Talking HealthTech

Conversations with clinicians, vendors, policy makers and decision makers to promote innovation and collaboration for better healthcare enabled by technology.

Learn about digital health, medical devices, medtech, biotech, health informatics, life sciences, aged care, disability, commercialisation, startups and so much more.

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#646
Monday · 29 min· Video
646 - Patients as Partners: A Digital Approach to a Fairer, More Connected Surgical Journey
In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Dr Cory Williams, Research and Clinical Lead at Five Faces. Drawing on around 15 years in surgical and perioperative nursing, his role as a Clinical Nurse Consultant and his PhD research at QUT, Dr Williams shares what he has seen on the ground and why he turned to digital health for answers. They examine the causes and consequences of day-of-surgery cancellations, from patients forgetting to stop their medication to confusion over what counts as a clear fluid. Dr Williams explains how a single missed instruction can cost hospitals $3,000 to $6,000 an hour in theatre time and send a patient from far north Queensland home after travelling two boats and two planes for surgery. The conversation also covers the strain on clinicians managing hundreds of patients with limited time to check in on each one. Looking ahead, the discussion explores how digital health platforms can supplement care rather than replace it. Topics include automated check-ins, personalised patient pathways, integration with EMR and PAS systems, and how co-design and carer access can keep digital solutions inclusive for patients of all ages, abilities and locations. Key Takeaways 🔍 Traditional care models relying on face-to-face and paper communication contribute to missed information and day-of-surgery cancellations 💬 Patients frequently feel lost and unsupported, unsure of their place on waitlists or their next steps ⏰ Day-of-surgery cancellations are common, costly, and often preventable with better reminders and coordination 🚦 Digital solutions can supplement care by providing timeline-based instructions, check-ins, and direct lines for patient concerns 🔑 Co-design and flexible digital access are essential for ensuring equity and genuine patient partnership in healthcare journeys Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction 00:25 - Dr Cory Williams’ clinical background 02:12 - Core challenges in surgical care 03:09 - Patient confusion and communication issues 05:50 - Traditional care model limitations 09:57 - Frequency and impact of surgery cancellations 16:28 - Role of digital in supplementing care 20:46 - Vision for seamless patient journeys 24:39 - Equity and personalisation in digital health Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website. If you’re enjoying the show and want access to exclusive healthtech discussions, meetups, and member-only content, you can learn more about becoming a THT+ Solo Member here: talkinghealth.tech/solo_shownotes And if this episode was useful, leaving a review or sharing it with someone in the industry always helps.
#645
November 2 · 33 min· Video
645 - Seamless Workflows and Safer Care: AI Integration in Healthcare with InterSystems
In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Dr Emeline Ramos, Physician Executive for InterSystems across Asia-Pacific, and Dimitri Fane, Executive Director of EHR Product Management at InterSystems. The discussion covers the evolving role of artificial intelligence in electronic health records (EHRs), the impact of ambient clinical orchestration, challenges and benefits for clinicians, and strategies for building trust and adoption of AI within healthcare systems. The conversation looks at why InterSystems chose to build AI into the core of its new EHR, IntelliCare, instead of adding it on top of existing systems, and what that means for safety, governance and day-to-day clinical work. Dr Emeline Ramos shares real-world feedback from clinicians already using the technology, including a nurse in Thailand who cut her end-of-shift handover from up to an hour to around 10 minutes. Meanwhile, Dimitri Fane explains how agentic AI is set to move from assistant to co-worker, taking on complex, multi-step tasks under strict permissions and oversight. The episode also explores why keeping a human-in-the-loop approach remains essential, how interoperability underpins safe and sustainable care, and why technology needs to fade into the background for clinicians to truly adopt it. Key Takeaways 🩺 AI in EHRs reduces clinician cognitive and administrative burdens by mapping unstructured to structured data and proposing actions, not just transcribing conversations. 👀 Clinical deployment of ambient workflows supports improved patient rapport, more eye contact, and a reduction in clinician burnout. 🔒 Trust in AI hinges on robust governance, transparency, and having a clear human-in-the-loop to validate AI-generated outputs before they impact patient records. 🛠️ Healthcare organisations face key decisions between bolting on new AI tools versus adopting EHRs that seamlessly embed AI at the core. 🌐 The future of EHRs points towards agentic AI, where digital agents can execute complex, multi-step workflows, freeing clinicians to focus more on patient care. Timestamps 00:00 - Introductions & AI in healthcare context 02:14 - AI transforming EHR workflows 07:15 - Clinician feedback & benefits 11:20 - Bolt-on vs AI-first EHR platforms 15:28 - Trust, governance, and clinical safety 29:14 - Agentic AI & future direction Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website. If you’re enjoying the show and want access to exclusive healthtech discussions, meetups, and member-only content, you can learn more about becoming a THT+ Solo Member here: talkinghealth.tech/solo_shownotes And if this episode was useful, leaving a review or sharing it with someone in the industry always helps.
