The design and implementation of an Information Accountability Framework for eHealth systems

This tutorial primarily focuses on the implementation of Information Accountability (IA) protocols defined in an Information Accountability Framework (IAF) in eHealth systems. Concerns over the security and privacy of patient information are one of the biggest hindrances to sharing health information and the wide adoption of eHealth systems. At present, there are competing requirements between healthcare consumers' (i.e. patients) requirements and healthcare professionals' (HCP) requirements. While consumers want control over their information, healthcare professionals want access to as much information as required in order to make well-informed decisions and provide quality care. This conflict is evident in the review of Australia's PCEHR system and in recent studies of patient control of access to their eHealth information. In order to balance these requirements, the use of an Information Accountability Framework devised for eHealth systems has been proposed. Through the use of IA protocols, so-called Accountable-eHealth systems (AeH) create an eHealth environment where health information is available to the right person at the right time without rigid barriers whilst empowering the consumers with information control and transparency. In this half-day tutorial, we will discuss and describe the technical challenges surrounding the implementation of the IAF protocols into existing eHealth systems and demonstrate their use. The functionality of the protocols and AeH systems will be demonstrated, and an example of the implementation of the IAF protocols into an existing eHealth system will be presented and discussed.

Delegation of access in an Information Accountability Framework for eHealth

Shared eHealth records systems offer promising benefits for improving healthcare through high availability of information and improved decision making; however, their uptake has been hindered by concerns over the privacy of patient information. To address these privacy concerns while balancing the requirements of healthcare professionals to have access to the information they need to provide appropriate care, the use of an Information Accountability Framework (IAF) has been proposed. For the IAF and so called Accountable-eHealth systems to become a reality, the framework must provide for a diverse range of users and use cases. The initial IAF model did not provide for more diverse use cases including the need for certain users to delegate access to another user in the system to act on their behalf while maintaining accountability. In this paper, we define the requirements for delegation of access in the IAF, how such access policies would be represented in the Framework, and implement and validate an expanded IAF model.

Achieving meaningful use of eHealth through Accountable-eHealth (AeH) systems

Meaningful use of eHealth, as seen through four key lenses: Usability; Usefulness; Utility; and Safety, is achieved through Accountable-eHealth systems.

Empowering the consumer through Accountable-eHealth (AeH) systems

Allowing consumers to designate preferred healthcare professionals; Accountable-eHealth systems create a transparent and accountable eHealth environment for better healthcare delivery.

An information accountability perspective to eHealth security and privacy

Rigid security boundaries hinder the proliferation of eHealth. Through active audit logs, accountable-eHealth systems alleviate privacy concerns and enhance information availability.

An insight into the adoption of accountable-eHealth systems: n empirical research model based on the Australian context

This paper provides a first look at the acceptance of Accountable-eHealth (AeH) systems–a new genre of eHealth systems designed to manage information privacy concerns that hinder the proliferation of eHealth. The underlying concept of AeH systems is appropriate use of information through after-the-fact accountability for intentional misuse of information by healthcare professionals. An online questionnaire survey was utilised for data collection from three educational institutions in Queensland, Australia. A total of 23 hypotheses relating to 9 constructs were tested using a structural equation modelling technique. The moderation effects on the hypotheses were also tested based on six moderation factors to understand their role on the designed research model. A total of 334 valid responses were received. The cohort consisted of medical, nursing and other health related students studying at various levels in both undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Hypothesis testing provided sufficient data to accept 7 hypotheses. The empirical research model developed was capable of predicting 47.3% of healthcare professionals’ perceived intention to use AeH systems. All six moderation factors showed significant influence on the research model. A validation of this model with a wider survey cohort is recommended as a future study.

Case study 1: Nursing informatics and eHealth in Australia

There are currently many changes happening in nursing and healthcare in Australia. Healthcare reform has been high on the national government agenda and has created many changes in healthcare including eHealth. Healthcare information technologies and informatics are providing many challenges and excitement for the future of healthcare in Australia. The challenge for professional nursing organisations and nursing leaders of Australia is to be proactive in developments and initiatives for nursing to remain visible and viable in health care systems to safeguard the profession for the future as health care reform is implemented.

Personal health data - Privacy policy harmonization and global enforcement

This workshop is jointly organized by EFMI Working Groups Security, Safety and Ethics and Personal Portable Devices in cooperation with IMIA Working Group "Security in Health Information Systems". In contemporary healthcare and personal health management the collection and use of personal health information takes place in different contexts and jurisdictions. Global use of health data is also expanding. The approach taken by different experts, health service providers, data subjects and secondary users in understanding privacy and the privacy expectations others may have is strongly context dependent. To make eHealth, global healthcare, mHealth and personal health management successful and to enable fair secondary use of personal health data, it is necessary to find a practical and functional balance between privacy expectations of stakeholder groups. The workshop will highlight these privacy concerns by presenting different cases and approaches. Workshop participants will analyse stakeholder privacy expectations that take place in different real-life contexts such as portable health devices and personal health records, and develop a mechanism to balance them in such a way that global protection of health data and its meaningful use is realized simultaneously. Based on the results of the workshop, initial requirements for a global healthcare information certification framework will be developed.

