Talking HealthTech

In this episode of Talking HealthTech, host Peter Birch speaks with Dr Jason Brown, Chief Digital Health Officer at Metro North Health; Dr Rae Donovan, Acting Chief Clinical Information Officer of eHealth Queensland; Dr Mia McLanders, Manager of Research and Innovation at Metro North Health; Fiona Armstrong, CEO at Liquid; and Kate Wylie, Director of Health at Liquid, exploring why healthcare technology so often misses the mark. The discussion dives into why projects fail to scale, how local needs can be balanced with system reform, the importance of genuine co-design, and why adoption, rather than rollout, decides whether healthtech delivers benefit for clinicians and patients.This episode was recorded at the Clinical Skills Development Service at Metro North Health in Brisbane, during a special Future Led panel event hosted by THT+ partners Liquid. The event brought together clinicians, designers and innovators to discuss collaboration, smarter procurement, and systemic reform in healthcare technology.Key TakeawaysTechnology in healthcare is frequently bolted on as an afterthought, often addressing symptoms rather than fundamental causes. This results in fragmented, clunky workflows for clinicians and patients.The healthcare system is highly interconnected, and solving one workflow in isolation may create issues elsewhere. Successful innovation requires a systems approach.Systemic reform needs proactive planning, investment in 'invisible plumbing' (like data standards and interoperability), and a shift away from short-term, patchwork funding.True co-design puts every stakeholder at the table from the beginning, not just for sign-off at the end. Sustainable change comes from interdisciplinary collaboration, not silos.Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website.Loving the show? Leave us a review, and share it with someone who might get some value from it.Keen to take your healthtech to the next level? Become a THT+ Member for access to our online community forum, meet ups, special offers and more exclusive content. For more information visit talkinghealthtech.com/thtplus

In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Chris Pymble from Graphics et al., Dr Bhavesh Patel from Queensland Children’s Hospital, and Dr Brent Richards from Gold Coast Hospital. They dive into why good communication in healthcare is such a big deal and how it affects patient care and system efficiency.Key Takeaways:• Effective communication is crucial in healthcare, impacting not just patient outcomes but also the efficiency of healthcare systems.• Current systems often result in fragmented communication due to lack of integration, stressing the need for streamlined processes.• Digital tools, including AI, can personalise patient information, making healthcare communication more effective and accessible.• Making sure patients get what's going on involves changing up how doctors communicate, using visuals, and translating information when needed.Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website.Loving the show? Leave us a review, and share it with someone who might get some value from it.Keen to take your healthtech to the next level? Become a THT+ Member for access to our online community forum, meet-ups, special offers, and more exclusive content. For more information visit talkinghealthtech.com/thtplus

In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Dan Michelson, CEO of RLDatix, Leanne Lind, Head of Policy Governance at St. John of God Health Care, Imtiaz Bhayat, CIO at Regis Aged Care, and Barbara Staruk, Chief Product Officer at RLDatix. They discuss how tech, AI, and innovation are changing healthcare policy, compliance, and more. This episode was recorded at the Connected Health & Care Summit Asia-Pacific 2025 in Melbourne, hosted by RLDatix.Key Takeaways:🌍 RLDatix is making waves globally with its impressive risk, safety, workforce, and data management portfolio.🤝 Health systems benefit from a partnership approach rather than just viewing vendors as product providers, highlighting collaboration for solving pressing challenges in healthcare IT.🤖 The role of AI in making clinical systems more efficient by capturing data and predicting potential outcomes was discussed.Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website.Loving the show? Leave us a review, and share it with someone who might get some value from it.Keen to take your healthtech to the next level? Become a THT+ Member for access to our online community forum, meet-ups, special offers, and more exclusive content. For more information visit talkinghealthtech.com/thtplus