#644
October 26 · 20 min· Video
644 - Improving Patient Journeys: Clintel Systems and the Future of Digital Health in Australia
In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Nick Cuthbertson, CEO of Clintel Systems, the Australian digital health company behind CareRight. With a background in business system design and around 20 years in the industry, Nick shares how the definition of a hospital is changing and what that means for patients, clinicians and health services. Nick explains why a hospital is increasingly seen as a coordinated set of clinical capabilities delivered wherever the patient is, and the three forces driving that shift. He walks through how CareRight was built on a workflow foundation, allowing it to support everything from e-registration, online referrals and pre-admission assessments to discharge planning and follow-up programmes that run for months after a patient leaves hospital. The conversation also covers the real-world lessons Clintel has learnt from clients bringing multiple systems together, including why change management is critical and why flexibility often works better than a one-size-fits-all approach. Nick shares Clintel’s philosophy on integration, its connections with platforms such as Medicare, My Health Record, Coviu and Microsoft Teams, and his advice for hospital leaders planning for a future where virtual care and Hospital in the Home become the norm. Key Takeaways 🔗 The definition of a hospital is shifting from just a physical place to a coordinated network of clinical capabilities delivered wherever the patient is. 💻 Digital technology is both enabling and driving transformation in healthcare, addressing complexity and supporting new models, including virtual and home-based care. 🗂️ CareRight was designed with workflow and business process foundations, supporting end-to-end patient journeys, data capture, and adaptability across multiple care settings. 🤝 Integrations with other systems and services (like My Health Record, Medicare, telehealth platforms) are foundational, allowing health providers to select best-of-breed solutions and maintain flexibility. ♻️ Change management and incremental adoption are critical for the successful transition to digital systems in healthcare environments. Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction to Nick Cuthbertson and Clintel Systems 01:32 - Redefining what a hospital is 03:03 - Drivers of care model evolution 05:06 - The complexity of connected hospitals 06:24 - How CareRight supports connected care 09:28 - Specific CareRight solution features and workflow 12:37 - Lessons from clients: change management and flexibility 15:39 - Integration approach and philosophy 17:29 - Examples of integrations and partnerships 18:47 - Future directions: Hospital in the Home, virtual care Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website. If you’re enjoying the show and want access to exclusive healthtech discussions, meetups, and member-only content, you can learn more about becoming a THT+ Solo Member here: talkinghealth.tech/solo_shownotes And if this episode was useful, leaving a review or sharing it with someone in the industry always helps.
#643
October 19 · 39 min· Video
643 - Transforming Healthcare in Asia: AI Tools, EMRs, and Collaboration from HMA26 Bangkok
In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Carey Campbell from Amalga, Dr Sheila Bond and Christian Cella from Wolters Kluwer, Victor Stulen from Philips, and Teodor Stoev from Harrison.ai. Together, they discuss healthcare technology innovation, the integration of AI into medical workflows, and digital transformation across the Asia-Pacific region. The guests discuss the rise of mobile-ready electronic patient records, the importance of building AI into the systems clinicians already use, and the need for trusted, evidence-based clinical knowledge as AI-generated information spreads. They also explore how radiology is becoming a testbed for clinical AI, why hospitals are rethinking their workflows instead of bolting on new tools, and how cloud adoption is helping health systems scale. Language support, cultural awareness and the challenge of choosing the right technology without being locked in are also part of the discussion. This episode features a handful of the conversations that Talking HealthTech captured on the floor of HMA26. Each guest offers a practical view of what hospitals and clinicians across Asia need from digital health now and in the years ahead. Key Takeaways 🩺 Mobile and User-Friendly EMRs: The demand for mobile-responsive, user-focused electronic medical records (EMRs) is driving product modernisation for improved clinician usability and patient care. 🧠 Embedded AI in Healthcare Platforms: Embedding AI tools directly into clinical workflows, rather than layering them on top, is seen as essential for adoption and utility among clinicians and administrators. 🌏 Regional Digital Transformation: Asia-Pacific healthcare systems are at varying stages of digital maturity, with some regions leapfrogging directly into cloud and AI-powered solutions, driven by pressing resource shortages and local needs. 📝 Knowledge Integrity in AI: Ensuring that AI-generated recommendations and clinical information are evidence-based, trustworthy, and seamlessly integrated remains critical for clinicians. 💡 System-wide Efficiency Gains: Healthcare leaders are focusing on solutions that not only impact single departments but provide efficiencies across entire organisations, especially in radiology and emergency medicine. Timestamps 00:00 - Peter Birch: Opening from HMA26, Bangkok 00:43 - Carey Campbell: Amalga and EMR Modernisation 10:31 - Dr Sheila Bond & Christian Cella: Wolters Kluwer Clinical AI 19:11 - Victor Stulen: Philips APAC Digital Health 27:33 - Teodor Stoev: Harrison.ai Impact in Asia Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website. If you’re enjoying the show and want access to exclusive healthtech discussions, meetups, and member-only content, you can learn more about becoming a THT+ Solo Member here: talkinghealth.tech/solo_shownotes And if this episode was useful, leaving a review or sharing it with someone in the industry always helps.
#642
October 14 · 37 min· Video
642 - Data, Interoperability, and AI: Key HealthTech Trends in Asia-Pacific
In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Sergei Shutov, Don Woodlock, Dr Tullawat Pacharapha, Dr Apichai Chaiyaroj and Dr Trent Dean to discuss hospital digital transformation, regional innovation, interoperability and AI integration in healthcare across Asia-Pacific. The episode, recorded live during InterSystems Asia READY 2026 in Bangkok, provides a snapshot of conversations with healthcare executives and technology partners on their strategies for modernisation, collaborative approaches, and the challenges and opportunities unique to the region. Their discussion includes the role of integration in building a strong digital foundation, the importance of bringing clinicians into the design of new systems, and the rise of AI scribes and ambient documentation. The guests also discuss the promise of the FHIR standard for data interoperability, the gradual journey of building trust in AI, and the need to keep patient experience, privacy and safety at the centre of every decision. They also share how hospitals in Australia and Asia are approaching the shift from reactive to proactive, preventive care. Key Takeaways 🦾 AI adoption is being driven aggressively in Asia-Pacific, with both operational and clinical opportunities emerging 🌏 Hospitals in the region can leapfrog legacy issues by moving directly from paper to advanced digital platforms 🔗 Integration and interoperability remain fundamental challenges; Data lakes and FHIR standards are critical focus areas 🫱🏼‍🫲🏽 Partnerships and collaborative ecosystems between vendors, clinicians, and IT leaders are essential for successful transformation ⏳ Clinician and patient perspectives on digital change need continuous engagement, co-design, and focus on trust Timestamps 00:00 – Intro 00:41 – Sergei Shutov, Managing Director, Banksia Global 07:06 – Don Woodlock, President, InterSystems 16:49 – Dr Trent Dean, CEO, Gateway Health 25:33 – Dr Tullawat Pacharapha, COO, Vejthani International Hospital, Thailand 29:05 – Dr Apichai Chaiyaroj, Assistant Hospital Director, BNH Hospital, Thailand Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website. If you’re enjoying the show and want access to exclusive healthtech discussions, meetups, and member-only content, you can learn more about becoming a THT+ Solo Member here: talkinghealth.tech/solo_shownotes And if this episode was useful, leaving a review or sharing it with someone in the industry always helps.
