In this episode of Talking HealthTech, host Peter Birch speaks with Claire Holt, Technical Health Information Manager at Austin Health, about the role of data management and digital health transformation in tertiary hospitals.

The discussion focuses on the integration of new data capture solutions within Austin Health, with a special emphasis on the challenges and opportunities surrounding legacy systems, workflow transformation, stakeholder engagement, and mandatory reporting.

This episode was recorded live at HIC 2025 in Melbourne, Australia, at the Data Capture Experts booth on the expo floor.

Key Takeaways:

🏥 Austin Health's Digital Landscape: With over 200 clinical systems, Austin Health's approach to technology must consider integration, interoperability, and minimising workflow disruption for clinicians.

🔗 The Role of Health Information Managers: Health information managers bridge the gap between IT, clinical operations, and data reporting, ensuring legislative compliance and meaningful use of collected data.

⚙️ Addressing Legacy System Challenges: Facing an end-of-life legacy software system that processed over 120,000 annual client contacts, Austin Health identified the need for a modern solution that could expand functionality and support broader use cases.

🚀 Implementation and Change Management: Accelerated timelines and the addition of new modules – such as community mental health – required robust collaboration, business process engagement, and agile change management strategies.

💻 Data Capture Experts Solution: Streamlined administrative functions allowed for improved referral, appointment booking, care management, and reporting – moving away from siloed spreadsheets towards integrated workflows.

📊 Workflow Evolution: The new system enabled better visibility across teams, accurate activity reporting, and improved patient care continuity, especially for patients accessing multiple services.

🤝 Advice for Vendors: Collaborative approaches with health information managers and strong technical-business translation are essential when building and implementing solutions in health settings.

Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website.

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