The latest news from the Digital Health CRC
August, 2023
Message from our CEO
Annette Schmiede
Welcome to our August DHCRC Newsletter.
July saw Sydney host MEDINFO23, a blockbuster global conference with well over 2000 attendees arriving from many nations to discuss all things digital and data. This, and the more local Cooperative Research Australia conference held in Adelaide, brought innovators together to share the successes as well as challenges if we are to truly create a digital transformation in healthcare that brings industry, researchers, and government together to build a knowledge economy and a skilled workforce to support a learning health system.
There are so many highlights to share but one personal highlight at MEDINFO was our DHCRC-hosted breakfast that explored how to better integrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices in the design of digital health initiatives. There is a full wrap in the news article below. But it was an emotion-charged, transformative discussion that captured the challenges and the real need to amplify the voices and participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in digital health research.
To this end, it was pleasing to see the increased focus on, and funding for, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders unveiled in the recently released Australian Universities Accord Interim Report. The report called for greater equity in tertiary education with an immediate recommendation to provide Commonwealth funding for every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander who qualifies for a place.
The interim report also called out the role of CRC’s in helping to encourage universities to move towards research translation and commercialisation and we can expect more detail on this in the final report with the panel: “Considering ways in which university and industry collaboration could be incentivised and promoted further to tackle industry problems”.
I was able to see firsthand the value of the CRC model when I attended the Cooperative Research Australia Collaborate Innovate 2023 conference in Adelaide. There is such a mix of CRC’s doing a wide variety of innovative research, development, and commercialisation. Learning and sharing with peers across different industries only reinforced to me the value of the CRC model and, as one of only two CRC’s focused on the health sector, the opportunity the DHCRC has to make a real difference in the practice and delivery of healthcare.
The consensus of the wide range of panellists, participants, and stakeholders at the CRA Conference was that, while criticism of Australia’s failure to translate research into commercial opportunities might be overblown, there was much still to be achieved. In this we can learn from our key allies and competitors, and how to support the kind of mobility seen in other countries where researchers move freely between academia and business and government as a matter of course. The Conference heard that there was much to admire in Australian Cooperative Research Centres and that the program had enabled the engagement of different perspectives. This has enriched the country’s world-standard research capabilities and developed many effective and fruitful partnerships.
Our lead story in this newsletter features a link to the Digital Health Workforce Census. It is an initiative we are supporting in the hope of getting as many digital health professionals as possible to complete so we can get a true representation of the breadth of the workforce today. We also share details of our response to the Federal Government’s Safe and Responsible AI in Australia discussion paper and are delighted to feature another of our industry partners, Propel Health AI who is working with us on a flagship project with Peter MacCallum Hospital and Swinburn University.
Warm regards
Annette Schmiede
CEO, Digital Health CRC
Latest News
Specialist Digital Health Workforce Census – NOW OPEN
We urge all specialists within the digital health ecosystem to complete the 2023 Specialist Digital Health Workforce Census.
The Census captures the vital information about this workforce for use by government, academia, peak bodies, and industry to identify workforce growth, emerging roles, and career pathways, forecast future workforce needs, and inform education and training needs.
We are delighted to be sponsoring the Census working with our partners Telstra Health, RMIT University, The University of Melbourne, the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care, Australian Digital Health Agency, Australian Library and Information Association Health Libraries Australia, Australasian Institute of Digital Health, the Health Information Management Association of Australia, and Telstra Health.
You have till 13 August to contribute to the survey
Turning up the volume of indigenous voices
DHCRC used the global stage of MEDINFO23 to put a spotlight on the need to prioritise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices in the design of digital health initiatives.
A panel of prominent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander digital health leaders gave a personal and emotive account of their experiences, giving each and every one of the attendees in the room a distinct appreciation on the need for co-design and inclusivity.
DHCRC CEO Annette Schmiede said it is well recognised that co-design is critical for successful digital health initiatives, yet often when it comes to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, it can be seen as a mere token, with projects failing to meaningfully engage those with lived experiences.
“A key role of the DHCRC is to bring all voices from across the health, research and technology ecosystem to the table,” Ms Schmiede said. “This discussion was an opportunity to amplify the views and needs of indigenous voices to the broader health community.”
There were so many stories told and strong issues raised, but no more important insights than these:
The importance of “yarning”. Engaging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities involves taking time to listen and share stories to build trust. This focus on yarning is critical to making engagement more genuine.
At the heart of any co-design is people. Treating people as individuals who have different needs and expectations.
Nothing about us without us. All health initiatives that are going to impact Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities should engage these communities without exception.