#641
October 12 · 33 min· Video
641 - Empowering Clinicians with Actionable Data: The HealthCare Logic Difference
In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Brett Sellars, Head of Clinical Solutions, and Chris Reid, Platform Specialist, from Healthcare Logic. The conversation looks at data-driven decision-making in healthcare, the evolution and real-world use of command centres, and how the strategic use of information can improve patient outcomes and operational efficiency. The trio discusses the importance of clinician-led co-design, balancing technology with human factors and the challenges of introducing new solutions across diverse healthcare settings. They also cover why dashboards and alerts need to be tailored to each role, how change fatigue affects hospital staff and why AI and automation should be approached with care. The episode also touches on the value of connecting hospitals in Australia and overseas so lessons learned in one setting can help improve care in another. Key Takeaways 🩺 Co-design between clinicians and tech teams is critical for practical data solutions in healthcare 🔍 Real-time data enables preemptive, informed responses rather than reactive "firefighting" 📊 It’s essential to tailor data displays and tools to the roles and needs of users, from executives to front-line clinicians 🤝 Change management and end-user adoption are crucial for technology to affect daily clinical workflows 🌏 Sharing knowledge and playbooks across organisations contributes to collective improvements in Australian and global health systems Timestamps 00:00 - Episode and guest introductions 01:02 - Brett Sellars shares clinical background 02:26 - Chris Reid discusses data’s patient impact 05:29 - Real-world impact of real-time data 08:43 - Determining relevant data for clinicians 12:41 - Co-design and resolving stakeholder needs 14:51 - Visualisation, roles, and change management 20:00 - Readiness of healthcare systems for implementation 24:53 - Direction of healthcare technology and AI’s role 29:33 - Brett Sellars on leaving a positive legacy in healthcare Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website. If you’re enjoying the show and want access to exclusive healthtech discussions, meetups, and member-only content, you can learn more about becoming a THT+ Solo Member here: talkinghealth.tech/solo_shownotes And if this episode was useful, leaving a review or sharing it with someone in the industry always helps.
#640
October 7 · 30 min· Video
640 - HIMSS26: How Asia Pacific is Driving Healthcare Collaboration, Digital Excellence, AI Adoption
In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Andrew Pearce from HIMSS, Lily Liu, Director of Digital Health at Western Health, Aurel Qian from SenseTime Medical, and Dr Jong-Soo Choi from Samsung Medical Center about digital transformation, AI, and healthcare system innovation across the Asia-Pacific region. The conversation covers approaches to digital benchmarking, connected care, shadow AI, AI adoption infrastructure, and robotics in hospital logistics. Recorded during HIMSS26 Asia Pacific in Singapore, this episode brings together a range of perspectives from across the region, each guest offering a different lens on what it takes to modernise healthcare at scale. From navigating legacy hospital systems to building the networks and standards that support safe, sustainable AI adoption, the discussions explore what's really driving digital transformation on the ground. They also look at what still needs to be solved before technology can deliver on its promise for patients and staff alike. This episode is part of our HIMSS26 APAC coverage, recorded live in Singapore. Catch the rest of the conversations in the Talking HealthTech @ HIMSS26 APAC on YouTube, or on your favourite podcast platforms. Key Takeaways 💡 The HIMSS global standards offer consistent benchmarking for digital health maturity across diverse Asia-Pacific health systems, enabling collaboration and knowledge sharing. 🤝 Connected care remains a central priority for APAC governments, focusing on interoperability across hospitals, clinics, and aged care to drive improved patient outcomes. 🦾 AI is increasingly woven into healthcare, from "shadow AI" practices within organisations to structured infrastructure aiding clinical decisions and operations. 🔋 Acceptance of AI in healthcare is shaped by government policy, infrastructure, and public engagement, with APAC nations like China advancing large-scale deployment strategies. 🤖 Automation, such as robotics in hospitals, is reducing manual workloads and enabling clinicians, especially nurses, to focus on direct patient care. Timestamps 00:11 - Peter Birch, Host Introduction 00:41 - Andrew Pearce, Vice President, Analytics and Global Advisory Lead, HIMSS 07:30 - Lily Liu - Director, Digital Health, Western Health, Divisional Director, Digital Health, Western Health 12:50 - Aurel Qian, Co-founder and Chief Medical Officer, SenseTime Medical 23:57 - Dr Jong-Soo Choi, CTO, Samsung Medical Center Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website. If you’re enjoying the show and want access to exclusive healthtech discussions, meetups, and member-only content, you can learn more about becoming a THT+ Solo Member here: talkinghealth.tech/solo_shownotes. And if this episode was useful, leaving a review or sharing it with someone in the industry always helps.
