Assistant Minister for Health unveils vision: Transforming healthcare models for a connected digital future

Digital & Innovation: Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, The Hon Ged Kearney MP, delivered an intriguing keynote address at the Medinfo23 conference, shedding light on the future of healthcare models. In her speech, she emphasised the growing global trend of utilising digital health technologies to revolutionise health systems and facilitate the exchange of vital health information. She underscored the transformative potential of these technologies in reimagining healthcare service delivery, benefitting both patients and healthcare providers alike.

Minister Kearney highlighted the significant impact of digital health advancements, particularly in Australia, where the outbreak of COVID-19 has accelerated the adoption of innovative solutions. She stressed the importance of fostering a culture of information sharing within the healthcare industry, acknowledging that the advancements driven by COVID-19 have enabled underserved communities to access healthcare services more readily. She emphasised the importance of leveraging digital technologies to ensure equitable access to healthcare for all Australians, regardless of their geographical location or circumstances.

The Assistant Minister stressed the necessity of designing digital health solutions with the consumer at the forefront, emphasising the need to understand the specific problems being addressed and the target audience before implementing technology.

“By leveraging digital technologies we can make sure all Australians receive the care they need, no matter where they live or what their circumstance. This is why digital health solutions need to be designed with the consumer at the heart of any solution. Simply put, we need to understand the problem we are trying to solve and who we are solving it for before we build the technology,” she commented.

Minister Kearney highlighted the potential of digital health technology to bridge the healthcare gap for remote and rural users, benefiting the approximately 7 million Australians residing in these areas. She discussed the advantages of accessing healthcare services from home or community centres, eliminating the need for arduous travel and maximising the capabilities of the healthcare workforce. However, she acknowledged that digital health capabilities should not replace face-to-face healthcare entirely and underscored the importance of inclusive solutions that bridge the digital divide between different demographics and regions of Australia.

“The government is committed to improving digital health care, with longer term planning underway to align digital health investments over the coming decade to achieve a connected healthcare system, we will require easy, secure and real time sharing of information. This will require a significant mindset and behavioural change across many parts of the sector to put the patient at the centre of care,” she highlighted.

She acknowledged the existing challenges in sharing clinical information across different levels of government and private institutions, sharing her personal experience of being unable to access her brother’s health records when he was admitted to the emergency department of a different hospital. She expressed the government’s determination to address these issues and lead the way in establishing a data-sharing framework that ensures patient-centric care.

The Assistant Minister stressed the importance of developing technology that is fit for purpose and supports healthcare providers at the point of care. She highlighted the goal of enabling better quality care through “personalised, seamless, and modernised health journeys”, while also facilitating the easy and secure exchange of health information between patients and their trusted healthcare providers.

With a significant investment of approximately $1.1 billion in digital health over the next four years, the Australian government aims to improve the flow of health information across the healthcare system, striving for equitable healthcare outcomes for all Australians.

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