Government’s role questioned in shaping future of digitally enabled healthcare

Dr Mike Freelander MP, Chair of the Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport, and Mrs Melissa McIntosh MP, Deputy Chair of the Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport, attended the launch of the MTAA Digital Health: Breaking Barriers to Deliver Better Patient Outcomes report at Medinfo23 conference. This report aims to revolutionise healthcare by leveraging digital technologies to enhance patient outcomes and accessibility.

Dr Freelander expressed his excitement about the remarkable advancements in paediatric medicine, citing previously incurable diseases that now have life-changing treatments available. He also praised the Federal Aboriginal Corporation for their 40th anniversary and their use of digital health to improve Indigenous healthcare. However, he acknowledged that the adoption of digital health faces challenges due to inadequate remuneration programs and a lack of training for healthcare professionals.

“The time is now. We’re at a tipping point. There are exciting things in digital health across all spectrum of healthcare. Digital health is going to be a really important piece in achieving health equity,” he said.

Mrs McIntosh echoed Dr Freelander’s sentiments, highlighting the importance of data collection and equitable access to care. She shared a heartfelt personal experience about her son’s journey with type 1 diabetes that highlighted the profound impact of medical technology and digital health on individual lives.

“If it wasn’t for technology and my son having access to Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM), he wouldn’t be achieving his dream. He’s just been selected for the Australian Judo team. We couldn’t be prouder of his achievements,” she said.

The panel discussion, led by Andrew Wilshire, Head of Healthcare Policy at Amazon Web Services, delved deeper into the challenges faced in funding digital health technologies. Dr Freelander emphasised the importance of incentivising collaboration between different healthcare sectors and addressing the complexities of the state and federal healthcare systems. He also stressed the need for equitable access to care across all regions, including rural and remote areas, which can be facilitated by digital health solutions.

In addressing the recommendations from the New Frontiers report, Dr Freelander said “The Health Technology Assessment (HTA) review and Prostheses List (PL) reforms are also other reports that the Health Minister, Mark Butler MP, is considering. What he wants to do is to view all three very important reports together and have a combined answer to all those things by the end of the year. He is committed to taking action on all of the recommendations of New Frontier report, which digital health was a part of, because the Health Minister recognises that digital health is the way of the future for an integrated healthcare system.”

The importance of minimising the influence of ministerial discretion and political considerations on healthcare decisions was raised during the discussion. It was acknowledged that sometimes decisions can be swayed by factors unrelated to patient care, such as personal agendas or changing governments. The need for transparency and consistency in decision-making was stressed.

“Some of that government processes around ministers choices, needs to be examined maybe in a bit more detail, but the work of the communities is really important,” Mrs McIntosh said.

The crucial role played by communities and advocacy groups in shaping healthcare policies was also highlighted, underscoring the significance of their input.

“The personal stories are really important. I want to really push that it needs to be about consumer choice. So when you have the opportunity to speak to the Committee, really push that the patient choice is absolutely number one,” she stressed.

Mrs McIntosh expressed her desire to expedite the process of Committee reports, recognising the diligent work put into them by all stakeholders. She emphasised the importance of swift action on the recommendations made in these reports, as it translates to tangible benefits for patients and the healthcare system.

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