We are in a rapidly changing and complex environment.

Across every aspect of healthcare, the common theme

that connects the ecosystem together is that the future

of health is technology.

There is so much excitement around where technology is

going and how the industry is transforming, all with the

patient at the centre. In addition to technology attributes

such as deep insights, agility, innovation and collaboration

are becoming key trends in the realisation of the future of

healthcare.

To realise the future, we need to look more into four main

areas; technology, data science, the new workforce, and

digital disruption.

The opportunities in gaining insight from real time big

data and remote monitoring offer proven value including

improved patient quality of life, consistent connectivity with

patient and caregivers, better symptom control, greater

adherence to treatment, fewer hospital stays (planned and

unplanned), fewer nursing home admissions in the elderly,

insights into disease patterns for intervention and care

management, and decreased overall costs to the health

system. There are challenges though, with the rate of

growth in this area HTA agencies and Payers are still looking

into real world evidence guidelines and reimbursement

structures for wearable technologies.

The future of technology includes virtual reality replacing

pain relief, medical decision making via AI, precision

medicine through pharmacy-genomics, augmented reality

for impactful patient information, apps sending continuous

messages and data. Using digital techniques to reach

remote patients, improving compliance to medicine and

help the patient directly are advancing and proving to be

successful.

TECHNOLOGY

Technology and Cyber Security go hand in hand. Cyber

resilience is a hot topic for 2019. Cybersecurity as health

technology evolves, will become a top strategy priority in

healthcare business plans. The growth and investment on

digital and technology needs to match with the focus and

investment to cyber security to ensure safety, growth and

better outcomes.

TRENDS IN HEALTHCARE FOR 2019

THE EXPANSION OF WEARABLE

TECHNOLOGIES IN HEALTHCARE IS CREATING BOTH

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

CYBER SAFETY

SHOULD BE AN INVESTMENT

NOT A COST AND PART OF

EVERYONE’S BUSINESS PLANNING

Australia is recognised globally for our leading healthcare

ecosystem, but we can do much more to promote

healthcare as a career path and communicate more

effectively with each other and the general public to raise

more awareness.

With the changing dynamic and skills set there is an

increasing demand for flexible and remote working, to

attract and retain the diverse generational workforce,

requiring leaders and businesses to consider the way they

collaborate and communicate with their workforce. The

implementation of digital technology has improved the

ability for workforces to work in different settings, but

this has created a gap in personal engagement and human

interaction.

As digital and technology expands so does the need for

collaboration, communication, and engagement. Emotional

intelligence will become a key driver in organisations

from the selection of new employees, job interviews and

induction to the ongoing performance engagement of

employees.

Internal and external collaboration and advocacy are

key. Communicating, sharing ideas, listening and solving

problems together, all with the best interest of the patient.

This reinforces that the future of health is technology and

people working together, sharing information, expanding

support networks, streamlining processes, tailoring and

personalising health management plans, connecting care-

givers, family and friends, the patient and the specialists.

DATA SCIENCE

PRODUCING THE NEW WORKFORCE

Innovation is happening daily but the infrastructure

surrounding it isn’t necessarily keeping up. We are

experiencing an influx of data from clinical trials, wearable

technology, medical apps, and social media. The data is

giving us a lot of valuable information but we are still in the

process of figuring out how to interpret the information

and what to do with it. With the spike in data there is a

greater demand for data scientists, health informatics and

mathematicians, to communicate the insights from the data.

We are not there yet but we are on the right path to bridging

the gap between information and knowledge to encourage

further innovation.

The workforce is evolving just as much as technology is.

Now, we have 4 generations within the workforce including

baby boomers (1946-1964), gen X (1965-1976), gen Y/

millennials (1977-1997), gen Z (1997- ). Now, more than ever,

we have a blend of wisdom and digital innovation that is

creating a strength in diversity of thinking, which in turn

encourages collaboration, innovation and education.

