The Australian Digital Health Agency is collaborating with the Australasian Institute of Digital Health to build the capability of the healthcare workforce in digital health. 

The agency has released its Capability Action Plan, which sets out priority actions that are necessary to achieve this.

Over the next two years, the organisations will engage health workers to work towards "standard capability frameworks, guidelines, resources and tools identified through previous work, planning, and ongoing sector consultation to equip Australia’s health workforce for a connected, digitally-enabled future."

WHY IT MATTERS

The ADHA came up with the plan as it acknowledges digital health as the way to resolve mounting challenges posed by an ageing population, increasing consumer demands, and pressures on the health workforce.

It noted that a digitally capable health workforce will deliver an improved ability to diagnose, treat and manage health conditions; reduce clinical risk; and enhance patient flow and sharing of information throughout the health system, among other identified benefits. 

In order to reap these benefits, health workers must develop the following skills: 

• Confident use of technologies;

• Application of data science, enabling evidence-based decision-making and informed planning;

• Systems supporting workflow management and team design and collaboration;

• Improved information sharing, accessibility and security;

• Ability to create strong business cases and provide evidence of benefits.

THE LARGER TREND

Late last year, the AIDH released its four-year strategic plan for health workforce reform. It aims to maintain the progress around digital health that was made during the pandemic. Members of the organisation have been pursuing accreditation and training for their employees to build their capabilities in digital health. Workers in the nursing and midwifery sectors have been in this process of upskilling as early as 2020.