In this episode of Consumer Health Partnerships, we speak with Anja Christoffersen from Champion Health Agency and Jeremy Kerr from QUT Design Lab about the importance and application of co-design in the healthcare sector.Anja and Jeremy shared their extensive experience in co-designing health services and projects, highlighting the need for genuine consumer collaboration. Discussing their respective roles and achievements, including Jeremy's project on resources for health professionals and Anja's integrated design methods. They aim to demystify co-design, explaining its methods and the significance of creative and empathetic collaboration. As well as addressing the benefits and challenges involved in implementing co-design practices in healthcare environments.Key Takeaways: Participation Importance: Highlighting that co-design needs practical participation to fully understand its value. Co-Design Methods: Various methods like journey mapping and empathy mapping are critical in understanding lived and professional experiences. Starting Small: They recommend starting small with co-design methods, focusing on comfort and practicality. Framework Adaptability: Emphasising that co-design frameworks must be adaptable to different contexts and needs. Creative Collaboration: Successful co-design relies on creativity and empathetic collaboration, with no predetermined outcomes.Links & Resources: Anja Christoffersen: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anja-christoffersen-999446152/ Jeremy Kerr: https://www.qut.edu.au/about/our-people/academic-profiles/jeremy.kerr QUT, School of Design: https://www.qut.edu.au/about/faculty-of-creative-industries-education-social-justice/school-of-design Design for Health: https://research.qut.edu.au/designlab/programs/References mentioned by Jeremy during the podcast: Link for the book via Australian distributor (cheaper than international publishers): https://www.hachette.com.au/jeremy-kerr/the-art-of-co-design-solving-problems-through-creative-collaboration Eating disorder co-design podcast link (In Full Bloom): https://open.spotify.com/show/6uhfJm0F2oUFOEdW1Y4K1W (it’s on Apple podcasts too!)Consumer Health Partnerships is a podcast for healthcare stakeholders that spotlights the synergistic power of partnering with consumers to share a human-centred health system. We share inspiring stories and practical strategies from healthcare professionals at the forefront of embracing a human-centred approach to patient experience and co-design. We are redefining care by respecting their patients’ equal place in conversations about their health.This show is a proud member of the Talking HealthTech Podcast Network - the premier audio destination for cutting-edge insights and thought leadership in healthcare delivery, innovation, digital health, healthcare ICT, and commercialisation. Learn more at www.talkinghealthtech.com/podcast/network.

In this episode of Talking HealthTech, host Peter Birch speaks with Diana Pitts, CEO of Coviu Global, about telehealth's journey from the early days of 2018 to its rapid growth during COVID-19 and what the future holds. They dive into how clinics across Australia can weave telehealth into everyday operations, making it a vital part of healthcare delivery.Key Takeaways:🦠 During COVID-19, telehealth became a critical tool rather than a mere convenience, challenging clinics to adapt quickly.⚙️ Many clinics grappled with integrating telehealth into their practice, often relying on inadequate tools that lack clinical workflows' specific needs.🌍 Telehealth offers clinics ways to expand their reach without expanding physical space, allowing greater flexibility in care delivery and operational hours.📞 Coviu is seamlessly integrating phone consultations alongside a video, leveraging AI medical scribes that respect patient consent, and providing more efficient practice management solutionsCheck out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website.Loving the show? Leave us a review, and share it with someone who might get some value from it.Keen to take your healthtech to the next level? Become a THT+ Member for access to our online community forum, meet-ups, special offers and more exclusive content. For more information visit talkinghealthtech.com/thtplus

In this episode of Talking HealthTech, host Peter Birch speaks with some big names in healthcare during HIMSS 2025 in Las Vegas. Among the guests from HIMSS are Hal Wolf, President and CEO; Lee Kim, Senior Principal of Cybersecurity and Privacy; Dr Anne Snowdon, Chief Scientific Research Officer; Christina Caraballo, Vice President of Informatics; and Ronan O’Connor, Vice President and Managing Director for EMEA. They discuss topics like AI, boosting interoperability, tackling cybersecurity, and how digital health is shaping up across the globe.This episode was recorded live from HIMSS 2025, an event that pulls together digital health pros from all over to check out the latest and greatest in healthtech.These are just some of the discussions that Pete captured at HIMSS 2025 - check out a full playlist of all interviews at HIMSS25 on the Talking HealthTech YouTube Channel.Key Takeaways:• This year's HIMSS conference saw a significant increase in professional attendance, focusing on decision-makers and industry leaders driving digital transformation in healthcare.• Hal Wolf talks about how HIMSS brings together diverse voices in healthcare to spark collaboration and change.• Lee Kim highlights the increasing cybersecurity threats due to advancing tech and stresses the importance of strong multifactor authentication and insider threat policies.• Dr Anne Snowdon points to the gap between cool tech advancements and real-world use, stressing the need for preventative healthcare models supported by digital tools.• Christina Caraballo shares insights into interoperability, emphasising that setting the right data standards is key to making everything work smoothly across systems.• Ronan O’Connor explains how Europe's healthcare needs vary, pointing out the importance of regional strategies and global best practices coming together.Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website.Loving the show? Leave us a review, and share it with someone who might get some value from it.Keen to take your healthtech to the next level? Become a THT+ Member for access to our online community forum, meet-ups, special offers, and more exclusive content. For more information, visit talkinghealthtech.com/thtplus

