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The big fourrr…
Chronic diseases are rising and most are linked to lifestyles. We don’t just need health technology, we need to change the way we manage our health.
Working to death – Our dark shadow
This post is dedicated to over 1,000 Doctors and 600 nurses around the world, who died while caring for coronavirus patients.
Not all Covid19 cases are equal – our dark shadow
People with darker skin are dying of coronavirus at higher rates than people with paler skins. What’s the reason?
understanding Pandemics – our dark shadow
Let’s redesign ventilators and acknowledge our ancient immune system.
Looking to escape medical bills? It’s as simple as 1, 2, 3.
Save money on medical bills, by only paying cash for the services you really need.
Listen to the workers
There is a relationship between populist uprisings like Brexit and new developments in healthcare like concierge medicine, or pay cash for health services.
The next unicorn – concierge medicine
Concierge medicine is really a return to old fashion family medicine. It also meets ‘unicorn’ standards.
Secrets and healthcare
If patients knew which hospitals have dangerously high error rates, they would only choose the safe ones and the bad hospitals would be forced to close.
The Healthcare Nanny State
At present one third of western health budgets are believed to be wasted on overservicing, fraud and unnecessary test. The current system is unsustainable.
Startups events and back to basics
Has the startup scene lost it’s way, with endless fundraising rounds and million dollar exit strategies?Shouldn’t founders focus more on getting customers?
Bring back hospital training for nurses
Since nurse training has been taken out of hospitals and become an expensive University degree, standards of care have dropped.
Heart attack a long time coming
This man was overweight, short of breath on exertion, a smoker, had an irregular heart and a family history of cardiac disease. So why he never followed up?
Schools, STEM and Startups
Swinburne University students with Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) skills are picking up work up in the Melbourne startup scene.
Basic blood tests could have prevented cardiac arrest
Many hospital errors could have easily been prevented, by coordinating patients care and a better use of technology.
Open heart surgery is not always the best option
Overservicing, or unnecessary tests and treatments, are estimated to account for one third of healthcare costs. The results can be a painful and undignified death.
Shark samples, Social ventures and SheStarts
SheStarts is Australia’s only all female, startup accelerator program. They aim to address the gender imbalance in technology.
Electronic Hell Records
Electronic medical records promised to promote health technology and effeciency. Instead they have become a major headach for Doctors. What went wrong?
Founders and Investors – a Marriage that Requires Work
Like a marriage, startup founders and venture capitalists need to work together, to create sustainable businesses.
Baby Boomers are Revolutionising Entrepreneurship
The fastest growing group of entrepreneurs is people over the age of 50, looking to start a new business.
Interview with Simon Carter from PredictBGL
Yes, you can predict future blood glucose levels. And reduce your risks of hypoglycaemic attacks. Type one diabetes can be managed safely.
Can technology help improve medication compliance?
It’s hard enough taking your medications every day. No one needs social media style bullying, or ‘pill shaming’.
The Red Light District of medicine
It’s easy enough for adults to lose their money and health, in the seductive but sometimes dangerous world of small private hospitals. Confused teenagers have virtually no chance.
Three ways blockchain will reform healthcare
Blockchain means that fraud, stealing and altering records is virtually impossible. This is perfect technology for the new world of electronic health records.
Sexism, Sleaze and Silicon Valley
Silicon Valley likes to paint itself as socially aware and hip. But behind the primary colours and ‘do no harm’ mantra, lurks some ugly secrets.
Praxhub – just what the Doctor ordered
A new Australian Doctors platform, where they can share clinical information, follow people with their interests and chat in a secure environment.
Elderly abused, while the government manipulates unemployment statistics
Very few relatives of an aged care resident, realise that government welfare departments are pusing long term welfare recipients into aged care courses. They then offering large sums of money to employers to give these people jobs. Aged care is not just a vehicle for governments to manipulate their unemployment statistics.
Twelve things the Royal Commission won’t cover
The aged care industry is under huge pressure. Staffing and administration costs are rising, residents are older and with a higher rate of dementia. Despite this, many staff do a wonderful job.
I’m not ‘old’, I’m you in 40 years
It’s time to rethink aged care. It’s not just about ‘them’ and ‘us’. We will all get old and frail, and face having to leave the family home and go into care.
Eight things you didn’t know about dentistry
Dentistry is like medicine, it’s a craft, a trade. Each mouth and tooth is different. Dentists need the freedom to make individual treatment plans for their patients.
Three things you didn’t know about health technology
How many people realise that some large public hospitals are still using pagers, faxes and DOS to run entire departments?
Sex appeal, startups and scammers
It was the cover up of the decade. The blond, upper class female founder was clueless. Her company was falling apart. And the technology she was selling was fake. Why did it take so long for investors to see through the lies?
