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Our research group investigates the tools and techniques that help managers
of health information systems make more informed decisions. This results in
higher quality IT solutions for the e-health sector. Professor Peter Croll leads
this group specialising in the areas of risk and trust with e-health applications.
A national health database accessible via the internet can provide
major benefits in health care - but there are also real risks. In Australia,
commonwealth and state governments have committed funding for the establishment
of a national health database by 2010, with trials now occurring in
Queensland and other states. But major concerns on the use and safety
of e-health systems are not being adequately addressed. Security and
privacy are the top e-health issues causing concern to people (due to
the sensitive nature of patient information and potential access to
it by a wide range of staff), but the risks do not end there. The critical
risks that electronic records now face are user acceptance and trust.
Increasingly we are hearing of security violations from databases that
we would like to think are highly trustworthy. With electronic health
records the proliferation of disparate databases relying heavily on
commodity software platforms compounds these risks.
The solution is not to simply throw more technology at the problems.
The technology is capable of doing the job, be it smart cards, key encryption
or biometric technology. But this has to be coupled with robust security
management policies that are enforced. However, there is no point providing
many layers of security if this increases the time to access critical
data during a medical consultation or emergency procedure. Introducing
e-solutions to health care is not as straightforward as in other industries.
People happily entrust their lives to computer control systems in aircraft,
but it is not as clear-cut when adopting technology in the health area.
Our most complex machines are relatively simple to model and simulate
when compared with the complexities and diversities of the human individual.
There's a need for a lot more fundamental and applied research before
we can roll out an effective electronic health system for the community.
Let's face it - we all have a vested interest in getting it right. This
group, therefore, undertakes research into tools and techniques that
assist managers of health information systems to make more informed
decisions leading to higher quality IT solutions for the e-health sector.
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