The technology shaping healthcare in Australia: Veri talks healthtech with Peter Birch

Australian healthcare is at a turning point. Clinicians face mounting pressures due to more patients, longer lifespans, rising chronic disease rates and an underfunded, understaffed system.

To explore how technology could ease these pressures, Veri Health spoke with Peter Birch, founder and host of over 560 episodes of the Talking HealthTech podcast. With a background spanning clinic operations and healthtech start-ups, Peter brings a rare vantage point: he understands the daily pressures of frontline care and the opportunities of digital innovation.

The state of healthtech in Australia

“For a long time, the call to the healthcare ecosystem has been to do more with less,” Peter says. “AI is interesting to clinicians and vendors because it helps them do that – if it’s used in the right way.”

He points out that technology adoption is not about hype, but about solving real problems. Clinicians are sometimes unfairly portrayed as resistant to change, still relying on faxes and local services, but that’s a little unfair – in practice, they are quick to adopt tools that reduce pressure.

Similarly, a large majority of older people already engage with digital health tools. According to a 2023 study, 85% of 65–74-year-olds and 74% of those aged 75+ have used more than one digital health device. Around 70% in both age groups report a need for multiple digital solutions.

“Clinicians do want to use technology,” Peter explains. “They’ve been early adopters of AI scribes because they could instantly see how much admin time it saved. And older generations don’t dislike all technology, though they do dislike technology that sucks!”

Peter also stresses a global reality: “It’s not just Australia. Clinicians around the world are facing the same burnout and workforce shortages. The opportunity is to use technology where it makes a real difference.”

Trends reshaping Australian healthcare

Several forces are already transforming the landscape:

• AI scribes: These transcribe and structure clinical notes, saving many hours of admin work for clinicians.
• AI reception and virtual front doors: These alleviate pressure at the front desk, freeing staff from data entry so they can focus on supporting clinicians and connecting with patients.
• Remote patient monitoring: A wealth of patient data is now flowing beyond clinic walls thanks to smartwatches, rings and TGA-approved devices such as glucose monitors. The challenge is making it meaningful so it can inform clinical decisions rather than just add to the noise.
• Interoperability and standards: National initiatives like CSIRO’s Sparked Program are building data frameworks to connect apps, platforms, and practice management systems. Interoperability is emerging as the foundation for future care.
• Evolving patient expectations: Australians increasingly expect healthcare to match the digital convenience of other industries: faster results, seamless communication and less friction.

Practical ways to improve efficiency

Peter offers a pragmatic perspective: rather than jumping to the latest app or platform, start small and make incremental changes that have a demonstrable impact.

To do that:

• Engage your team: Buy-in works best from the bottom up. “Staff adopt tech when they see it solve a real problem, not because it’s imposed from the top.”
• Audit your processes: Look for post-it notes and workarounds — they often reveal hidden inefficiencies.
• Optimise existing tools: Features in Microsoft Office or Google Workspace can automate tasks without new platforms or logins.
• Focus on problems, not products: Choose tools that remove bottlenecks, like AI scribes or virtual reception, rather than chasing trends.
• Think small, be consistent: Incremental improvements across workflows compound into significant gains.

Preparing for the next five years

What should practice leaders prioritise?

• Align on vision: Strategy matters. A clinic preparing for sale will have different needs than one investing in multidisciplinary care.
• Invest in interoperability: Systems that connect will define the next phase of adoption.
• Stay connected: Join industry communities and associations. “Collaboration starts with a conversation,” says Peter.
• Watch patient expectations: Don’t assume older patients reject technology — they simply expect it to work.
• Value efficiency: Clinics that thrive will focus on solutions that reduce unnecessary costs or bring more patients through the door.

Looking ahead

Healthcare may feel like a slow-moving industry, but Peter is optimistic.

“On a day-to-day level, it feels like not much changes. But if you look back to pre-COVID, which was only 5 years ago, the progress is huge – e-prescribing, telehealth, patient access to results and a host of other things. The next 5 years will be the same. We just need the right mindset.”

Australian healthcare won’t be transformed by shiny apps alone, but by practical tools, connected systems, and collaboration across the ecosystem.

If you run a healthcare practice, start by streamlining your current workflows, adopt technology that solves real problems, and position your clinic for a future defined by interoperability and evolving patient expectations.

And if you’re interested in learning more about how AI can be integrated into healthcare to support outcomes for workers and patients, sign up for Talking HealthTech’s free upcoming event – North Star vs Shiny Star: Bringing AI into strategy to support healthcare workers and patient outcomes.