Posted: 8 May 2023
“We simply cannot build a stronger Medicare without better realising the opportunities that digital health technologies open up for more efficient and collaborative healthcare.” – Mark Butler, National Press Club (2 May 2023).
The National Press Club Address this week by The Hon Mark Butler poses a long overdue, clear and present danger to the inertia that has plagued Australia’s healthcare system for decades.
In his wide-ranging address, Minister Butler took on many of the key challenges to maintaining our world class healthcare system, touching on health equity for first nations peoples, accessibility challenges for rural and remote populations, outdated digital infrastructure, interoperability and the need to create a system within Medicare that incentivises a more collaborative and cohesive approach to caring for those with complex, chronic conditions.
We commend the Government and Minister Butler for tackling what is an immensely complicated, and highly political issue.
$950 million invested into our digital and connected health infrastructure through the Australian Digital Health Agency and upgrades to MyHealth Record is a fundamental investment towards creating the foundations for a healthcare system of the future. The safe and secure sharing of patient data, with patients’ consent, is also a hallmark of a modern healthcare system.
In “The Creative Destruction of Medicine” Dr Eric Topol noted that the engaged patient would be the blockbuster drug of the century. Evidence-based digital health technologies, including digital therapeutics, patient engagement and remote patient management technologies, offer a new way of delivering significantly improved patient outcomes, whilst improving accessibility, equity, affordability and effectiveness of care.
To truly reform our health system, we must transform the way our healthcare is delivered. By harnessing the power of digital health, beyond electronic medical records and data sharing, into preventative and personalised medicine, connected point-of-care diagnostics, medication management and adherence, patient engagement, remote rehabilitation and remote monitoring, we can enable Australians to live longer, healthier lives.
There are emerging models to incentivise uptake of clinically proven digital health around the world. Whether it is the US CPT codes which reimburse clinicians reviewing the data from approved remote patient monitoring technologies, or the DiGA framework in Germany which reimburses digital therapeutics in a similar fashion to traditional biopharmaceuticals, there are clear examples of policy frameworks which can drive the deployment of digital health in a way which is meaningful for both patients and physicians.
In Australia, ANDHealth has worked with over 700 SMEs delivering cutting edge digital health interventions. Many of them cite difficulty in securing reimbursement and enterprise scale public procurement contracts, as key limiting factors in their ability to commercialise their products locally.
On behalf of all Australian digital health companies, we welcome Minister Butler’s willingness to take on these issues.
Many of the technologies that could benefit Australians, and deliver better care, in a more equitable, accessible and affordable way, are being developed right here at home.
We are excited about a future where our healthcare system is incentivised to utilise and deploy proven, evidence-based technologies as a key component of best practice care, and where the Australian public healthcare system is encouraged to consume the amazing innovation which Australia produces.