In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch chats with Vince Farrell, Operations Manager of Nuvo Health and Melvin Chen, CEO and Co-founder of Care GP. They dive into the headache-inducing world of admin pressures that GPs face daily. Vince and Melvin share how they've teamed up to use AI to lighten the load, focusing on how their virtual assistant, Samantha, is stepping up to handle document processing.You'll hear how they’re making a real-world difference for GP clinics, easing the admin chaos, and paving the way for tech to make a splash in healthcare processes.Key Takeaways:• GP clinics are drowning in admin work, and technology like AI can help them focus more on patient care.• Samantha, the AI agent from Care GP, is cutting through the paperwork mess, saving time, and keeping things accurate.• Nuvo Health is seeing big improvements in speed and accuracy using this tech across their locations.• Feedback shows AI tackles some admin tasks even better than humans, freeing up staff to concentrate more on patients.Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website.Loving the show? Leave us a review, and share it with someone who might get some value from it.Keen to take your healthtech to the next level? Become a THT+ Member for access to our online community forum, meet ups, special offers, and more exclusive content. For more information visit talkinghealthtech.com/thtplus

In this episode of Talking HealthTech, hosts Peter Birch and Sophie Turner speak with Emily Mailes, Ed Marx, and River Nygryn about the mix of digital health strategy, cybersecurity, and patient experience.This episode was recorded during Australian Healthcare Week 2025 in Sydney, Australia, and features conversations from various speakers, bringing insights from the event floor.Key Takeaways:• Emily Mailes talks about setting Victoria’s healthcare system up for the next decade with a solid digital health strategy that’s not just about tech but also focuses on outcomes for the system, patients, and staff.• Ed Marx shares tips on boosting patient experience without breaking the bank. He stresses the power of empathy and seeing healthcare services as a seamless process instead of isolated tasks.• River Nygryn highlights the importance of monitoring third-party risks and ensuring healthcare data stays secure. She’s all about monitoring data to prevent security mishaps.Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech ⁠website⁠. Loving the show? Leave us a review, and share it with someone who might get some value from it. Keen to take your healthtech to the next level? Become a THT+ Member for access to our online community forum, meet-ups, special offers, and more exclusive content. For more information visit ⁠talkinghealthtech.com/thtplus

In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Peter Rady and Brendan Tang during the hustle and bustle of Australian Healthcare Week. They dive into how Medicity is evolving now that they're part of Streamline Solutions and what that means for the future of healthtech.Recorded live at Australian Healthcare Week, this episode captures some interesting discussions and insights happening in the healthtech scene.Key Takeaways:• Medicity's Big Move: Medicity is now under the Streamline Solutions umbrella, thanks to a successful partnership over the last eight years.• Strong Cabrini Ties: Originating from the Cabrini Technology Group, Medicity maintains a solid relationship with Cabrini, fueling their continuous growth and innovation.• Streamline's Experience: With a wide experience across sectors, especially in healthcare, Streamline Solutions offers a solid platform for Medicity to broaden their impact.Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website.Loving the show? Leave us a review, and share it with someone who might get some value from it.Keen to take your healthtech to the next level? Become a THT+ Member for access to our online community forum, meet ups, special offers and more exclusive content. For more information visit talkinghealthtech.com/thtplus

In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch chats with John Poli from RingCentral at the HIMSS 2025 conference in Las Vegas. They dive into how RingCentral is shaking up healthcare communications and what that means for patients and providers.Key Takeaways• RingCentral is a big player in cloud-based communications, especially in healthcare, operating in over 49 countries.• AI is changing the game by pulling insights from conversations with patients, both during and after calls.• There's a big focus on making healthcare more engaging and coordinated for patients, fueled by tech and changes brought on by COVID-19.• In the US, it's all about using tech to cut healthcare costs and make things smoother for patients. Australia's healthcare scene is seen as quite progressive, with efforts to meet local compliance needs.Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website.Loving the show? Leave us a review, and share it with someone who might get some value from it.Keen to take your healthtech to the next level? Become a THT+ Member for access to our online community forum, meet ups, special offers and more exclusive content. For more information visit talkinghealthtech.com/thtplus