Data-driven
Readily available data to inform decision making about individuals, communities and national issues.
Australia's healthcare system is embracing the potential of connected digital health platforms, laying the foundation for efficiency and responsiveness through improved data sharing, ultimately aimed at enhancing health outcomes.
The seamless exchange of health information across the system allows individuals and their healthcare providers to access a comprehensive overview of their health history, including details on conditions, past and present tests, and treatments. This commitment to data sharing facilitates more informed clinical decision-making, ensuring personalised and effective treatment plans based on individual circumstances.
This dedication to a data-driven health system also provides immediate benefits. Healthcare providers, policymakers, researchers, and government entities can leverage real-time national health data for specific communities and patient groups. These insights not only shape long-term policies and planning but also address urgent health issues, such as reducing unplanned hospitalisations and emergency department visits.
"Digital solutions should, on a micro level, improve personalised healthcare and, on a macro level, drive a more nuanced use of evidence to shape public health policy."
Healthcare provider – National Digital Health Survey 2021
Discover how it's all connected
The National Digital Health Strategy aims to achieve 4 outcomes for Australia’s health system. These outcomes are supported by 4 change enablers, which are necessary to drive consistent progress and realise the strategy in full.
The Strategy Delivery Roadmap outlines the scope, approach, governance, key inputs and partners that will contribute to delivering the strategy’s vision.
The roadmap highlights 12 priority areas, each containing initiatives undertaken by a lead and supported by partners, to achieve the strategy’s health outcomes.
Deliver a data-driven health system, ensuring readily available data informs decision making at the individual, community and national levels, contributing to a sustainable health system. Digital health tools unlock valuable information and data that can be shared, collated and analysed to provide evidence-based care, service delivery and policy design.
This outcome will be driven by all 4 National Digital Health Strategy change enablers:
- Policy and regulatory settings that cultivate digital health adoption, use and innovations.
- Secure, fit for purpose and connected digital solutions.
- A digitally ready and enabled health and wellbeing workforce.
- Informed, confident consumers and carers with strong digital health literacy.
The 3 key priority areas for the data-driven outcome are to:
- Use health information for research and public health purposes
- Plan for emerging data sources and technology, such as artificial intelligence, spatial data and genomics
- Monitor and evaluate outcomes and progress.
Digitally enabled
Creating health and wellbeing services that are connected, safe, secure and sustainable.
Person-centred
Ensuring Australians are empowered to look after their health and wellbeing and equipped with the right information and tools.
Inclusive
Providing Australians with equitable access to health services, when and where they need them.