Keeping workers safe with internet of things
It’s nice to hear someone taking the safety of emergency workers seriously. They have higher rates of stress, sleep dysfunction and suicide than the general community.
Staying in touch with Cliniq Apps
Social media style tools are finally coming to the health industry space. Now clinic software can become a searchable database with segmented lists, keyword searches and auto responses.
South Australian Accelerator brings technology to General Practitioners
First there was a health startup accelerator program inside a hospital. Now there is a GP accelerator program training and funding startups to create tools specifically for Doctors.
Anxious parents and children at risk of sudden death
The cost of road blocking modern technology in the health space has a human face. In some cases, children are dying needlessly, because their families did not even know about modern apps, algorithms and smart devices that could have saved them.
Staying engaged with Physitrack
Physiotherapy assessments and exercise plans don’t have to be stick figure drawings on a scrap of paper. They can be done via a secure platform, using multimedia and smart phone based communication.
Making Lyfe easier for Doctors
Few realise that Doctors lose a lot of time and money from patient ‘no shows’. Platforms that use modern technology and online payments can easily overcome this problem.
Who cares for the Carers?
Who cares for the carers? It’s a great question. Martina Clark decided to build a video site, where carers could share their experiences and help others.
Meet MUVi the hospital cleaning robot
Hospital acquired infections are a billion dollar problem and kill thousands every year. This entrepreneur has an automated robot that can bathe hospital wards in ultraviolet light, killing most infections effectively.
From international genetic research, with love
Using big data to manage big genetics At the Melbourne healthXL day, held at the Royal Children’s Hospital on the 22nd February 2018, the second
The line between complementary and quackery
9th APRIL, 2018 Alternative TherapiesUnsubstantiated claimsA billion dollar industry Complementary Alternative Therapies (CAM) were once laughed at by Western medical groups as scientific fraud. Today
Syd’s story
Syd is an Australian woman who thought that having private health insurance would give her more accurate healthcare, by Australian private doctors, with no waiting
New models of care
An international health reform organisation comes to Melbourne The HealthXL event was held at the Murcock Children’s Research Institute, set in the Royal Children’s Hospital,
How to stand up to a Government Health Department – and win
Political promises, bureaucratic bungling and families fighting back The Phillips family are fighters. And winners. Indy was born with Rett’s syndrome, a cruel genetic disease that
Donald McPhail interview
Building bridges with technology Wikihospitals – Donald McPhail, thank you for joining us. We’re here today to talk about several health startups, including Becon Health
Interview with David Lester
A better way to diagnose epilepsy Wikihospitals – Today I’m introducing David Lester from NIESM, an Australian entrepreneur. David, welcome to Wikihospitals. David, perhaps you
Interview with Kunal Kalro
Making pre pregnancy genetic screening relevant for non caucasian groups Wikihospitals: I’d like to introduce Kunal Kalro, co-founder of Eugene and serial founder of many other
Inadequate nursing levels in private clinics
There is sometimes a conflict of interest between business profits and clinical safety In one Australian private day clinic, patients were being pushed through theatre,
“Let’s just prevent readmissions…”
With chatbots, gamification and combination drugs Last Tuesday’s meetup was dedicated to one of healthcare’s biggest problems. Over 50% of people prescribed medical treatments by
Opioid overdoses (especially in white, rural areas)
International Overdose Awareness Day started in Melbourne, Australia The 31st of August is International Overdose Awareness Day. This movement originated 16 years ago in Melbourne,
Spinning our wheels
‘No ROI for health technology’ warn’s experienced investor Rob Coppedge, CEO of Echo Health Ventures announced in a post on the 6th September 2017 that ‘Digital
The final pitches
Reforming healthcare for patients and families The final participants of the Melbourne Health Accelerator Program winter program, are those who’s end customer is ultimately the
Duplex and Adyuvo
Preventing hospital infections and integrating data for renal patients The winter Melbourne Health Accelerator program is over half way through it’s Winter curriculum. The pitches
Paul Rylance from JKM Care Solutions
Helping hospitals manage Emergency Department congestion Paul, you’ve developed a wonderful tool to help doctors give their patients the care that they need to help
‘Take this app’
JUNE, 2017 As part of Melbourne Health Research week, the event ‘Take this app and call me in the morning: The future of digital health
The first pitch
Reforming hospitals from the inside out. Australia’s first health startup accelerator, situated inside the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
Week one
The 2017 Melbourne Health Accelerator Program has begun.
A new beginning
An abandoned Intensive Care Unit becomes a Startup Incubator
Abuse in Nursing Homes
Abuse is more common that most people realise. Aged care training courses are paid to accept AND pass students, no matter how unsuitable they are. The health bureaucracy blocks complaints and hides information on reported errors. The victims are elderly and frail patients.
Aged care reinvented
At a recent Peak15 meetup, aged care providers showed more interest in quality of life for their elderly clients than trendy technology. They also passion for their work and a commitment for ongoing reform.