Algunas consideraciones sobre el pasado, presente y futuro de Europa

Resumen: El objetivo del presente trabajo es hacer un recorrido sobre los diversos lugares desde donde el pensamiento antiguo clásico ha abordado a “Europa” como concepto y como realidad. En primer lugar, indagando en sus testimonios se analizará cómo éstos fueron construyendo y transformando una conciencia geográfica del espacio territorial europeo. En segundo lugar, se esbozará la forma en que fue estructurándose, en principio, el “mito” de Europa como diosa, para luego ver cómo se estructuró la “idea” de Europa, afirmándose fundamentalmente en oposición al Asia y consolidándose en la asociación de continente y Cristiandad en tiempos medievales. Por último, se analizará el concepto como realidad histórica, para finalmente reflexionar brevemente sobre la situación de la cultura y cosmovisión europea en el siglo XX hasta hoy.

Hacia la aldea virtual : evolución de las tecnologías comunicativas y de los modelos antropológicos

Estudiar los medios de comunicación significa estudiar al hombre, la sociedad en la que vive, su evolución y las perspectivas de desarrollo futuro. Después de haber puntualizado brevemente los avances tecnológicos salientes en la historia del hombre y de haber identificado las características más relevantes de las diversas redefiniciones antropológicas que siguieron a la introducción de algunos nuevos medios, nos detendremos principalmente en el estudio de las peculiaridades de los instrumentos de comunicación de masa más modernos, de la fotografía al cine, de la televisión a Internet. El objetivo principal de este aporte, lejos de querer proveer sistemas teóricos definitivos, es trazar un conjunto coherente de temáticas capaces de suscitar nuevas y proficuas cuestiones y de promover un debate abierto a los más diversos aportes, con particular atención a los avances de las comunicaciones telemáticas.

Bioética : 40 años de recorrido y un nuevo futuro

Resumen: En esta presentación, el autor indaga las circunstancias y los autores que pudieron influir en Van Rensselaer Potter en la creación de la expresión Bioética. Así, surgen las personalidades frecuentemente olvidadas de Fritz Jahr, Julius Moses y Aldo Leopold. Después de profundizar sobre el concepto del mismo Potter y su intención original para la referida expresión, destaca el recorrido que la Bioética fue adquiriendo como un camino propio. Asimismo se señalan los puntos que aún quedan por desarrollar y que han sido soslayados hasta el momento.

El Vaticano II : intención, recepción, futuro

Resumen: En esta presentación, escrita para el Congreso del centenario de la Facultad de Teología, el autor, a partir de recuerdos personales, se refiere al contexto histórico de grandes transformaciones en que tiene lugar el Concilio Vaticano II, y el triunfo de la renovación inspirada en las fuentes y reflejada en los documentos conciliares. La recepción de estos resultados en el posconcilio fue difícil: en Latinoamérica, por las discusiones en torno a la teología de la liberación, y en Europa por el enfrentamiento con diferentes expresiones de la modernidad, el marxismo y el individualismo liberal. Desde los años ’80 se acentúan los debates sobre la interpretación del Concilio, con fuertes tendencias dirigidas a neutralizar su implementación. El Papa Francisco afronta hoy este desafío proponiendo un camino de radicalidad evangélica, centrada en la misericordia y la opción preferencial por los pobres

La idea más peligrosa del mundo : hacia una crítica de la antropología transhumanista

Resumen: En este trabajo examino aspectos filosóficos del transhumanismo, en particular en lo que se refiere a su antropología filosófica y la filosofía de la tecnología que se halla implicada en esta. Me enfoco en la ingeniería genética y la “evolución dirigida”, una narrativa central en la promoción de un futuro “posthumano” que –según el transhumanismo– traerá beneficios en gran escala para la humanidad. Argumento que el transhumanismo avanza una teoría deliberativa de los valores en un contexto que favorece la lógica de mercado para la comercialización y distribución de los bienes prometidos por la reprogenética. Esta teoría deliberativa, a su vez, se basa en una visión antropológica con fuertes raíces humanistas. Argumento que esta estrategia del transhumanismo nos lleva a profundas contradicciones, dado que la lógica individualista-mercantilista no conlleva lógicamente a un beneficio global en lo que concierne a la “naturaleza” humana.

La inseminación artificial y su futuro en Nicaragua

I. Reseña histórica de la Inseminación Artificial II. Anatomía y Fisiología del Aparato Reproductor Masculino III. Anatomía y Fisiología del Aparato Reproductor Femenino IV. Qué es la Inseminación Artificial V. Técnica de la Inseminación Artificial VI. Técnicas de preparación del semen VII. Determinación de la Preñez VIII. Actualidad de la Inseminación Artificial IX. Cooperativas de Inseminación Artificial Bibliografía