#639
October 5 · 38 min· Video
639 - The Roadmap to Successful Healthcare Outcomes in WA: Lessons from the Rauland Panel Discussion
In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Jacqueline Leeds, CEO of Rauland Australia and New Zealand, alongside a panel of leaders working across digital health. Panellists include Tim Leen, Acting Director at the Office of Medical Research and Innovation, WA Health, Claire Lake, Chief Nursing Information Officer at Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Brad Guelfi, Senior Solution Architect at St John of God Healthcare, and Vickie Knight, General Manager, Clinical Services at Rauland. The discussion explores digital transformation in healthcare as Western Australia enters the largest health system expansion in its history. The panel looks at the integration of technology across hospitals, lessons learned from real-world system deployments, and why bringing clinicians and end users along from the start is so important. They also share their views on workflow mapping, communication, governance and the importance of collaboration between clinicians, executives and technology providers. This episode was recorded live at an event hosted by Rauland Australia & New Zealand in Kings Park, Perth, on Wednesday, 12 August 2026. Key Takeaways 💡 Unified digital platforms and single device strategies can lead to more streamlined communication and reduced alarm fatigue in healthcare settings. 💡 Lessons learned from past technology implementations, including failures, are critical to improving future digital healthcare projects. 💡 Including end users, especially clinicians and frontline staff, at every stage of technology design and rollout ensures new systems are truly fit for purpose. 💡 Effective communication and change management are essential when implementing large-scale digital health projects, especially in complex environments. 💡 Proper resourcing, strong governance, and collaborative leadership models help deliver sustainable and effective digital transformation. Timestamps 00:00 - Episode introduction and event context 01:18 - Jacqueline Leeds outlines Rauland's history and Concentric Care platform 10:04 - Claire Lake discusses new hospital digital deployments 12:05 - Tim Leen shares healthcare innovation and technology experiences 14:09 - Vickie Knight reflects on bridging clinical and technology roles 15:41 - Brad Guelfi describes building technology-enabled hospitals 32:04 - Advice for healthcare leaders on digital strategy 34:06 - Communicating and managing digital change 37:00 - The importance of resourcing transformation projects Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website. If you’re enjoying the show and want access to exclusive healthtech discussions, meetups, and member-only content, you can learn more about becoming a THT+ Solo Member here: talkinghealth.tech/solo_shownotes And if this episode was useful, leaving a review or sharing it with someone in the industry always helps.
#638
September 28 · 23 min· Video
638 - Beyond the Demo: How Facere AI Is Building AI Receptionists That Actually Work in Clinics
In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Bin Rong, CEO, and Bowen Zheng, Head of Engineering at Facere AI. The discussion explores how Facere AI is tackling administrative inefficiencies in healthcare through AI-powered solutions such as document routing, automated workflows, and AI receptionist technology. The conversation covers the founding story of Facere AI, which began after the team saw how much time social workers spent on paperwork instead of helping people directly. Bin and Bowen share why building an AI receptionist demo is simple but making it work in a real clinic is far more difficult, and how the team has worked to balance cost, speed, and intelligence. They also discuss how their voice agent now responds in under two seconds and completes roughly 70% to 75% of calls, compared with about 20% for many generic AI receptionists. The episode looks at how automated referral workflows keep admin staff in control, whether patients should always know when they are speaking with AI, and the company's vision for future automation, while emphasising a clear boundary from clinical judgement areas. Key Takeaways 🤖 AI can relieve admin burdens in healthcare by automating document routing, allocation, and phone reception tasks, enabling staff to focus on patient care. 📞 Building a reliable AI receptionist for real-world clinics is complex, with challenges like accuracy, latency, and cost forming the "impossible triangle" of requirements. 🚦 Facere AI's technology pushes the envelope in speed and understanding, achieving sub-2-second latency and higher call completion rates compared to leading global systems. 📈 The vision is to automate up to 95% of daily non-clinical workflows, increasing efficiency without replacing jobs, but always keeping human staff in decision-making roles. 🩺 Facere AI intentionally avoids automating clinical judgement or high-level professional assessments, focusing solely on non-clinical, manual admin tasks. Timestamps 00:00 — Episode introduction and guest backgrounds 03:27 — Healthcare admin burdens and company founding story 05:01 — Automating document routing and AI receptionist explained 07:26 — Technical challenges in live AI reception and solutions 12:54 — Demo: Automated referral and appointment workflow 19:48 — Vision for broader healthcare workflow automation 22:06 — What Facere AI will and won’t automate in healthcare Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website. If you’re enjoying the show and want access to exclusive healthtech discussions, meetups, and member-only content, you can learn more about becoming a THT+ Solo Member here: talkinghealth.tech/solo_shownotes And if this episode was useful, leaving a review or sharing it with someone in the industry always helps.
#637
September 23 · 34 min· Video
637 - The Future of Traceability in CSSD: RFID, Compliance, and Global Practices
In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Violeta Addamo, founder and managing director at WHITECAT, and David Bellamy, vice president for the World Federation of Hospital Sterilisation Services and president of the New South Wales Sterilisation Research and Advisory Council of Australia. Violeta shares how her path into healthtech began in environmental science before moving through dental and surgical sales, eventually leading to the founding of WHITECAT six years ago, built on CareTag, a Danish RFID system for surgical instrument management. David brings his standing as a recognised industry leader in sterilisation through his role representing the WFHSS on the global stage. The conversation explores the challenges and advancements in surgical instrument traceability, the implementation of RFID technology in sterilisation departments, compliance with unique device identification (UDI) requirements, and global practices in healthtech for instrument management The episode also covers how Central Sterile Services Departments (CSSD) manage the cleaning, sterilisation, and tracking of surgical instruments, and the risks that arise when these processes rely on manual systems such as paper logs and barcode scanning. It also looks at how RFID and real-time location systems are being trialled to improve visibility across the instrument lifecycle, reduce search times, and support faster responses to sterility breaches or recalls. Further topics include the regulatory landscape shaping instrument management in Australia and abroad, including requirements set by the Therapeutic Goods Administration and the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards, as well as comparisons with practices in Europe and emerging trials across Asia. The discussion closes with a look at what these advancements mean for the future of surgical safety and hospital efficiency. Key Takeaways 🛠 The importance of surgical instrument traceability for both patient safety and operational efficiency in healthcare settings 📡 The evolution and adoption of RFID technology for real-time tracking of surgical instruments, including the limitations of traditional data matrix approaches 📝 The introduction of UDI requirements in Australia and the implications for compliance and traceability in sterilisation processes 🔄 How digitisation and technology reduce manual effort, errors, and the time required to handle equipment recalls 🌏 A comparison of global approaches to sterilisation and traceability, highlighting differences in technology adoption between Australia, Europe, and the USA Timestamps 00:00 - Introductions and guest backgrounds 02:06 - Real-time location tracking and RFID in surgical instruments 05:03 - Traceability challenges and compliance requirements 09:01 - RFID vs data matrix for instrument-level tracking 10:47 - UDI compliance and future standards 15:40 - Manual vs digital recall management 22:51 - Global perspectives and best practices Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website. If you’re enjoying the show and want access to exclusive healthtech discussions, meetups, and member-only content, you can learn more about becoming a THT+ Solo Member here: talkinghealth.tech/solo_shownotes And if this episode was useful, leaving a review or sharing it with someone in the industry always helps.
