Shifting Our Mindset From What Is to What If

In our evolving healthcare ecosystem, the relentless pursuit of innovation, equity and sustainability stands as guiding principles in the face of challenges and uncertainties. This includes navigating an increasingly complex and, at times, less transparent regulatory and political systems.

Within this dynamic environment, Health Industry Hub Catalysts for Change Awards celebrated the remarkable individuals and organisations that inspire us to challenge the status quo and embark on a purposeful journey to reimagine healthcare. Senior leaders across the industry, including the pharma, biotech and medtech sectors, hold optimism for the year ahead.

Health policy and reforms have taken centre stage for the healthcare industry, with the collective goal of driving timely and more equitable access to novel health technologies and delivery of care for Australian patients.

However, the relentless surge in inflation and soaring out-of-pocket costs have imposed significant burdens on consumers. Many Australians have had to forgo crucial doctor visits, delay obtaining vital medicines, and limit surgical and hospital care. Recent OECD data revealed that Australian households suffered the largest fall in living standards of any advanced economy over the past year.

In an era of rapid change and uncertainty, the ability to examine and prepare for the future is paramount for any organisation. We need to shift our mindset from what is to what if… and see the cultural shifts, signals and innovative thinking that will change our world.

Renowned futurist and author Nikolas Badminton encapsulates this sentiment brilliantly in his book, Facing Our Futures: How Foresight, Futures, Design, and Strategy Create Prosperity and Growth.

“The challenge of today in strategic thinking is that we work within the box. And that box might be within the department in your organisation, might be within the organisation itself, or the regulations, or the country that you live in. And what we need to do in futures work is challenge the what’s called ‘the poverty of imagination’.”

Badminton further elucidates the dangers of succumbing to closed ecosystems and narrow perspectives. “The billionaire technocrats, politicians, and fervent investors want to define a closed ecosystem and narrow view that can be easily regulated and policed by the terms and conditions we happily accept so that we are being reduced to just being users. It’s the antithesis of how we as humans and our complex societal structures operate.

“We have to carefully respect and consider the relationship between humanity, the natural world, and our industrial complex.”

My vision when I founded Health Industry Hub was that to truly reimagine healthcare across the entire patient journey, we must bring the diversity of the pharma, medtech, diagnostics and biotech sectors together to inspire meaningful change… Because that is what each patient, including us and our loves ones, experiences.

A heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you for coming on this collective journey with us to reimagine healthcare for the betterment of our society.

We wish you a safe and rejuvenating break. We are so grateful for your partnership this year and look forward to working together in 2024.

Kind regards,
Rozalina Sarkezians & Health Industry Hub team