ACADEMIC AND INDUSTRY HEALTH ALLIANCE TACKLE TOMORROW’S NATIONAL HEALTH CHALLENGES TODAY Trends report identifies prototyping targets for breakthroughs in digital and hybrid futures
With
Vishaal Kishore,
Professor of Innovation and Public Policy
RMIT University &
Executive Chair, RMIT-Cisco Health Transformation Lab &
Director – Impact, RMIT University, Melbourne
AUSTRALIAN HEALTH JOURNAL SEGMENT
Filmed in Melbourne | June 2025
Vishaal Kishore, a Professor of Innovation and Public Policy at RMIT in Melbourne, serves as the Executive Chair of the RMIT-Cisco Health Transformation Lab and RMIT’s Director of Impact. Led by the RMIT-Cisco Health Transformation Lab, the National Industry Innovation Network (NIIN) Health Alliance combines the best minds, technologists, industry capabilities and academic resources to solve pressing industry and social challenges through technology-driven innovation. The NIIN aims to pool insights and expertise to address national health challenges, marking its first vertical focus on health.
Last year a “Sandbox” was established to serve as a digitally rich collaboration and prototyping studio designed for privacy and security, ready to innovate in aged care and healthcare. The “Sandbox” housed at RMIT-Cisco’s Health Transformation Lab is a digitally-enabled mock care setting where researchers, startups and health system professionals work together on prototypes for the future of health. The Sandbox enables a frictionless pipeline from idea to implementation. The inclusion of autonomous robotics, has created a space where the most futuristic visions for health can be trialled, tested, and translated into practice.
The Health Transformation Lab emphasises user engagement, prioritising the voices of clients and clinicians to design solutions based on their needs rather than assumptions. This practice aims to ensure that any technology developed gains traction in health systems only if it genuinely reflects user requirements.
The NIIN Health Alliance has identified urgent needs in the healthcare system, considering the rapidly evolving technological landscape. As part of their strategic planning, they reviewed nearly 10,000 articles and reports to outline pivotal trends for the future in the publication “Health x Digital Transformation Report 2024-2025”.
In this report, a significant focus has been on the implications of augmented intelligence, remote patient monitoring, digital simulations, adaptable systems, and leveraging advancements in biotechnology, aiming to prepare the healthcare sector for emerging challenges and opportunities in the coming years.
Source: Written from transcript and health transformation lab website by AUDIENCED
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Orthopaedic surgeon driven to understand & manage infection
In tandem with his clinical practice, Associate Professor Tetsworth is deeply engaged in orthopaedic research, with a keen interest in infection management, infection control, limb salvage, bone defect reconstruction, biomarker development for infection, bone growth hormone delivery, and the use of 3D printed models for reconstructing segmental bone defects.
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Alfred Hospital leading in pharmacy services for critically unwell patients
Cristina Roman, is the Lead Pharmacist at Alfred Emergency Trauma Centre. In her 12 years working in the Emergency Department, Cristina has established pharmacy services, and filled gaps in patient care with new models of care.
One of those models of care adopted by the US and other countries, is involving pharmacists for critically unwell patients that present to the emergency department.
Australian Health Journal spoke with Cristina Roman and Lisa Bremner, Advanced Training Resident Pharmacist at Alfred Hospital Emergency Trauma Centre.
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Cardiologist broadens Tasmania’s surgical abilities
Dr Heath Adams is a Tasmanian born, bred and educated interventional and structural cardiologist who works at Hobart Private and Royal Hobart Hospital and is a researcher through the Menzies Research Institute.
Dr Adams clinical interest and expertise is in the management of aortic stenosis, valvular heart disease and acute coronary syndromes. Dr Adams performs coronary interventions including stenting, and structural heart interventions including TAVI, mitral edge to edge repair, mitral valve replacement and left atrial appendage closure. In 2020, Heath performed the first TAVI in Tasmania, is the clinical lead for the local program at the Royal Hobart Hospital and is a nationally accredited TAVI practitioner.
