A message from our CEO
Annette Schmiede

As we approach the final months of the Digital Health CRC, I have been reflecting on the many experiences of the past five years. Stepping into the role of CEO was an unexpected opportunity and one that has been richly rewarding. In the post-COVID environment, digital health technologies had been rapidly accelerated. New opportunities emerged to extend the objectives of the CRC Program by building capability across Australia’s digital health sector, supporting innovative Australian companies and accelerating the adoption of digital solutions to improve healthcare delivery. While the Research Program remained central to our mission of building the evidence base for digital health, research alone would not move new knowledge into practice or drive innovation. 

The challenges facing Australia’s health and aged care sectors are well documented, and their impact continues to dominate the headlines. Doing more of the same is not an option. Innovation, data and digital technologies will play an essential role in addressing these challenges. Supporting and strengthening Australia’s digital health ecosystem has therefore been a core objective of the DHCRC, alongside enabling home-grown businesses to contribute to solving real-world problems. 

This month, we finalised the Digital Health CRC Economic Impact Report, undertaken by independent consultancy dandolo partners. The report demonstrates the impact of the DHCRC and the value created through collaboration among researchers, industry and the health system. This investment has generated significant value, particularly for the small and medium-sized enterprises that have partnered with us over the past eight years. What stands out to me personally is the contribution we have made to their growth and success. Ninety-two per cent of our SME partners reported that the DHCRC played a role in growing their business, and many have since established and expanded global networks. 

Despite these successes, building and promoting Australia’s digital health technology companies remains a work in progress. Our challenge now is to create the conditions in which home-grown innovation can scale, succeed and contribute to a more sustainable health and aged care system. Procurement policy that actively supports innovation and adoption will be critical to achieving this. 

This is a mission we will continue to pursue as we evolve into Future Health Australia. With the DHCRC set to complete its CRC contract at the end of the year, we have established Future Health Australia as a new not-for-profit entity to build on our achievements and continue this important work. 

That role is more important than ever. This week, the Federal Government handed down its latest Intergenerational Report, forecasting that health and aged care will be the single largest pressure on the national budget over the next 40 years. 

Digital and data transformation will be critical to supporting an ageing population. Two of our flagship projects, Kinnexus and ADAPt, demonstrate how we are helping to address this challenge. Both initiatives will continue into next year as we work to realise their potential as lasting legacies of the DHCRC. 

We remain committed to supporting Australia’s digital health technology sector and look forward to continuing this work through Future Health Australia. You will find more information below on how to stay informed about the transition. 

We hope you enjoy this edition of our newsletter, including an insightful profile of Elizabeth Koff AM, Managing Director of Telstra Health. Telstra Health has been an important partner of the DHCRC. 

Latest News 

Future Health Australia represents the next evolution of the Digital Health CRC. Since 2018, the DHCRC has brought together government, industry and universities to transform health and care through smarter use of data and digital technologies. Future Health Australia builds on this foundation as an enduring national capability, purpose-built to bridge the gap between innovation and scaled implementation. 

As an independent, national, for purpose organisation, Future Health Australia has been established to accelerate the adoption of data, digital technologies and AI enabled care across Australia’s health sector.   

Register here to join our mailing list and continue to stay up to date with all our activities. And get in touch should you want to know more or partner with us.

The Ignite the spark in aged care event, held in Melbourne on 29 July 2026, brought together providers, technology vendors, clinicians, consumers, researchers, peak bodies, standards organisations and government. Delivered jointly by the Digital Health CRC and Sparked AU (led by CSIRO’s Australian e-Health Research Centre), the event aimed to increase awareness of the national connected care agenda and assess support for continued sector-led collaboration. 

Participants recognised the urgent need for aged care to contribute more actively to national interoperability and data standards development. Discussions highlighted four priorities: common data foundations, standards-aligned reporting, requirements that reflect care delivery, and stronger sector capability to participate in reform. 

The event confirmed broad support for the DHCRC to continue enabling this collaboration. It also showed that practical education, coordination and implementation support will be essential to help organisations, clinicians and consumers to engage effectively. The focus is now on converting this momentum into a structured collaboration model, practical work plan and sustainable funding pathway. Progress will depend on departmental sponsorship, coalition partner support, a credible delivery model and a realistic funding pathway. 

Kinnexus moves from policy demonstrator to broader market opportunity

While the original objective remains highly relevant, particularly as government continues to consider stronger data foundations and standardised assessment in aged care - the opportunity for Kinnexus is now broadening. DHCRC is exploring how to evolve the Kinnexus platform into a scalable standards-based infrastructure layer for aged care data capture and reuse, with potential applications for providers, vendors, benchmarking, research and system planning in Australia and overseas.  

If you are an aged care provider, clinician, or technology vendor looking for a smarter way to capture, connect and reuse assessment data, Kinnexus is ready to show what is possible. Book a time to talk to us and see the Kinnexus platform in action and how standards-based functional assessment data can support quality improvement, reporting, benchmarking, research and system planning – without adding unnecessary burden to care teams. 

The third National Policy Roadmap for AI in Healthcare has been released, providing a renewed national agenda to support the safe, effective and widespread adoption of artificial intelligence across Australia's health system. Developed by the Australian Alliance for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare (AAAiH) and supported by the Australian Institute of Health Innovation, the Digital Health CRC, CSIRO's Australian eHealth Research Centre and RMIT University, the Roadmap draws on consultation with more than 96 organisations and 20 peak bodies and government agencies.

