The Digital Dawn in Healthcare
As the world adapts to a new normal, healthcare systems are taking centre stage, demonstrating the crucial role of technology in enhancing patient care and operations.
This episode of Talking HealthTech was recorded at the Connect Virtual Care 2024 Conference in Sydney - 2 days across three distinct but interconnected conferences:
* The National Telehealth Conference
* The Medication Safety & Efficiency Conference
* And the newly introduced Hospital in the Home Conference
They each focus on crucial aspects of virtual care, from the intricacies of telehealth to the nuances of medication safety and the revolutionary models of home-based care.
At this event, Pete caught up with a speaker from each stream of activity, to capture the essence of the discussions that were held at the event, to bring you this podcast episode:
Dr Sarah Robinson - Director of Delivery - Health Innovation East
Kate Renzenbrink - Digital Health Nurse, Digital Health Adviser
Shaun Hosein - Senior Medical Officer - Hospital in the Home Service, Queensland Health
They explore various aspects of health technology, especially focusing on virtual care and the transformative impact it has on medicine.
Virtual Care and Its Role in Healthcare Digitalisation
Virtual care is increasingly important in healthcare digitalisation. Kate Renzenbrink, who moved from clinical work to become a digital health nurse, highlights the importance of sharing information for patient empowerment and better healthcare outcomes. The use of technology in virtual care, including telephone, video, and text-based communication, provides flexible and patient-centred healthcare options. Shaun Hosein, a Senior Medical Officer, describes virtual healthcare as combining different methods to focus on the patient's needs.
Focusing on Patient-Centred Care in HealthTech
Patient-centred care is essential in health technology. This approach ensures healthcare solutions are designed with the patient’s needs at the forefront. Dr Sarah Robinson mentions the importance of including real-world evidence and the perspectives of patients and staff in developing health tech solutions, emphasising the value of these insights in the design process.
The Challenges and Opportunities with Virtual Care
Introducing virtual care comes with challenges such as addressing healthcare inequalities, adapting solutions to specific areas, and ensuring new technologies work well within existing systems. Dr Sarah Robinson highlights the importance of creating adaptable solutions that cater to diverse healthcare needs. A conference in Sydney, hosted by Sophie Turner, shed light on these issues and potential solutions, showing how virtual care can be implemented effectively.
The Importance of Community and Networking in Digital Health
Kate Renzenbrink stresses the significance of networking and community in digital health for sharing ideas and improving practices. The collaboration and exchange of best practices within the network are crucial for continuous improvement. Dr Sarah Robinson discusses the importance of developing local solutions and adapting innovations to meet the specific needs of the Australian healthcare landscape.
Governance and Training in Virtual Healthcare
Ethics and governance are foundational to virtual healthcare, according to Shaun Hosein. He discusses the importance of considering patient demographics and indigenous communities in providing care, underlining the need for ethical practices, governance, workforce recruitment, and training in virtual healthcare.
The Role of the Human Element in Technological Innovation
Kate Renzenbrink's work on human-centred computing with a PhD candidate aims to incorporate the human element into technological innovation. They focus on developing models to aid decision-making with Electronic Medical Records (EMRs), highlighting the importance of the human aspect in digital healthcare systems.
The Impact of Small Changes
Peter Birch talks to Kate Renzenbrink about the significant impact small changes can have within health systems. These minor adjustments can lead to major improvements and drive innovation in healthcare.
The Future of High-Value Care
Shaun Hosein discusses the importance of ensuring that future healthcare incentives promote long-term value and sustainability, especially in respiratory care. He warns against incentives that do not align with these goals.
Translating HealthTech Innovations to Real-World Medicine
The key message is the need to apply innovations and evidence-based practices more rapidly in real-world medicine. Kate Renzenbrink encourages conference attendees to be agents of change, applying innovative solutions in their workplaces to improve patient care.
Digital Empowerment in Healthcare
The episode concludes with a call for a more connected, efficient, and patient-focused healthcare system. The discussions highlight the potential for digital health to empower both patients and clinicians, leading to a healthcare system where the benefits of technology are tangible and benefit those at the heart of care.
