Change enablers

To achieve an inclusive, person-centred and sustainable health system through better connection, Australia needs the right policy, regulatory, funding and governance settings in place.

• Policy, regulatory and governance settings which incentivise collaboration across the digital health ecosystem and accelerate innovation. Commonwealth, state and territory funding agreements, including the Intergovernmental Agreement on National Digital Health 2023-2027, provide the opportunity for agile funding to achieve national digital health reforms and support the rapidly changing digital health environment.
• Policy and regulatory settings that increase digital literacy and help healthcare providers and consumers confidently adopt and use digital health to support better access to, and use of, affordable digital health solutions.
• Policy settings that mandate the capture of information in My Health Record to improve efficiency through reduced duplication of referrals, tests and follow-up appointments. Additional policy settings, including agreed standards and governance systems, which encourage investment, development and further innovation in digital health.

Healthcare is increasingly moving to ‘anywhere, anytime’ service provision, a shift supported by digitally enabled models of care that place people at the centre of their healthcare experience. 

• Digital infrastructure that is modernised to support quality care, connecting providers and enabling access and sharing of the right information at the right time.
• Digital solutions that are easy to use, integrated seamlessly with clinical workflows and are fit for-purpose, ensuring clinical safety and quality, privacy and security.
• Collaboration between all partners and stakeholders in the digital health ecosystem to ensure solutions are personalised and tailored to specific needs and circumstances.

Equitably connecting consumers with accessible health services when and where they need them relies on a digitally engaged, confident and equipped workforce that embraces digital healthcare solutions.

• Investing time and resources in training and digital adoption to achieve workforce efficiencies.
• Developing flexible and scalable solutions, drawing on states’ and territories’ existing processes and applying digital solutions that enable the mobility of trainees across settings and borders.
• Embedding digital health capability building across all health professions, including throughout all health and care education, training and accreditation.

Digital health literacy is a combination of health literacy – being able to understand and apply the health information provided to individuals – and digital literacy – being able to understand and apply digital tools.

• Building widespread and confident digital health literacy in all parts of the community and health workforce to support them to participate fully and equitably in the future of digital health.
• Improving health literacy through interventions and programs targeted and tailored to specific population groups. 
• Providing opportunities for consumers to manage their health proactively and access the care they need.