Melbourne Health Accelerator now taking applications
Melbourne Health Accelerator Program startups up in May 2017
Agnes’s spirit lives on
Agnes Health was named after the feisty daughter of the first Governor of Victoria. A recent event was advice on how to become a successful entrepreneur.
Intensive Care looks into the future
The Bits ‘n’ Bytes of Intensive Care: Data That Matters! Last night Peak 15 held their first meetup for 2017 at the Alfred Medical Education and
MMEx and Indigenous health services
The key to good rural and Indigenous health is internet-based records, good coordination and staying focused on community-based care.
Health Delivered shows the future of health software
Health Delivered shows the future of health software When Pete Saunders finished his Masters of Visual Communications and Graphics Arts at the University of Tasmania
Vale Sally Crossing
This article is a tribute to Sally Crossing. She was a tireless advocate for cancer patients, and lobbied for greater accountability of the health industry.
Intensive Care transformed into Startup Lab
Convergency Science Network and HealthTech promote Australian Health Startups.
Aged care voices
Aged care problems and startup solutions were discussed at the latest Peak15 meetup.
HealthXL Melbourne conference 2016
Health tech pitches from Lab 14 A great workshop was held today at Lab 14, 700 Swanston Street Carlton. There were 11 health startups presenting
Remote Area Nursing violence and bureaucratic coverups
Covering up violence with politically correct phrases or layers of bureaucracy, only perpetuates it.
Untrendy, 19th Century killer stalks media-obsessed 21st Century Australia
Rheumatic heart disease is a deadly yet easily preventable disease.
Cardiac Infection ignored
A severe infection after cardiac surgery was ignored. Sutures were incorrectly removed. The private patient was left with the bill.
Pregnant woman not told about about potential birth defects
Drugs with well known side effects are still being given to young women, who are trying to fall pregnant.
Social injustice in hospitals
Is there different medical treatments being given to patients depending on whether they have private insurance or not?
Australian’s have courage
Australians have courage. Especially under fire. Gallipoli is one example. Whistle blowers are another.
Closed circuit TV in nursing homes
87% of relatives support the use of closed circuit tv in nursing homes. We all need to face the issues of elder abuse, and seek out solutions.
Cover ups, cocaine and damaged patients
Australian patients are denied access to information about prior complaints, restrictions on practice or Coroner’s reports.
Hospital errors and secrecy
8,000 people may die every year in hospitals from hospital errors Australia. So why don’t we have a national reporting system?
Taking risks in Recovery
Hospitals should not take unnecessary risks by cutting nursing staff in critical areas like Recovery.
Greek tragedy
Governments and private insurers are struggling with hospitals. These powerful institutions are driving up costs while resisting transparency and reform.
Basic tests, unnecessary errors
Better nursing assessments and cheap blood tests could help pick up potential hospital errors.
Small hospitals and chemotherapy protocols
Small hospitals and chemotherapy protocols don’t always mix well. Unqualified nursing staff and a lack of medical standards can lead to problems.
Nurses education and hospital errors
Hospitals that cut back on nurses education run the risk of increasing their incidence of errors.
Bad discharge planning and emergency readmission
Bad discharge planning and poor patient education is often linked to unnecessary emergency department readmission.
Overzealous treatments and a bad death
Sometimes keeping people comfortable and dignified, is better than aggressive medical intervention that has a small chance of success.
Mental illness and street violence
Having a mental illness should not mean being homeless and bullied by thugs. We need long term community housing.
Nursing home death ignored
An elderly man was admitted to a private nursing home. One month later he was dead. After five years of investigations, no one has been held accountable.
Best practice has no clear legal status
‘Best Practice’ has no legal status. Clinical standards and staffing levels can vary substantially from one hospital to another.
Medication errors and poor handovers
Medication errors and poor handovers often go hand in hand. Patients suffer unnecessarily. But hospitals are never forced to change.
MS patient left waiting in Emergency
This women presented with an exacerbation of multiple sclerosis, to the nearest Emergency. She was left for 12 hours in pain, with no plan and no review.
Homeless, psych patients and ICU
What are homeless, psychiatric patients doing in Intensive Care beds? Some road trauma patients are really psych patients left without community services.
Obesity and surgery
Morbid obesity and surgery don’t mix. Patients should be made aware of the dangers of poor healing, and be encouraged to lose weight before major surgery.
Stroke patient misses out
Stroke patients should never miss out on essential treatments, because of mix ups in busy Emergency departments. We need better monitoring systems.
Delayed treatment for a broken leg
Delayed treatment for a broken limb can lead to unnecessary complications.
Sexism in surgery
Is sexism in surgery linked to the broader issue of bullying in hospitals? And how to we support junior staff to feel safe and well supported in hospitals?
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