WE NOW NEED TO WORK ON TURNING

THE INFORMATION WE ARE GATHERING INTO

VALUABLE KNOWLEDGE THAT WE CAN USE

TO IMPROVE PATIENT OUTCOMES

AUSTRALIA IS

RECOGNISED GLOBALLY FOR

OUR LEADING HEALTHCARE ECOSYSTEM

WITH THIS DIVERSITY COMES A NEED

TO LEAD, EDUCATE AND ENCOURAGE HIGHER

LEVELS OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

With the new skills needed at a great rate and a skill

shortage there is a dramatic increase in contracting,

with a focus specifically on subject matter experts

adding immediate, short term project-based expertise

to companies. This is seen predominantly in IT and data

science areas of organisations.

Long term strategies that are a focus more so than ever

before are graduate programs. Businesses are working

closely with universities to encourage new skills and

mindsets to the business. Mathematicians, data scientists

and digitally advanced graduates. Businesses are offering

programs to attract and retain graduates with the offering

to mentor and offer career opportunities.

The digital world is being embraced and people are learning

rapidly on how digital technology can change how we

care and support in healthcare as well as aid a company to

achieve their goals. Leaders are embracing it and employing

a new generation of workforce to take our learnings to

another level. To compliment the new era of workforce the

need for mentorship, specifically in emotional intelligence,

is at its height.

We are in exciting times, leveraging wisdom and innovation

and encouraging collaboration and education will take the

Australian workforce to great success.

THE BALANCE OF DIGITAL AND PHYSICAL WILL

BE A CONTINUED TOPIC IN 2019

2019 WILL RE-CALIBRATE THE BALANCE OF

DIGITAL AND HUMAN IN THE WORKFORCE AS MUCH

AS WITH THE CUSTOMER AND END USER

DIGITAL DISRUPTION CONTINUES

WE NEED TO ADAPT TO SURVIVE

TECHNOLOGY IS ADVANCING

AND EVOLVING, DIGITAL STRATEGIES ARE

BECOMING MORE COURAGEOUS

AND CHALLENGING THE STATUS QUO

DIGITAL DISRUPTION

Digital disruption is a key driver for customer engagement

encouraging real time and consistent connectivity. There

is information at the touch of a button which is powerful

and exciting creating more knowledge and consequently

confidence, for the customer and end user.

“Phygital” is a term gaining traction highlighting the

need and significance of human interaction and digital

interaction. The balance of digital and physical to engage

and communicate to change behaviours, promote a

product or service and raise awareness. In healthcare, face

to face and over the phone engagement is still needed and

encouraged through customer facing positions.

The magic mix of physical face to face contact and digital

marketing giving the customers a seamless and integrated

customer experience. Engagement will evolve to advocacy

and data will be the driving force behind the conversations

and interactions.

Our health system is an asset that we need to invest in.

When we collaborate, we innovate. Diversity in thinking will

encourage a new era of the workforce and enhance how we

are already embracing technology.

SUMMARY

to knowledge giving them confidence and security in a

vulnerable time in their lives. There is consequently a need

for more collaboration and education with internal and

external stakeholders to then develop ideas and implement

them to improve patient outcomes, in real time.

With the patient being more empowered we have seen a

greater use of social media channels to educate, collaborate

and support other patients and carers. To speak with others

to make sense of the information that is readily available

to them. Our industry is needing to be more courageous,

targeted, relevant and personalised and embrace social

media for the patient experience. The empowered

patient is the patient that bridges the gap of information

We are already unlocking the potential of Australian

Healthcare innovation.

PATIENTS ARE MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE

TODAY THAN EVER BEFORE

2019 IS AN EXCITING YEAR FOR HEALTHCARE.

PX (patient experience) is becoming more and more

about an integrated approach from all aspects of

healthcare including the HCP, hospitals, general practice

and healthcare companies working together for better

outcomes. Simplifying the user experience to encourage

consistent connectivity with care givers, medical specialists,

the patient, the support network and family including

remote monitoring and care.

For further discussion phone us on: SYDNEY 02 8877 8777 l MELBOURNE 03 9938 7100

Or visit hpgconnect.com

Vanessa MeikleDirector

Healthcare Professionals Group