Thank you to our event panellists: Aboriginal researcher and Associate Professor and Director of the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health (University of Sydney), Michelle Dickson; Elaine Wills, Warumunga woman and Project Manager on a DHCRC Northern Territory research project; Berne Gibbons, Senior Advisor – Clinical and Digital Health Standards Governance – Digital Strategy Division and DHCRC Board Member; Kim Brooks, Tlingit woman and Vice President, Regional Operations, Vancouver Coastal; and Jasper Garay, an Aboriginal researcher with expertise in co-design with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
DHCRC reinforces need for National AI in Healthcare Strategy
DHCRC has used its response to the Australian Government Department of Industry, Science and Resources, Safe and Responsible AI in Australia discussion paper to reinforce its support of the development of a National AI in Healthcare Strategy.
First proposed by the Australian Alliance for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare (AAAiH), a dedicated AI in healthcare roadmap would provide a unified approach to the design, development, testing and delivery of AI.
The DHCRC response also advocates for a ‘precision regulation’ approach that establishes rules to govern the deployment of AI in specific use-cases but does not regulate the technology itself.
In conversation with… Navid Toosi Saidy, Propel Health AI
In conversation with…Navid Toosi Saidy, PhD, CEO of Propel Health AI.
In this edition we profile one of our industry partners, Propel Health. Spun out of Max Kelsen – which this month announced that its consulting and managed services divisions has been acquired by the global consultancy firm Bain & Company - Propel Health AI has the mission to make real-world patient data more accessible and actionable.
Max Kelsen was in AI before AI was even cool. Tell us about your growth story and where you are today?
Over the last 8 years, Max Kelsen has been developing and deploying bespoke machine learning and AI systems across a wide range of sectors, from financial services, retail and mining to healthcare with the core purpose of supporting companies to turn data into real business value. With a keen interest in healthcare, we established track record in developing and translating AI-enabled clinical data platforms, Software as a Medical Device and Digital Therapeutics in partnership with Australian and global healthcare providers, researchers, and medical device manufacturers.
Education Update
EXCLUSIVE: Tune in to The Talking HealthTech Podcast
An upcoming series of the Talking HealthTech Podcast will feature nine DHCRC emerging leaders.
Produced in partnership with DHCRC, CEO and Founder of the popular podcast Peter Birch, speaks with the digital health leaders of tomorrow, and across the 3 episodes, they share their ideas, research, and insight from evidence-based practices.
Stay tuned for the first of three episodes, set to be released from the 8th of August. Follow Talking HealthTech Podcast on LinkedIn, subscribe on your favourite podcast player, or YouTube, so you don’t miss a beat!
In the meantime, get a sneak peak of their research initiatives here: sneak peak of their research initiatives here
Big Thinker, Ritu Trivedi is featured in The Conversation
One of the challenges in healthcare is translating complex research into applicable learnings for both clinicians and the broader community. A number of Digital Health CRC’s Emerging Leaders recently took part in a DHCRC Communications Masterclass, where they were given expert coaching to develop their pitching and writing skills.
Ritu Trivedi was one of the attendees at the “Pitching and Writing for The Conversation” Masterclass and has since had her article featured in The Conversation (AU).
Ritu wrote about Atrial Fibrillation (AF), a heart condition that many they don’t know they have. In fact, US President Jo Biden and more than 37.5 million people globally have this heart condition which increases their risk of having a stroke five-fold and doubles the risk of a heart attack or dementia.
Read Ritu’s full published article: What is atrial fibrillation, the heart condition US President Joe Biden lives with?
Thu Ha Dang is Thinking Big about Medication Adherence
Worldwide, nearly half of the adult population, and approximately 8% of children, live with a chronic condition, such as cancer. Medications can be a cost-effective treatment for chronic ill-health, however, it is estimated that 50% of those living with a chronic disease do not adhere to their medication regime – including the amount, timing, and frequency of medication dosage.
Non-compliance with medication adherence is associated with low survival rates, disease progression, reduced functional ability, increased hospitalisation and lower quality of life.
DHCRC Emerging Leader, Thu Ha Dang, has recently had her research published; Medication non-adherence: a barrier to progress in treatments for chronic conditions?
“My mum was diagnosed with cancer and is living with some other chronic conditions. The struggle for her is to adhere to treatments along with dozens of pills each day. Digital Health CRC supports me to apply technology in developing a novel medication adherence solution helping people like my Mum.”
To read more about Ha’s research on Medication Adherence, click here.
Upcoming Events
WildHealth Summit
Date: 12 September 2023
Location: Aerial UTS Function Centre
Rapid hospital based virtual care expansion, “sharing by default”, population health strategy, PHNs and technology, the changing role of big global EMRs in Australia, the role of light EMRs, hospital in the home growth implications and other key Australian digital health reforms debated by key overseas and local digital health reformers
Victorian Healthcare Week
Date: 18-19 October 2023
Location: Melbourne Convention & Expo Centre
Step into the future of healthcare at the highly anticipated Victorian Healthcare Week (VHW), where innovation and forward-thinking collide to shape the healthcare landscape of Victoria and beyond. This premier event, in alignment with the visionary agenda of the Victorian Government's healthcare transformation, invites you to be part of a ground-breaking journey towards revolutionising healthcare.
