A single ache level which hinders Australian healthcare’s progress in digital transformation is cybersecurity. 

In current years, Australia has made severe efforts to develop the digital capabilities of its well being system, together with making multi-year investments and making a national strategy, a blueprint and an action plan. It is working in direction of its imaginative and prescient of “trusted, timely and accessible use of digital and data underpinning a personalised and connected health and wellbeing experience for all Australians.”

However, “cybersecurity continues to be a major growing pain in digital health adoption,” confused Hamish Steel, founding father of the Digital Health Festival (DHF) in Australia. 

“In the past 18 months, we’ve seen sizeable breaches at key services from across the country, including the most recent case of not-for-profit St Vincent’s Health. It’s a major concern which the top experts we’re bringing to this event will help address.”

Meeting of the minds

While comparatively new, the DHF has turn into a sought-after annual occasion the place stakeholders throughout the business, from healthcare executives and distributors to influencers and decision-makers, come collectively to attach and study from each other, looking for options to healthcare’s urgent challenges. 

“DHF started as a pandemic side project while I finished my law degree,” Steel shared. During that point, he began wanting into the well being know-how house for potential funding ventures. He joined digital well being occasions and observed one thing that was neglected. 

“COVID-19 outlined a huge need for innovation. Looking across the ecosystem, you’ll see innovation in fragments. Every care provider faces the challenge and opportunity of digital adoption.”

“It’s an exciting time to be in healthcare; the opportunity for digital transformation is huge,” he stated. 

Spotlight on AI, cybersecurity

Each yr, the DHF touches on well timed points and seeks to unite contributors to debate options throughout 5 core areas: Data & Analytics, Virtual Care, Workforce Productivity & Training, Aged Care Innovation, and Primary & Allied Care. 

“At our core, we connect people who have great ideas. We aim to create an unparalleled event experience that prioritises innovation, connection, serendipity and learning. Given this, we’re focused on two things: encouraging serendipity and connection and creating insight-rich content,” defined Steel.

“This is not an event for academic jargon. We challenge our presenters to be incredibly practical, tackle the biggest topics, and whenever possible, be controversial.”

Besides cybersecurity, which has turn into a recurring main matter of curiosity amongst attendees, the rising reputation of generative AI may even be highlighted within the third version of the DHF this 7-8 May in Melbourne.  

“The buzzword on everyone’s mind is generative AI. ChatGPT has democratised health information for patients. We are fortunate to get amazing advice from esteemed AI experts like IBM’s Dr Stefan Harrer. He was raising ethical concerns about ChatGPT before I knew what it was – I’m glad we listened,” Steel stated. 

Additionally, girls’s well being, and for the primary time, First Nations well being,  may even be tackled within the discussions. 

“We continue to highlight women’s health; we are excited to host Clue’s founder Ida Tin, who coined the term ‘femtech’. I’m also really proud that this year we’ve included content on digital health for First Nations people. We are keen to promote any innovations that can, in some way, bridge societal inequalities.”

DHF 2024 seeks to double its earlier version, aiming to collect over 6,000 senior executives throughout Australia-New Zealand and overseas.

“DHF has become a very practical, business-driven format. People come not only to attend the conference; they know it’s that one time of year when all their clients, partners, and friends get together.”

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Use code HITNEWS for $150 off your tickets for the Digital Health Festival happening on 7-8 May in Melbourne, Australia. Visit the DHF 2024 web site here.