#636
September 21 · 30 min· Video
636 - From Trial to Mainstream: Remote Patient Monitoring's Rise in Australian Healthcare
In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Craig Simmonds, CEO & Founder of Propell, about the growth and acceptance of remote patient monitoring devices in Australian healthcare. Together, they cover the mainstreaming of virtual care, future directions for device technology, and the practical challenges and opportunities in rolling out devices like iHealth across hospital and home care. They discuss what's driving hospitals to move beyond pilot programmes and treat remote monitoring as a core part of everyday care, including how NSW Health's rollout of iHealth devices is shaping the way patients with chronic disease or post-acute needs are supported at home. The conversation also covers the shift from episodic, patient-initiated checks toward continuous physiological monitoring, along with the importance of integrating patient data with hospital systems for real-time clinical intervention. It also looks at how services are working to close the digital divide by providing patients with fully set-up devices and tablets. Craig shares insights from his experience navigating TGA approval, funding models across different states, and what it takes to keep programmes focused on genuine clinical outcomes rather than technology for its own sake. Key Takeaways 🩺 NSW Health's large-scale adoption of iHealth devices is a major shift towards mainstream remote patient monitoring in hospital-in-the-home programs 💡 Clinical accuracy and integration with hospital systems are critical for monitoring devices, distinguishing them from general consumer wearables 📱 Simplicity, usability, and clinical reliability are fundamental criteria when selecting and deploying health monitoring devices 🔋 New devices such as Vital Patch are enabling continuous, real-time monitoring of key vitals like ECG and respiration rate 🌏 The adoption of virtual care and remote monitoring is accelerating nationwide, not just in rural/remote locations but also in metropolitan settings Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction to Craig Simmonds and Propell 05:45 - NSW Health iHealth device rollout 07:37 - Core measurements: vital signs at home 10:43 - Data integration and real-time hospital alerts 13:30 - Funding and logistics for device programs 16:27 - Usability and support for patients 21:08 - Future: continuous devices and the Vital Patch Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website. If you’re enjoying the show and want access to exclusive healthtech discussions, meetups, and member-only content, you can learn more about becoming a THT+ Solo Member here: talkinghealth.tech/solo_shownotes And if this episode was useful, leaving a review or sharing it with someone in the industry always helps.
#635
September 16 · 30 min· Video
635 - Vital Signs Monitoring Reimagined: Predictive, Not Detective, and Ahead of the Alarm
In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Andy Hurt, Head of Strategic Accounts at Ericom, and Sam Yang, Co-founder and CEO at Xandar Kardian. The discussion focuses on contactless, continuous vital signs monitoring using impulse ultra-wideband radar technology, exploring how this approach differs from traditional wearables, cameras, and threshold-based alarm systems. The conversation covers practical applications in health and aged care, palliative care, mental health, and correctional settings, along with regulatory considerations such as FDA and TGA clearance. Andy and Sam discuss data-driven care models, the role of individualised patient baselines, and how longitudinal data can reveal deterioration days before it becomes clinically apparent. They also touch on the cost and system-wide benefits of early detection, the importance of integrating this technology into existing clinical workflows, and its emerging potential in low-resource and global health settings. Throughout, the episode highlights the impact of predictive baseline data on prioritising clinical resources and improving patient outcomes. Key Takeaways 🔎 Contactless radar-based monitoring addresses privacy and compliance issues found with cameras and wearables 🩺 Continuous monitoring provides longitudinal health data to inform clinical workflows and early intervention 💡 The technology assists rather than replaces clinicians, supporting prioritisation and proactive care 🌏 Regulatory approvals in multiple countries, including FDA (US) and TGA (Australia), underpin adoption 🚑 Early detection reduces hospital admissions, ambulance use, and overall costs, with use cases in remote and resource-limited environments Timestamps 02:31 - Radar-based, contactless health monitoring explained 07:02 - Clinical and aged care use cases 11:06 - Early intervention and POBC method 13:00 - Regulatory pathways and global expansion 14:50 - Impact on healthcare system and cost savings 18:51 - Handling alarm fatigue and baseline deviations 22:34 - Integration into health facility workflows 25:15 - Broader global and low-resource applications Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website. If you’re enjoying the show and want access to exclusive healthtech discussions, meetups, and member-only content, you can learn more about becoming a THT+ Solo Member here: talkinghealth.tech/solo_shownotes. And if this episode was useful, leaving a review or sharing it with someone in the industry always helps.
