DATA4000-Introduction to Business Analytics
Your Task
Consider the information regarding the new My Health Record initiative below together with the glossary and description of data privacy issues. Using the resources listed, together with your own research. Complete:
- Part A (Government Report) Individually by Monday 23: 55pm AEST Week 12
- Present Part B (Application for data access) in a recorded video by Monday 23.55 AEST Week 13, Individually.
Glossary
‘Opt-out’ participation: all participants are included in a study/trial/system unless they specifically request to be excluded.
‘Opt in’ participation: participants are only included in a study/trial/system if they give permission upfront.
Background
What is My Health Record?
My Health Record was designed to be a single secure, accurate repository of the health data of all Australians which would improve health outcomes. The idea of these digital health records is that they can save lives by providing accurate and timely information to health professionals when required. Medical professionals can upload information (and have to ask permission each time). The patient then has the ability to edit the uploaded data.
History
My Health Record (previously called Personally Controlled Electronic Health Record) was initiated in 2012 by the previous (Labor) government. It was intended to be an “opt-in” participation scheme. In 2016, a few years after the Coalition won government, trials were done to assess public reaction to two different ways of participating in the system. The first, “opt out” participation, was trialed in Western Australia and Ballarat. The second type of participation, “opt-in”, was trialed in Northern Queensland and Blue Mountains in New South Wales. The results of the trial apparently indicated that there was greater participation using the “opt-out”
method.
Source: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/content/ehealth-evaluation-trials
In 2017 HealthConsult was asked by the Department of Health to develop a secondary use of data Framework. A document (see reference to pdf below) was produced which summarises the information that can be stored on My Health Record and possible secondary users and uses of the big data. Source:
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/964591B00A3C9D72CA2582C70083A1CA/$File/Public%20Consultations%20Paper.p df
There now appears to be concern that the data is not as private as one might think and no computer system is totally safe from harm. In response, the Government has tried to reassure the public that their online health data will be safe, given that patients can set their own privacy and access settings. Concerns, however, have become so serious that the Labor government (now in opposition) and the Greens are pushing for a Senate inquiry, in particular an inquiry into why My Health Record is an opt-out participation scheme.
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Issues with the new system
There are a number of privacy and other concerns in relation to My Health Record:
- Data Access: police have asked that investigators not be allowed to access the My Health Record system without a court order. Currently a number of federal and state agencies, e.g. Australian Taxation
Office (ATO), can request an individual’s data, given very minor suspected breaches of the law. The
police are concerned that the data may be either passed on or accessed by criminals.
Source:https://www.buzzfeed.com/joshtaylor/queensland-police-union-warns-about-my-health-record?utm_term=.kaAG0yXwKB#.hd0V64OBgL
Medical doctors are also concerned that patients are not the most qualified to understand what information is important to keep or delete. They are also concerned about the idea that almost anyone can access the data, e.g. employers and Centrelink.
Source: https://womensagenda.com.au/uncategorised/a-surgeons-very-real-concerns-about-my-health-record/
- Secondary use for fraud detection: there are concerns that the patient’s data will be connected to a “robo-debt” system which matches up health status and unemployment/workers’
compensation/insurance payments or claims. The system would be checking for false claims.
Assessment Instructions
Part A: Government Report (1500-1800 words, 25 marks)– Individual
The Australian government is trying to create a single secure, accurate repository of the health data (My Health) of all Australians in order to improve health outcomes. They have contracted you to evaluate the new scheme with a focus on data usability, security and other ethical considerations.
Your report needs to be structured in line with the Kaplan Business School Report Writing Guide and address the following areas:
- Data Usability
- Benefits and costs of My Health records for patients, medical practitioners and the community
- Descriptive, predictive and prescriptive applications of My Health data and the data analytics software tools this would require
- Data Security and privacy
- Data security, privacy and accuracy issues associated with My Health records
- Ethical Considerations
- The ethics of the ‘opt-in’, ‘opt-out’ systems
- Other ethical issues of gathering, maintaining and using My Health data
Use the sources below as well as your own research.
http://www.ethicsguidebook.ac.uk/Opt-in-and-opt-out-sampling-94
Part B: Presentation (5 minutes, 15 marks)
Instructions: Students to prepare a presentation of 5 – 8 slides on below before class in Week 12. You are encouraged to consult your lecturer and refine your presentation. Students do not have to use power point. You should record yourself delivering a 5 minute presentation (with a clear view of your face), using software of your choice and upload it to Turnitin.
Imagine that you are an analyst from one of the companies wanting to access the data generated by My Health Record for an analytics-based research project on heart disease and demographics.
Create a presentation of approximately 5 minutes in which you are applying to use this data. Discuss the issues below, and imagine you are communicating this presentation to the government as your audience.
Consider:
- Why you want the data and the resulting benefits to the community
- How the data can be sourced ethically and securely
- How you will keep the data safe and de-identify patients, and
- How you will visualise the results and add insights in an ethical way
Use the sources below as well as your own research.
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/964591B00A3C9D72CA2582C70083A1CA/$File/Public%20Consultations%20Paper.pd f
https://www.oaic.gov.au/agencies-and-organisations/guides/de-identification-and-the-privacy-act
Part B: Online Students (additional instructions)
Instructions: Students to prepare a presentation of 5 – 8 slides on the above task before online workshop in Week 12. You encouraged to consult your lecturer and refine your presentation. Students do not have to use powerpoint.
You should record yourself delivering a 5 minute presentation (with a clear view of your face), using software of your choice and upload it to Turnitin.
Important Study Information
Academic Integrity Policy
KBS values academic integrity. All students must understand the meaning and consequences of cheating, plagiarism and other academic offences under the Academic Integrity and Conduct Policy.
What is academic integrity and misconduct?
What are the penalties for academic misconduct?
What are the late penalties?
How can I appeal my grade?
Click here for answers to these questions:
http://www.kbs.edu.au/current-students/student-policies/.
Word Limits for Written Assessments
Submissions that exceed the word limit by more than 10% will cease to be marked from the point at which that limit is exceeded.
Study Assistance
Students may seek study assistance from their local Academic Learning Advisor or refer to the resources on the MyKBS Academic Success Centre page. Click here for this information.
