Message from the Chair of HiNZ-NMI
Welcome to the next edition of the HiNZ-NMI newsletter!
It feels like there is a lot in the newsletter this month, so I will keep this brief. While all of the content is excellent reading, I want to particularly draw your attention to the note about potentially joining our exec. This would be a wonderful opportunity for you to join a group of enthusiastic and dedicated nurses and midwives in the area of digital health. Read on for more information!
Emma Collins (@emma.collins)
Chair of HiNZ Nursing & Midwifery Informatics Special Interest Group (HiNZ-NMI)
HiNZ-NMI Updates and News
Digital health and disability
Sally Britnell @Srgurr (nurse, educator, researcher) lives with a disability. She spends a great deal of her time normalising disability in society and looking at how digital technologies in health can improve the user experience for those living with disability. In this report, she shares some of her thoughts and experiences, and enlightens the reader on some of the challenges the health system poses for people living with disability.
September Newsletter Sally.pdf (97.9 KB)
We need you!!!
The HiNZ NMI Executive has its Annual General Meeting on the 28th November at 12pm at the NMI workshop as part of Digital Health Week, Hamilton.
There are a number of executive positions available and we are keen to have you involved.
What you would need to be able to do:
- Attend meetings online, every 6 weeks
- Attend one face-to-face meeting a year (our annual planning day)
- Contribute regularly to the newsletter and take responsibility for it once a year
- Contribute to discussions and dialogue with members via the eHealth Forum
- Contribute to other projects in the executive workplan when able.
If you have any questions, or to register your interest, please email the Chair, Emma Collins, at emma.collins@otago.ac.nz or via the eHealth Forum ‘chat’ function.
AI in Healthcare
Elf Eggimann (@elf)
In the rapidly evolving landscape of healthcare, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative force, promising unprecedented advancements in patient care, diagnostics, and treatment. As AI’s footprint in healthcare deepens, it becomes imperative to navigate its potential with a balanced perspective, understanding both its capabilities and the ethical considerations it demands. This brief summary of two guiding articles delves into recent stances by global health authorities like the World Health Organisation and the NHS Transformation Directorate, shedding light on the guidelines, concerns, and frameworks surrounding AI’s role in health. For anyone invested in the future of healthcare here is a brief overview into some of the ongoing dialogue on AI’s responsible and effective integration into the health sector:
WHO’s Stance on AI in Healthcare:
In a recent announcement by the World Health Organisation (WHO), there’s a heightened focus on the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI). This is especially true for large language model tools (LLMs) such as ChatGPT, Bard, and Bert. These tools:
- Mimic human communication
- Are being rapidly adopted for health-related purposes
However, WHO has expressed concerns:
- Biases in AI training data
- Misleading health responses
- Misuse of data without consent
- The potential spread of AI-generated misinformation
WHO emphasises the need for oversight and ethical principles in AI’s lifecycle. They’ve identified six core principles for AI in health, including autonomy protection, well-being promotion, transparency, responsibility, inclusiveness, and responsiveness.
NHS Transformation Directorate on AI
The NHS Transformation Directorate has highlighted the need for a strong governance framework for AI in healthcare. Authored by experts including Jessica Morley and Dr. Indra Joshi, the article stresses the importance of:
Ethics and regulation in AI.
Concerns like data sharing, privacy, patient safety, and algorithmic biases.
The Directorate has introduced a ‘Code of Conduct for Data-Driven Health and Care Technology’, focusing on:
- Transparency
- Accountability
- Patient safety
The article also explores ‘algorithmic explainability’ and the Directorate’s ‘Self-Assurance Portal’ for compliance with the Code. This is part of a wider initiative to standardise the evaluation of digital health tools, ensuring they meet patient and NHS needs.
Note: The NHS Transformation Directorate is a key player within the NHS England, spearheading the data and digital transformation of the NHS.
New publications from the Nursing and Midwifery Community of Practice
Latest newsletter from IMIA NI
Newsletter September 2023.pdf (371.8 KB)
Recent research article:
Upcoming Events
National Events
If you are interested in getting together (most events are in-person!) with others in the health informatics space, please do consider attending the following:
International events
(as noted from International Medical Informatics Association: Nursing Informatics Special Interest Group)
- MedInfo24 is being held in Manchester, UK. The theme is ‘Applied nursing informatics: Innovations in the practice of nursing informatics’. The call for submissions is live!
Please let us know if you have any other news or events to share as a reply to this.
About HiNZ-NMI
The HiNZ nursing & midwifery informatics special interest group (HiNZ-NMI) supports the development of nursing informatics in New Zealand. HiNZ-NMI meets on the eHealth Forum and publishes a free eNewsletter with digital health updates of relevance to nurses.
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What is nursing informatics?
Nursing Informatics science and practice integrates nursing, its information and knowledge and their management with information and communication technologies to promote the health of people, families and communities world-wide.