At this week’s Health Informatics Conference 2015, Queensland Health announced the founding of eHealth Queensland, a dedicated eHealth division in a move to bring together the statewide rollout of electronic medical records (EMRs) in state hospitals and patient information viewing solution called The Viewer. [ + ]

Mater Health Services Brisbane has upgraded its IT infrastructure to meet growing demands for its network of 2,000 virtual desktops which will number 5,000 units in hospitals, clinics, remote sites and on ruggedised devices in the field over the next 18 months. [ + ]

Michael Vagg, Barwon Health [ + ]

Sunil Bhar, Swinburne University of Technology [ + ]

A new set of guidelines has been developed for GPs prescribing benzodiazepines, due to a significant debate in the medical community about the appropriate role and use of these drugs and this has been exacerbated by a lack of clinical guidelines in the area. [ + ]

Cancer screening programs have undoubtedly improved medical treatment in modern times. However, according to a national Australian survey only 10% of Australian adults had been told of the risk of over-diagnosis in cancer screening. [ + ]

The world's leading researchers gathered in London recently to discuss the future of the hospital. We've brought you our favourite presentations from the conference. [ + ]

The conflict between private health insurer Medibank Private and the Australian hospital system is gaining more and more public attention with yesterday’s statements from both Medibank and the AMA president Professor Brian Owler during his National Press Club address. [ + ]

A drug developed by US pharmaceutical company Lilly has shown evidence of slowing the worsening of the disease. Current treatments for Alzheimer’s can alleviate symptoms but don’t slow underlying disease progression. [ + ]

Some great news has emerged from the 2015 International Aids Society Conference in Canada this week, with a French teenager who was born with HIV having been in remission for 12 years - the longest on record for a person in her age group. [ + ]

Treatments for Helicobacter pylori bacterium— the main cause of stomach ulcers — may reduce the risk of gastric cancer, according to recent reseach published in the Cochrane Library. The studies were conducted in Colombia, China and Japan. [ + ]

Stephen Duckett, Grattan Institute and Peter Breadon, Grattan Institute [ + ]

Assisted euthanasia is always a sensitive topic, and a recent study of New Zealand GPs has revealed that 11.8% admitted having intervened to help a terminally ill and suffering patient to die. [ + ]

Yesterday we reported on the study performed in an Australian hospital showing healthcare workers not employing infection control practices when handling mobile phones - potential leading to the spread of bacteria. [ + ]

People who have grown up believing they have an allergy to antibiotics will now be able to be safely tested and reassessed, with the opening of Victoria’s Austin Hospital antibiotic de-labelling clinic. [ + ]