The Essays Section of this site is to present for scrutiny ideas and thoughts about relevant Health IT topics that are speculative and philosophical without necessarily having undergone the scrutiny of peer reviewed journals, which materials will be found in our Publications pages. Essays contain opinions and assessments that may be drawn from personal experience and introspective analysis rather than be justified by assessment against the work of others. Materials will be presented here from time to time to allow the public to view what we are currently thinking about or endeavouring to achieve in the field.

1. The need for a Data Analytics Engine in conjunction with a SNOMED Implementation. [pdf]

2. The Language of Use and the Language of Knowledge in Health Language Processing.  [pdf]

3. The Need for a National Centre for Text and Data Mining.  [pdf]

4. Submission to the National Hospitals and Health Reform Commission. [pdf]

5. Information Extraction from Narrative Pathology Report on Melanoma. [pdf]

6. A Critical Essay on the Deployment of an ED Clinical Information System ‐ Systemic Failure or Bad Luck?  [version 5]

 This is a dynamic document - Please ensure you have the latest version. Version 5 is a much enhanced  version of V4 which was withdrawn by the university.

 [ver 4.  pdf] of this essay was temporarily withdrawn on Friday 23rd October by the university following a complaint from NSWHealth. I think the University has acted appropriately by investigating the complaint and I do not yet consider it an act of censorship. I am working through the issues with the University and expect that the essay will be re-published. 

I would like to thank all the people who have written to me to offer support and I would encourage you to write to me if you are interested in the matter so that i can demonstrate to the university the importance of this issue to both the Australian and international communities. I do not wish for people to write to anyone else but me. I have no wish to run a public campaign and I am not available for statements to the press about this particular matter. This matter has brought to light many interesting and illuminating things that i will be happy to share in the next version of the Critical Essay.

Jon Patrick 27th October 2009 0930 Eastern Australian Summer time

Update on the withdrawal of "Essay No.6"

It is now two weeks since the original essay was withdrawn. In that time I have been able to establish confidently that NSWHealth phoned my Head of Department and asked him to remove the article without giving a specific complaint. He refused. Subsequently a person from another faculty took up the cause and succeeded in persuading an appropriate person to order withdrawal of the essay. To this time i have not received a specific complaint let alone a written complaint. The Univeristy's Office of  General Counsel has studied the essay at my request through my Dean, and found that it is "consistent with the University's Public Comment Policy". I am awaiting further investigations by the University.

Subsequently I have received many messages of support from around the world, and importantly much more information to be included in the essay. I am preparing a much enhanced version.

 5th November 2009 1150 Eastern Australian Summer time