#634
September 14 · 33 min· Video
634 - Smart Summaries and Real-World Evidence: How HEALWELL AI is Supporting Clinicians
In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Aaron Leibtag, Co Founder of Pentavere, now part of HEALWELL AI (TSX: AIDX), where he is Global Health Systems Leader. The conversation covers Aaron Leibtag's transition from finance to healthtech, the founding story of Pentavere, a HEALWELL AI company, how AI technology is being leveraged to improve healthcare data utilisation, the practical impact of these solutions in real health settings, and what partnerships with organisations like Orion Health mean for the future of health systems in Australia and beyond. Aaron explains why roughly 80% of existing health data sits unused, buried in free-text notes, referral letters and PDFs that analytics and decision-support tools rarely reach. He walks through how Pentavere's DARWEN™ AI engine works, using natural language processing to read and interpret that material and build summaries that reflect the judgement of clinical experts, with full source document verification so clinicians can trust what they are seeing. The discussion also looks at the SMARTSummary powered by DARWEN™ AI pilot delivered with Canada Health Infoway and integrated directly into the EMR, alongside close to eighty real-world evidence studies run across Canada, the United States, Europe and the Middle East. From there, the conversation turns to the ethics, privacy and governance questions that come with deploying AI in clinical settings. Peter and Aaron close on what Australia's existing health information exchanges make possible, why medical error and missed screenings remain such costly problems, and why solving the basics matters more than chasing the next breakthrough. Key Takeaways 🩺 The majority of documented healthcare data remains unused, with AI technology now helping to extract and utilise this information for patient benefit 🌏 Implementation of AI-driven real-world evidence studies is already underway in countries including Canada, the US, Europe, the Middle East, and Australia ⏱️ AI tools that summarise patient data significantly reduce clinician administrative load and improve accuracy in patient care decisions 🔒 Ethical, secure, and compliant deployment of AI in healthcare is a global priority, with regions like Europe leading on policy frameworks 🤝 Partnerships with organisations like Orion Health are helping accelerate access, interoperability, and clinical utility of healthcare data in Australia and globally Timestamps 00:01 — Introduction & guest background 03:01 — Why healthcare data is underutilised 05:10 — Real-world AI implementations 07:57 — Immediate and long-term impact of solutions 15:06 — Clinician-level AI tools 21:10 — Orion Health’s role in the Australian context Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website. If you’re enjoying the show and want access to exclusive healthtech discussions, meetups, and member-only content, you can learn more about becoming a THT+ Solo Member here: talkinghealth.tech/solo_shownotes And if this episode was useful, leaving a review or sharing it with someone in the industry always helps.
#633
September 9 · 33 min· Video
633 - Smarter Rosters: How HosPortal Is Using AI to Ease Clinical Scheduling Complexity
In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Dr Chris Jones, Founder and Clinical Director at HosPortal, about the evolution of clinical rostering in Australian healthcare, the integration of AI in medical workforce management, and shifts in work-life balance for healthcare practitioners. The discussion covers how HosPortal is addressing the complex challenges of scheduling across diverse medical craft groups, the impact of digital transformation on hospital operations, and the growing importance of customisable solutions and ongoing user support. HosPortal has been rebuilt from a clean slate and has roughly doubled in capability, and the software now runs across every state in Australia, covering anaesthesia, emergency departments, radiology, junior medical doctors and radiographers. Chris explains why the current build focus is junior doctor term placement, a problem most hospitals are still solving with survey forms and spreadsheets, and how the team designs for complexity they have not been told about yet. The conversation also gets into where AI genuinely earns its place inside clinical software. Chris describes agents that turn a plain-language description of a rostering rule into a working rule, and agents that do the task rather than point users at a help file. He shares his view that diagnostic radiology will be fully replaced by AI within five years, along with the ten-times-better test he applies to it, and paints a picture of an emergency department avatar that is endlessly patient and never tired. Underneath all of it sits a point about people. Chris argues that doctors working fewer hours with better supervision is a net good for clinicians and patients alike, and that the real cost of fatigue is doctors who quietly stop caring. Key Takeaways 🩺 The complexity of clinical rostering is growing, driven by specialist requirements, junior doctor preferences, and a broader focus on work-life balance. 💻 A major rebuild of Hosportal's platform has enabled greater customisation, scalability, and more sophisticated automation across Australian hospitals. 🤖 AI is playing an increasing role in both automating roster construction and making the system easier for end-users to interact with, including the use of natural language agents. 🧠 There has been a cultural shift in healthcare, with greater attention on clinician mental health and safer working hours, positively impacting staff and patient safety. 🌏 The future roadmap for Hosportal includes continued AI integration, product refinement, and expansion beyond Australia into new international markets. Timestamps 00:00 - Hosportal introduction & background 02:27 - Rostering problems & user experience 04:13 - Shifting work-life balance for doctors 07:17 - Customisation and customer-driven solutions 11:30 - AI features & natural language tools 13:44 - AI's role in the future of healthcare 31:04 - Roadmap and international expansion Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website. If you’re enjoying the show and want access to exclusive healthtech discussions, meetups, and member-only content, you can learn more about becoming a THT+ Solo Member here: talkinghealth.tech/solo_shownotes And if this episode was useful, leaving a review or sharing it with someone in the industry always helps.
#632
August 31 · 27 min· Video
632 - Connected Care Beyond the Postcode: Breaking Down Australia's Digital Health Silos
In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Peter O'Halloran from the Australian Digital Health Agency, and Farhoud Salimi and Dr Monica Trujillo from Telstra Health, about the current state and future of interoperability in Australian healthcare. The discussion covers why seamless data sharing is crucial, how policy, technology, and consumer expectations are driving change, and the evolving roles of national infrastructure like My Health Record. The group unpacks how the shift from paper to digital created a new problem, with information locked inside systems built for a single hospital, practice or specialty. They talk through the real cost of that fragmentation, from repeated tests and retold medical histories to the harm that occurs when clinicians do not have what they need at the point of care. The episode closes on what success looks like by 2030, including a future where interoperability is no longer a talking point, data simply arrives inside the workflow, and connected care reaches rural and regional Australia as reliably as it does the capital cities. Key Takeaways 💡 The priority now is not convincing stakeholders of the need for interoperability but implementing practical solutions for data sharing in healthcare 💡 Modernising "classic" or legacy systems is a major challenge, but new platforms are being built with interoperability and patient-centricity at their core 💡 Consumer expectations are rapidly evolving, with an increasing demand for immediate access to health information and digital-enabled care 💡 My Health Record has shifted from being a basic repository to becoming central infrastructure, supporting real-time, secure, and routine data sharing 💡 Incorrect or incomplete health data, particularly when combined with AI, can lead to safety risks, reinforcing the need for better standards and data quality Timestamps 00:00: Introduction & framing the interoperability challenge 01:09: Evolution and urgency for healthcare data sharing 03:07: Patient impact and consumer stories 08:47: Practical use cases and technology improvements 12:48: Urgency, burning platforms, and risks of inaction 19:02: The role and future of My Health Record 22:52: Interoperability at Telstra Health and industry collaboration Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website. If you’re enjoying the show and want access to exclusive healthtech discussions, meetups, and member-only content, you can learn more about becoming a THT+ Solo Member here: talkinghealth.tech/solo_shownotes And if this episode was useful, leaving a review or sharing it with someone in the industry always helps.
