Key points
- The healthcare industry has seen significant technological advancements to support patient care
- Outdated legacy systems can impact service delivery, data quality and overall efficiency
- Leveraging connectable systems and optimising data management can help organisations optimise healthcare delivery
The healthcare industry has seen remarkable advancements in recent years, from the rise of telemedicine and electronic prescriptions to the development of health apps – revolutionising patient care. By improving accessibility and convenience, these innovations have created a more interconnected and patient-centred healthcare experience, that better meets the needs of communities
Despite these transformative changes, the day-to-day operational systems in many healthcare organisations have often been left behind. Too many organisations still rely on outdated legacy systems that hinder their efficiency and prevent full integration of new technologies into their businesses. Because of this, healthcare staff are forced to depend on manual, time-consuming processes, taking valuable time away from providing direct patient care.
Supporting national transformation
The importance of modernising healthcare systems is highlighted at a national level through the Australian Government’s National Digital Health Strategy. This strategy outlines how investment in technology and digital infrastructure is critical to supporting the ongoing healthcare transformation in Australia. However, for the strategy to be successful, the industry needs secure, connected systems that can adapt to the evolving demands of both healthcare providers and patients.
To be able to bring the strategy to life, healthcare organisations will need to prioritise adopting modern, connectable systems that support seamless data sharing, improve efficiency, and facilitate better patient outcomes. These investments will contribute to national objectives and also provide direct, tangible benefits to healthcare providers and their communities.
What can the health industry do?
Healthcare organisations can take several steps to support the shift towards a digitally enabled healthcare system:
- Review your current systems: Consider how well your systems are integrated — do they work together seamlessly or are you relying on manual processes or disconnected systems?
- Focus on systems that can work together: In today’s interconnected world, systems that don’t ‘talk’ to each other create silos, making it harder for healthcare providers to share information, collaborate, and make timely decisions. Investing in compatible systems is no longer just a nice-to-have—it’s essential for improving efficiency and delivering coordinated care.
- Evaluate your data collection practices: Healthcare organisations generate an enormous amount of data, but not all of it is useful. Are you collecting the right information to support decision-making or are you simply overwhelmed with irrelevant data? Ensure that there are controls in place to validate and clean the data. Using data validation, AI-powered tools, and automated processes can ensure the right data is available at the right time — leading to better insights and improved care delivery.
These steps can be tailored to organisations of all sizes. While the volume of data and the scope of systems may vary, leveraging connectable systems and optimising data management can benefit all healthcare providers.
Improving systems for greater efficiency
Sometimes, outsourcing to an expert is the most effective solution. At Pitcher Partners, our team of digital and data experts have worked with a range of clients to craft bespoke digital solutions to a range of data challenges.
For example, our experts recently partnered with a community health organisation to assess and improve the technology they use as part of their service delivery. To understand the current technological landscape and applications being used, our experts led workshops with nine different business areas. The workshops helped to map out the current architecture, pinpoint areas for improvement, and develop a set of recommendations to help the organisation achieve their operational goals. These recommendations focused on technical upgrades while also addressing people and processes- improving system knowledge and data quality across the organisation. Optimising the business technology processes meant improved service delivery, helping the organisation to better connect with the community.
The path to optimised delivery
Ultimately, investing in the right systems and data infrastructure will allow professionals from a wide range of industries, including healthcare, to provide excellent client service with more efficient tools and processes. This investment promotes greater accessibility, streamlines decision-making, and ensures that systems remain at the forefront of innovation — ultimately improving both the provider experience and customer outcomes.
About this contributor
Bethany Harrick is a Senior Consultant in the Digital and Data Solutions Team at Pitcher Partners Melbourne. She recently completed a Master of Public Health at University of Melbourne. Bethany specialises in advising clients on digital transformation and business systems with a focus on health and community services.
