Australia’s healthcare sector is under immense pressure. 

Earlier this year, we saw the mass resignation of public sector psychiatrists across hospitals and mental health facilities in New South Wales and more recently the second largest private hospital provider is on the brink of collapse. Workforce shortages, spiralling costs and a surge in demand for health services are creating a perfect storm – leaving many Australians without the care they urgently need.

While policy reform and increased funding are essential, there is a powerful, underutilised asset that holds the potential to deliver both immediate relief and long-term resilience:

The role of data driven tools, particularly artificial intelligence, is becoming impossible to ignore. These technologies are already beginning to reshape how care is planned, coordinated and delivered. And yet, we’re only just beginning to scratch the surface of what’s possible.

Why data is still in the ‘too-hard’ basket

Healthcare is one of the most data-rich sectors in the country but also one of the most under-analysed. Every GP visit, hospital admission, prescription and patient interaction generates valuable information. Yet, too often, this data is fragmented, siloed, and inaccessible to those on the front lines of care.

The issue isn’t the availability of data, but rather the inability to turn it into actionable insights at scale. This is where analytics and AI come in – integrating disparate data sets, surfacing hidden patterns and providing decision-makers with insights in real-time. In short: they can enable healthcare providers to act, not react.

AI, when grounded in strong data foundations, has the potential to forecast future health trends, automate administrative burdens, identify gaps in treatment and assist clinicians in real-time decision-making.

What’s holding us back is not a lack of data, but a lack of capability and vision. Without scalable analytics tools, the ability to integrate disparate datasets, or AI to surface patterns that humans can’t detect, means critical decisions are being left in the dark.

Trust and transparency must come first 

Despite the technological advancements, public trust in AI, particularly in sensitive sectors like healthcare, remains low. Only 36% of Australians say they trust AI, and concerns about negative consequences remain widespread. Further afield, a recent Qlik survey found that more Americans would prefer to donate blood (52%) than donate their health data for AI purposes (24%).

These insights illustrate that simply having data and AI tools is not enough. Its success hinges on governance, transparency consent, and a clear demonstration of how data use will lead to better outcomes. Earning and maintaining public trust is key to any data-driven transformation in health. 

Data has the power to transform

Across Australia, several organisations are showing what’s possible when data is embraced – not just collected.

South Western Sydney PHN (SWSPHN), which supports over one million residents, faced challenges managing complex, siloed datasets from both internal and external sources. With increasing government reporting requirements and evolving community health needs, a scalable, real-time analytics platform was essential.

By adopting Qlik Cloud Analytics, SWSPHN has centralised its data infrastructure -improving visibility, collaboration and responsiveness. This has already transformed the delivery of mental health and alcohol and drug services, with plans to scale the solution to over 50 health organisations in the region. With a clean, consolidated data layer in place, SWSPHN is now well-positioned to adopt AI for more advanced planning and population health management.

Meanwhile, West Gippsland Healthcare Group in Victoria overcame the inefficiencies of manual, paper-based processes by implementing a unified digital platform. By consolidating patient records into a single source of truth, clinicians now have real-time access to vital data, enabling faster decision-making and better patient outcomes. It has also allowed the organisation to meet government health priorities with greater accuracy and agility.

These examples show how data infrastructure, combined with the right cultural and technological shifts, can elevate healthcare from reactive to predictive, from fragmented to integrated.

As more organisations build these data foundations, they also position themselves to adopt the next wave of health technology, including AI that can automate tasks, surface early warning signs of health deterioration, or support clinician decision-making provided the right governance, consent models and transparency are in place.

Smarter, more resilient system

Australia’s healthcare challenges are not going away. If anything, they are likely to intensify as the population ages and health conditions become more complex and chronic. 

The current strain on our healthcare services requires more than just short-term solutions. A long-term vision that prioritises investment in digital infrastructure is essential to improving service delivery and patient care.

To stay ahead, we must commit to a long-term digital strategy that:

• Invests in scalable data infrastructure
• Embraces ethical AI adoption
• Prioritises education and transparency to build public trust
• Enables cross-system collaboration and data-sharing

By leveraging data-driven insights, healthcare providers can create a more responsive, resilient system – one that ensures every person receives timely, and effective care. As organisations continue to embrace analytics, the healthcare sector will be better equipped to meet growing demands and deliver improved outcomes for communities across Australia.

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