Open Labs Series: Transforming Health

New players, new opportunities, new challenges. The rise of tech companies in health.

Transforming health is the Health Transformation Lab’s speculative series presenting a set of discussions, and other dialogue, on the next frontier of health. Using our Open Labs format we will curate this exciting series via individual sessions whereby like-minded people can discuss, debate, share, and propose original and fresh insights. 

Technology has always been intertwined with health. From vaccines to x-rays, from prosthetics to antibiotics, new technological advancements had usually opened new possibilities in health practices, diagnosis, and treatments. But now, new actors are promising a revolution never seen before in the healthcare landscape. Tech companies are radically reshaping the whole healthcare space. 

In our second session we will explore the transformations and shifts catalysed by the rise of tech companies in the healthcare sector. We will focus in discussing the ethical and regulatory considerations for tech companies in healthcare, the different perspectives on this shifting landscape – from start-ups to big tech companies, and what does this mean for innovation in terms of new opportunities to boost inclusion, diversity, and accessibility.

Join us and an exciting line-up of speakers who will provide perspectives from large tech companies, start-ups, and behavioural and regulatory experts.

Karen Tindall is Principal Advisor at the Behavioural Insights Team, focusing on domestic violence, community resilience, health, and charitable giving. She holds a PhD in Political Science from the Australian National University, in the field of public sector crisis management. She is also Adjunct Associate Professor at the Institute for Governance & Policy Analysis, University of Canberra, where she teaches the behavioural insights component of the Economic Policy Analysis graduate program.

Georgia Downing & Charles Aitken are both GPs and founders of the MedTech start-up Gild, a cloud-based software solution, which allows healthcare providers to charge the patient only the gap amount. By managing the Medicare billing and distributing this directly to the practitioner, the payment technology enables a low, fixed fee solution for patients, allowing same day payments to patients, clinics and providers.

Steve Caddies leads Cisco’s healthcare business in Victoria, he has been involved in a variety of projects including new hospital builds, telehealth projects, cyber incident responses and more recently, assisting health services adapting to the new ICT requirements for COVID-19. He has over 20 years’ experience working in numerous multinational corporations focusing on the health care and emergency services ICT sectors.

Professor Penelope Weller teaches Administrative Law, Human Rights Law, Jurisprudence and Innovative Justice. She is Chair of the College of Business Human Research Ethics Advisory Network and Deputy Chair of the University Human Ethics Committee at RMIT University. Penny’s research explores the boundaries between health, government and business. Penny is an internationally recognised expert on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities with special interests in its application to health and mental health law.

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Acknowledgement of country: RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.

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