In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with technology consultant, Dr Shane Black, and Associate Professor Amina Tariq and Professor Steven McPhail from The Australian Centre for Health Services Innovation (AusHSI) at Queensland University of Technology (QUT).

The discussion covers the current wave of artificial intelligence in healthcare, exploring its real-world implementation, governance, workforce readiness, and how clinicians and technologists can collaborate effectively.

The guests share their experience and perspectives on digital health transformation, the challenges of adopting new technologies, and the evolving role of AI in Australian healthcare.

They also dive into practical examples of AI in action, from AI-powered scribes easing administrative burdens to tools that support clinical decision-making.

The episode highlights the importance of human-centred design, adaptive governance, and building trust among clinicians and patients.

Listeners will gain insight into how AI is being thoughtfully integrated into Australian healthcare, balancing innovation with safety, workforce needs, and patient outcomes.

Key Takeaways

✨ AI adoption happens in waves, moving from hype to normalisation, requiring realistic expectations and robust capability building

🧠 Effective governance in healthcare doesn’t have to slow innovation; adaptive frameworks can support safe and agile implementation

💬 Human factors and real-world workflows are critical when designing and implementing healthcare technology solutions

🤝 Workforce readiness and co-design, embedding digital health concepts into clinical education and involving clinicians in design, leads to better outcomes

⚡ AI tools are increasingly seen as essential infrastructure, with growing clinician and patient comfort, but trust and ongoing usability remain crucial

Timestamps

00:00 – Introductions and overview of panellist backgrounds

05:18 – Is the AI bubble in healthcare about to burst, or just mature?

07:59 – Differences in risk tolerance between tech and health, and how that affects adoption

10:33 – Sustainability and the risk of “serial piloters” in healthcare AI

13:22 – Sentiment toward AI in healthcare vs other industries

18:08 – How real-world workflows affect technology adoption

20:02 – Growing public and healthcare professional awareness and trust in AI tools

21:53 – Governance strategies and balancing safety with speed

25:22 – The need for responsive, risk-tiered governance frameworks

28:02 – AI’s place in healthcare: from a “bubble” to essential infrastructure

30:43 – Role of flexibility and user choice in AI adoption

32:03 – Trust, augmentation vs automation, and failed AI pilots

34:47 – Real use cases: AI scribes and clinician-patient interaction

36:34 – Building meaningful workforce readiness for AI

38:08 – Embedding digital health and AI literacy in clinical training

43:07 – Rethinking workforce composition to support technology adoption

44:23 – Closing remarks and further resources

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

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