The Roadmap outlines 28 recommendations across eight priority areas, including leadership, governance, workforce development, consumer engagement, industry growth and research. Key recommendations include developing Australian sovereign AI capability, investing in privacy-preserving technologies, establishing national guidance for clinical AI implementation, strengthening healthcare AI research funding, and building workforce capability through AI training and leadership programs. Lead author Professor Enrico Coiera said Australia has reached a critical point in determining how AI will shape the future of healthcare.

Elizabeth Koff is today Managing Director of Telstra Health, but she has spent a career focused on solving public health challenges at scale. The self-defined ‘health tragic’, shares her passion on driving system level change and why she feels the digital health sector is reaching a tipping point.

You’ve focused on public health challenges at scale throughout your career. What has driven that passion?

I’m what many would describe as a health tragic, because I believe in work that has purpose. 

My first taste of population health was as a freshly minted dietitian, working on a project with Westmead Hospital Community Medicine. That opened my eyes to the impact population health can have at scale.

You can make a difference one-on-one with individuals, but you can have greater impact by improving outcomes for whole populations. Running the NSW health system, for example, was a large enterprise, and the potential to drive significant health outcomes was extraordinary. Now, at Telstra Health, initiatives such as bowel, cervical and lung cancer screening can similarly make a tangible difference.

Education Update

A key legacy of the Digital Health CRC has reached an exciting milestone, with the Australian Council of Senior Academic Leaders in Digital Health (ACSALDH) transitioning to an independent member association from 1 July 2026. Established by the DHCRC in 2024, the Council was created to strengthen digital health education, informatics and data science across Australia’s universities.

In just two years, the Council has delivered several significant initiatives, including a Train the Trainer Toolkit for the Australian Digital Health Agency, a nationally recognised Clinical Informatics Fellowship, and the Australian Digital Health Course Directory. Since becoming independent, ACSALDH has already attracted 21 foundation university members, demonstrating strong sector support and a shared commitment to advancing digital health education and research.

DHCRC CEO Annette Schmiede described the Council as one of the organisation’s most significant legacies, highlighting the power of collaboration in building lasting capability for Australia’s digital health workforce.

Project Spotlight

Health Research For All - Website Coming Soon!

We are thrilled to share the Health Research for All website will launch in early October. Health research is not currently inclusive of all communities, and studies have shown that many researchers lack the knowledge and confidence to design, plan and conduct inclusive research. Digital Health CRC has partnered with the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, the VCCC Alliance and UTS Rapido to develop a new interactive web platform aimed at promoting inclusive health research practices. The platform has been co-designed with researchers and consumers, ensuring the resources reflect both those conducting research and those taking part in it. The website empowers researchers with the tools and confidence to conduct inclusive health research, showcasing best practice through case studies that feature lived-experience advocates. 

How Digital Decision Support Improved Antibiotic Prescribing Across Western Australia

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the world's most pressing health challenges, but ensuring patients receive the right antibiotic treatment can be particularly difficult in regional and remote hospitals, where access to specialist infectious diseases advice is often limited. A DHCRC-supported project set out to explore whether digital decision support could help bridge that gap. 

The project evaluated the uptake, effectiveness and staff experience of AMPS, an antimicrobial prescribing decision-support tool deployed across Western Australia Country Health Service. The independent evaluation was conducted by University of Technology Sydney, with the technology supplied by Kraken Coding and support from Digital Health CRC.  

The results were encouraging. Hospitals that adopted the tool achieved a 20.8% improvement in prescribing appropriateness and a 21.8% increase in guideline compliance. Uptake was strongest in smaller and more remote health services, suggesting digital tools can play an important role in supporting clinicians where specialist expertise may not always be readily available.

Beyond demonstrating measurable improvements in prescribing quality, the project also identified the key organisational and clinical factors that support successful implementation. These findings provide valuable evidence to help health services make informed decisions about using digital technology to strengthen antimicrobial stewardship and improve care for patients across regional, rural and remote Australia.

Upcoming Events

National Innovation Policy Forum 2026 will bring together leaders from government, industry, research and investment to discuss the policies, partnerships and actions needed to strengthen Australia’s innovation system and economic future. Under the theme Built Here: Australia’s return on research, development and innovation, the Forum will explore how Australia can grow businesses, technologies and jobs through stronger research translation, emerging industries and national capability. Ahead of the Forum, the Built Here Parliamentary Showcase will highlight Australian success stories demonstrating the value of collaboration between industry, research organisations and government in delivering economic, social and environmental benefits.

Join the global community at SNOMED International Expo 2026 (22-23 October) and connect with researchers, clinicians, policymakers, standards experts and technology innovators working to improve health data interoperability worldwide.

Free pre-conference workshops on 21 October will explore SNOMED CT implementation, FHIR interoperability, terminology governance, national digital health strategies, and research, policy and implementation challenges. Featuring international speakers and real-world case studies, the workshops and Expo offer a valuable opportunity to learn from global experience, exchange ideas, and build professional connections

The Ageing Australia National Conference is back for 2026, heading to the Sydney International Convention and Exhibition Centre from 24 -26 November.

Featuring renowned keynote speakers and thought leaders, this is an unparalleled opportunity to learn from the best, explore innovative practices and gain fresh perspectives to help shape the future of aged care in Australia. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear dynamic discussions, inspiring presentations and rich networking with professionals dedicated to advancing the sector.This will be your opportunity to connect with sector leaders, explore innovative ideas and share best practices that will help shape the future of ageing in Australia. With an inspiring line-up of speakers, extensive networking opportunities and a vibrant trade exhibition, this is the must-attend event of the year.