#631
August 26 · 24 min· Video
631 - AI, Workforce Enablement, and Women in Leadership: Highlights from HIC2026
In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Dr Rae Donovan, Chief Clinical Information Officer at e-Health Queensland, Professor Peter Steel, Associate Dean of Digital Health and Informatics at the University of Melbourne and Chief Transformation Officer at Royal Melbourne Hospital, and Anita Ghose, Founder and CEO of inventiveX, at HIC 2026, hosted by the Australasian Institute of Digital Health. Recorded on the sidelines of the conference, the conversation brings together perspectives from frontline clinical practice, academic leadership, and industry innovation, offering a well-rounded look at where Australia's digital health sector is heading. The discussion covers digital health innovation, advancing clinical AI in Australia, workforce enablement, women in digital leadership, and the ongoing transformation of healthcare through technology-driven collaboration. The conversation also touches on the gap between technical ambition and everyday clinical reality, including how outdated hospital systems and clunky electronic medical records continue to shape the day-to-day experience of clinicians. Together, the guests unpack what it takes to modernise ageing hospital systems, build local expertise in clinical AI, and create lasting pathways for women in digital health careers, drawing on real experience from the clinic floor, the university, and the boardroom. Key Takeaways 💡 Workforce enablement in digital health involves not just technical training, but supporting ongoing learning, retention, and the evolution of clinical workflows with new technologies. 💡 Clinical AI development in Australia needs hubs or ecosystems of excellence to concentrate capabilities and deliver region-wide benefits, rather than isolated innovation. 💡 Women remain underrepresented in tech roles, and programs focused on digital health leadership can bridge gaps through mentoring, networking, and targeted initiatives. 💡 Technology in healthcare must evolve beyond digitising paper processes to provide more intuitive, AI-enabled, and context-aware support for clinicians. 💡 Networks, global connections, and sponsorship are critical for developing future leadership and sustaining momentum in digital health transformation. Timestamps 00:00 - Peter Birch | Episode introduction and HIC overview 00:33 - Dr. Rae Donovan | Workforce enablement & networking 07:58 - Professor Peter Steel | Clinical AI innovation & hubs 13:42 - Anita Ghose | Women in Digital Health Leadership Program 19:54 - Anita Ghose | Mentoring and legacy networks Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website. If you’re enjoying the show and want access to exclusive healthtech discussions, meetups, and member-only content, you can learn more about becoming a THT+ Solo Member here: talkinghealth.tech/solo_shownotes And if this episode was useful, leaving a review or sharing it with someone in the industry always helps.
August 18 · 1 min· Video
Welcome to Talking HealthTech: Connecting Doers and Builders in Healthcare Technology
Talking HealthTech (THT) is Australia's leading media company for health tech conversations, connecting decision-makers, innovators and doers across the healthcare industry. Hosted by Peter Birch, our weekly podcast features conversations with the brightest minds in healthcare innovation from around the world. Alongside the show, we run a newsletter, active social channels and a comprehensive glossary of digital health terms, so you've got one place to stay across the industry. *THT+ Community* Our safe space for the doers and builders in health tech to connect, learn and grow. Members get access to our community platform, live online meetups, exclusive content, partner discounts and other member-only benefits. Join at talkinghealthtech.com/thtplus *THT Productions* Our production arm helps healthcare organisations tell stories that spark real change, through customer testimonials, product showcases, workflow explainers and documentaries. *Company Partnerships* Want to get your organisation in front of the health tech community? Our partnership tiers include a feature podcast episode, directory listing, community seats and more. See what's included: talkinghealthtech.com/partners *About Pete* Peter Birch has spent his career in healthcare operations, from running GP clinics and global medical assistance centres to being first hire at multiple health tech startups. He now sits on the boards of industry groups and health tech companies, bringing that experience into every conversation on the show. Timestamps: 0:00 Welcome to Talking HealthTech - podcast, newsletter, social and glossary 0:22 THT+ Community: our space for health tech doers and builders 0:41 THT Productions: video storytelling for healthcare 1:03 About Pete: from GP clinics to health tech startups 1:32 Real conversations that improve patient outcomes 1:47 Subscribe, follow and join the newsletter 🔗 Website: talkinghealthtech.com 🔗 Media kit: talkinghealthtech.com/mediakit 🔗 Join THT+ Community: talkinghealthtech.com/thtplus 🔗 Partner with us: talkinghealthtech.com/partners #HealthTech #DigitalHealth #HealthcareInnovation #HealthcarePodcast #HealthTechAustralia
#630
August 12 · 58 min· Video
630 - Beyond Dashboards: How Command Centres Enable Real-Time Hospital Operations
In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Manuel Pérez Vallina, former CIO in the Spanish health system, Femi Ladega, Group Chief Digital Officer at Dedalus, and Dr Vinod Seetharaman, Chief Medical Officer for Dedalus in Australia and New Zealand. The discussion covers the evolution of hospital command centres, the shift from using dashboards for retrospective data towards enabling proactive, real-time operational decisions, and how these changes impact clinical workflows and patient outcomes across different health systems. Recorded live, the conversation draws on experience building one of Spain's first hospital command centres alongside lessons from health systems in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. The panel unpacks why familiar pressures such as underused operating theatres, growing waiting lists and bed shortages appear so consistently across borders, and what separates a command centre from a wall of screens. Along the way, they examine the four principles that determine whether the model delivers real change, the cultural and governance work that sits behind the technology, the role artificial intelligence can play in filtering meaningful signals, and the practical first steps for organisations weighing up where to begin. Key Takeaways 🚑 Hospital command centres enable real-time, actionable insights beyond traditional dashboards, improving operational efficiency and patient care. 🛠️ Implementing command centre solutions requires aligning technology, organisational culture, and governance to drive sustained change. 📊 Demonstrating value and securing investment means clearly defining the use case, limiting initial project scope, and engaging stakeholders early. ⚡ Effective change management and clinician engagement are crucial for successful adoption and maximising impact. 🌐 Challenges and solutions discussed are common globally, but must be tailored to local healthcare system maturity and needs. Timestamps 00:00 - Episode introduction & topic overview 03:42 - Manuel Pérez Vallina on Spain’s command centre journey 05:55 - Femi Ladega: Global perspectives and data orchestration 08:29 - Dr Vinod Seetharaman on capacity management challenges 10:26 - Command centres vs. dashboards 19:02 - Clinical benefits and flow management 22:13 - Stakeholder engagement and return on investment 32:07 - Real-world impacts and cascading benefits 39:48 - Implementation challenges and change management 48:59 - Integrating AI, primary care, and data governance 53:45 - Final advice for hospital leaders Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website. If you’re enjoying the show and want access to exclusive healthtech discussions, meetups, and member-only content, you can learn more about becoming a THT+ Solo Member here: talkinghealth.tech/solo_shownotes And if this episode was useful, leaving a review or sharing it with someone in the industry always helps.
