if it has evolved.
See here for the reports:
http://www.guild.org.au/research/project_display.asp?id=269
http://www.guild.org.au/research/project_display.asp?id=270
Lastly, I’m a bit disappointed you didn’t ask the all important question on patient data – what does he think about the privacy and security implications?
Hello Sam,
regarding your last note about privacy and security implications. In his report, he states that these problems are already addressed. If you like to read his report (which is now cited in a number of articles), check: http://www.achr.com.au/pdfs/ehealth%20and%20the%20transofrmation%20of%20healthcare.pdf
Chris