By 2050, health workers will need to provide four times the current level of service to meet demand. They’re not ready, says the ACSALDH.
Australia’s healthcare workforce is no longer fit for purpose and must be “retooled” to face the digital health future despite being part of a sector that is “slow to adapt to change”, says the Australian Council of Senior Academic Leaders in Digital Health.
The ACSALDH was formed in July of 2024 by the Digital Health CRC from leaders of 37 founding member universities to “advance the application of digital technology, informatics and data science to health in Australia”.
In the latest issue of Australian Health Review, the ACSALDH launched its new action plan, comprising two domains, four action areas and 11 detailed steps.
“We need to acknowledge that our current workforce capabilities are no longer fit for purpose,” wrote the authors, led by Professor Clair Sullivan, chair of the ACSALDH and director of the Queensland Digital Health Centre.
“Our workforce needs to be progressively ‘retooled’ to face the future of health care in a technological and data science revolution and in a sector that is slow to adapt to change.
“The Council has two key actions: (1) support research and innovation that advances digital health principles and practices by advocating for digital health research and development funding, strategic partnerships, communication, standard setting and adoption of research-informed digital health; and (2) enable system transformation through evidence-based education and training to produce future-fit healthcare workers by advancing health workforce education that embeds digital health capability standards and ongoing learning.”
The council’s report named two major challenges.
“Despite over $950 million in federal investment for digital health innovation in the 2023–24 budget, there are critical limitations in storing and sharing health information for research; embracing emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence; and monitoring outcomes at scale,” wrote Sullivan et al.
“Dedicated funding for multidisciplinary digital health research and academic–industry collaboration is limited.”
The second challenge is related to the healthcare workforce.
“Australia’s health workers are not prepared for digital healthcare,” the authors wrote.
“By 2050, health workers will need to provide four times the current level of service to meet anticipated demands.”
Factors include a lack of interdisciplinary leadership in digital healthcare and an inability to “harness digital capabilities” for better patient care.
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“In total, 40% of healthcare providers identified inadequate training and education as a barrier to adopting digital technologies,” wrote Sullivan et al.
“Successful digital transformation of the health system requires investment in people, not just technology.
“There is often confusion between training and education when upskilling a healthcare workforce.”
The ACSALDH was collaborating with the Australian Digital Health Agency to embed digital health education into university degrees, as reported by HSD.
“The initiative involves the development of nationally standardised core topics and learning plans through wide engagement with higher education providers, healthcare stakeholders and digital health subject matter experts,” wrote Sullivan et al.
“These education resources can then be customised locally to be embedded within undergraduate health degree curriculum of individual universities.”
In its conclusion, the ACSALDH said it was “committed to providing strategic leadership and collective action to foster digital health advancements”.
“This coordinated effort, in partnership with others, aims to address key challenges for sustainable, equitable, high-quality health care for all Australians,” it concluded.
Read the full report here.