#629
August 5 · 24 min· Video
629 - RingCentral: Cloud Migration, AI and the Future of Voice Communications in Australia
In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Steve Saunders, Healthcare Principle at RingCentral, about what is really at stake for Australian healthcare organisations still running on legacy phone systems and why the move to cloud-based communications is becoming increasingly urgent. They cover the risks of relying on ageing PABX infrastructure, the barriers that slow down migration decisions and how a modular, evolutionary approach to modernisation can reduce risk and build confidence across an organisation. The conversation also gets into the role of AI and automation in transforming how healthcare manages calls, appointments and patient interactions, as well as the critical importance of data sovereignty, privacy and security when moving to cloud-based platforms. Steve shares why voice remains the most important communication channel in healthcare, why general-purpose tools are not built for clinical environments, and what healthcare leaders should look for when choosing a long-term technology partner rather than a one-off supplier. For more information check out RingCentral at www.talkinghealthtech.com/ringcentral Have a question about this episode? Reach out directly to Steve: Steve Saunders Healthcare Principle | RingCentral 📞 +61-2-9157-6831 ✉️ Steve.saunders@ringcentral.com Key Takeaways 📞 Voice communication remains the number one application in healthcare, with unique requirements compared to other sectors. ☁️ Healthcare is at a crossroads, moving away from legacy on-premise PABX phone systems towards resilient, cloud-based communications platforms. 🤖 AI tools are being used for pre-interaction triage, live transcription, translation, and post-call analytics to improve efficiency and patient experience. 🛡 Data sovereignty and security are top priorities, with strict compliance with Australian regulations and onshore data processing for AI. 🔄 Major barriers for adoption are fear of change and complacency, not just competition from other vendors. Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction & guest background 00:37 - Why voice is critical in healthcare 03:41 - Unique challenges for healthcare phone systems 07:31 - Transitioning from legacy to cloud 11:25 - AI & efficiency in communications 16:25 - Data sovereignty & security 18:39 - Industry landscape & barriers to change 22:09 - Advice for healthcare providers Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website. If you’re enjoying the show and want access to exclusive healthtech discussions, meetups, and member-only content, you can learn more about becoming a THT+ Solo Member here: talkinghealth.tech/solo_shownotes And if this episode was useful, leaving a review or sharing it with someone in the industry always helps.
#628
July 29 · 30 min· Video
628 - Smart Health Asia Insights: Technology, Collaboration, and Healthcare's Future in Asia
In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Madhu Sasidhar, CEO and President of Apollo Hospitals, Luciano Bristia, Asia Pacific Business Lead at InterSystems, and Kym Chua, Executive Director of Messe Berlin Asia Pacific. The discussion covers healthcare system challenges, digital transformation, AI adoption, workforce shortages, regional collaboration, and what it takes to drive innovation across Asia-Pacific health sectors. The conversation explores how AI is easing pressure on clinicians, from assisting radiologists with scans to helping nurses pull up patient information faster. It also touches on the urban and rural divide in access to care, Indonesia's push for a unified national health record, the importance of adapting solutions to local markets rather than adopting them outright, and how sustainability is shaping infrastructure decisions across the region. This episode was recorded during Smart Health Asia in Singapore, an event that brought together over 3,000 participants from 18 countries. It features interviews and observations captured during the event, highlighting perspectives from senior leaders, technology providers, and event organisers. Key Takeaways 🩺 Access to healthcare and technology is a significant challenge in India and Southeast Asia, with urban-rural divides and workforce shortages affecting service delivery. 🤖 AI and digital technologies are being leveraged for efficiency gains, assisting with diagnostics (radiology, stroke, colonoscopy) and reducing clinician workload. 🌏 Regional health challenges and solutions differ greatly; mature markets like Australia and Japan contrast with fast-growing, young populations in Indonesia and Southeast Asia. 💡 Collaboration across healthcare providers, policymakers, and technology vendors is seen as essential for scalable, effective innovation. 🔥 Initiatives like Indonesia's "Satu Sehat" (One Health) aim to create nationwide health records, especially targeting preventive care as a strategy for future public health management. Timestamps 00:00 - Event Introduction: Smart Health Asia 00:48 - Madhu Sasidhar, CEO Apollo Hospitals 08:23 - Luciano Bristia, InterSystems, Asia Pacific 23:02 - Kym Chua, Event Organiser and Executive Director, Messe Berlin Asia Pacific Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website. If you’re enjoying the show and want access to exclusive healthtech discussions, meetups, and member-only content, you can learn more about becoming a THT+ Solo Member here: talkinghealth.tech/solo_shownotes And if this episode was useful, leaving a review or sharing it with someone in the industry always helps.

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