Bringing you the latest news and updates from DHCRC
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A message from our CEO
Annette Schmiede
Welcome to our Winter Newsletter. These newsletters often coincide with the transition to a new season and for this one it is winter, bringing shorter days, warmer clothes, and indoor heating. Organisations also face transitions including the DHCRC where we are transitioning into a new phase while planning for our 18-month extension which gives us a revised completion date of December 2026.
Our initial seven-year term was due to finish in mid-2025. However, when we were established in 2018 no one could have foreseen the challenges and changes that would be forced onto the healthcare sector, and the economy more broadly, by the onset of COVID-19. The global pandemic delayed many of our research projects, but at the same time demonstrated the extraordinary benefits that digital health can deliver in improving the health outcomes of all Australians.
Planning for the next two and half years gives us the opportunity to focus on our lasting legacies, which coincides with an increased focus on, and investment in, digital health.
The work we are doing to build evidence-based research and upskill the health workforce alongside you, our industry, university, and health partners, aligns strongly with the Federal Government’s ten-year Digital Health Blueprint released late last year, and a continued and deeper focus on digital health including:
- The recently released Federal Budget further committed investment across aged care, virtual care, medical research, and artificial intelligence. We welcome this investment by the Federal Government.
- The Productivity Commission has identified the potential of digital technology to generate cost savings and improve efficiency. Including a headline-grabbing figure of $5.5 billion that could be saved each year off the health budget by integrating digital technology. We facilitated a roundtable with our healthtech partners with Commissioner Catherine de Fontenay, as part of the consultation for this report.
- The recently released Medical Science Co-Investment Plan, committed up to $1.5 billion to medical manufacturing in Australia.
- And a strategic review of the research and development system has been announced by the Federal Government in the National Health and Medical Research Strategy to facilitate strategic coordination of innovation and research priorities to meet Australia’s health needs.
Supporting these efforts of the Commonwealth remains a priority, along with maximising the research translation from our R&D investment and upskilling the health workforce. Our focus on commercialisation will increase along with supporting our digital health technology participants and the broader Australian digital health technology sector in line with the Federal Government’s aspirations.
It is so gratifying to see this attention, finally, being placed on digital health. We have a once in a generation opportunity to take advantage of this attention, to transform the delivery of healthcare, and to improve patient experiences. We plan to help drive this forward every step of the way.
I hope you enjoy our Winter newsletter. We have some exciting news about our showcase event series; another great industry partner profile, this time Five Faces CEO Nicole Nixon; and lots of updates from our education team.
Warm regards,
Annette Schmiede
CEO
Latest News
Extension Granted to embed research and education initiatives
The Digital Health Cooperative Research Centre (DHCRC) has been granted an unfunded extension by the Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR), providing an additional 18 months to embed our research, education, translation and commercialisation programs.
Originally scheduled to conclude in June 2025, DHCRC’s Commonwealth funding agreement will now continue through until December 2026 allowing us to deepen our impact and drive innovation in the digital health sector.
Research presents benefits of electronic journey patient boards at Alfred Health
Alfred Health has taken a significant stride towards improving patient care by implementing electronic Patient Journey Boards (ePJBs) across its three Victorian campuses. Researchers from the Health and Social Care Unit in the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University, with the support of the DHCRC, evaluated the impact and effectiveness of the Alcidion ePJBs at The Alfred, Caulfield, and Sandringham sites in Victoria.
We’re excited to be launching the Digital Health CRC Showcase series with the first event being planned for later this year.
The Digital Health CRC Showcase will be an opportunity to bring together our Participants across the healthcare, technology and university sectors and share our latest research, education initiatives and translation milestones.
This regular series of flagship events will be held in person and online, with each event focused on a specific topical area where we can showcase our research and SME partners and help support and promote change.
Interested in hearing more? Complete the EOI form to ensure that you don’t miss out on any updates on dates, times, locations, and topics.
COVID-19 saw significant and ongoing change across the health sector. No business may have changed more than Five Faces, who pivoted from digital signage into healthcare to take on the challenge of transforming the patient experience.
Tell us the Five Faces story and how you've got to where you are today?
Five Faces is a digital health start up 14 years in the making. We were founded in 2010 and for a decade we were a digital signage business. But COVID-19 presented an opportunity for our business to pivot and move into healthcare.
Suddenly we could see how we could make a real difference. We ended up supporting the mass vaccination centre at Sydney Olympic Park, where we handled the appointment booking and queue management for around 14,000 visitors a day and around 1.8million vaccinations in total. We also provided digital solutions for quarantine hotels and visitor management.
Education Update
The DHCRC Internship Program provides industry experience, networking, and skills development, shaping future leaders in digital health. Explore a selection of recent work by our talented interns on the Big Thinkers Forum:
2024 Australian Medivate Data Challenge
The DHCRC proudly supports the Australian Medivate Data Challenge as part of our commitment to fostering the next generation of the digital health workforce. The competition which runs from 1-4 July will offer valuable networking, mentorship, and real-world problem-solving experiences, aligning with the Digital Health CRC mission to drive digital transformation in healthcare.
If you are interested in sponsoring this event, click here to find out more.
If you would like to be a mentor at the event and are located in Sydney, Adelaide, or Perth Click here to find out more and contact the organisers.
Amir Kamel Rahimi: Transforming Clinical Decision-Making by Leveraging AI and Machine Learning Models
Amir Kamel Rahimi highlights the transformative potential of AI in healthcare, particularly through Large Language Models like GPT-4. In this article Amir discusses efforts to implement real-time analytics for chronic disease management and emphasises the need for explainable AI to build trust and improve decision-making in clinical settings.
Project Update
Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD) has implemented the vCare Virtual Support model to enhance patient safety in rural and remote hospitals. This proactive approach provides remote clinicians with tools to recognise and manage clinical deterioration effectively.
In collaboration with the DHCRC, the University of Sydney’s School of Rural Health, and Menzies Centre for Health Policy and Economics, a project has been launched to evaluate the vCare Virtual Support model's effectiveness across 35 rural and remote hospitals in WNSWLHD. Remote clinicians play a key role in patient management, bridging healthcare gaps and ensuring timely and appropriate care.
As the evaluation progresses, WNSWLHD and its partners will continue to prioritise technology and innovation to enhance patient safety and care quality in remote areas.
This project highlights the power of technology in bridging healthcare gaps and ensuring that all patients receive timely and high-quality care, regardless of their geographical location.
Upcoming Events
Date: 22-24 July 2024
Location: Brisbane
Collaborate Innovate is an annual conference with a different theme at a different location each year. The purpose of the conference is to connect members of the wide community engaged in industry-research collaborative entities and all other stakeholders.
Date: 5-7 August 2024
Location: Brisbane
The collective expertise and collaboration of our digital health community already plays a vital role in elevating the capability of healthcare. HIC addresses the challenges of connecting care, workforce shortages, and opportunities from new technologies such as AI.
Date: 29 August 2024
Location: Sydney
The Future of Ageing conference is designed for leaders, future leaders and Board directors seeking to learn and discuss business insights and gain practical skills in leading through change and creating a culture where innovation and excellence thrive. The Awards recognise aged care service providers, industry suppliers, government agencies, universities and individuals who are driving change to improve the lives of people receiving aged care services.
