Swinburne University of Technology, a public university located in Melbourne, Australia, has partnered with Coviu, a telehealth software platform, to further embed digital health technology in the classroom, clinic and research.

What’s it about

The partnership will engage students studying health-related courses, and the wider community, in using the latest telehealth technology, equipping them to treat Australians remotely and redefine models of healthcare.

Coviu, a company that specialises in online health consultations, will provide access to its technology for Swinburne students, researchers and clinical services. Coviu is also a finalist and winner of the 4th Innovations Challenge Award for their PhysioROM solution at the HIMSS AsiaPac Conference in 2018.

Students will learn how to break down the barriers created by distance between healthcare professionals and patients. Swinburne will embed Coviu’s technology into the curriculum of nursing, occupational therapy, psychology, dietetics, health science, and digital health and informatics.

These will be taught through Swinburne’s new Health Precinct, which utilises the latest in technology and facilities.

The technology will also be implemented into Swinburne’s new Master of Physiotherapy, and Graduate Certificate in Teleaudiology, set to launch from mid-2019.

On the record

“Having our students prepared for a workforce where healthcare is increasingly delivered remotely is imperative and something that is at the core of digital health’s future in Australia. We need graduates that are comfortable using this technology and Swinburne will produce them,” said Dr Mark Merolli, Academic Director of Digital Health and Informatics at Swinburne in a statement.

“Health and digital technology go hand in hand, and this partnership reflects Swinburne’s commitment to being a leader in digital health and our passion for innovation in all aspects of teaching, training and research,” he added.

“Research has shown that up to 80 per cent of clinician visits can be provided online with comparable clinical outcomes. We’ve worked hard to make our telehealth technology simple to use for both patients and providers, however it’s absolutely essential that the next generation of medical professionals are equipped with the necessary tools and knowledge to make online consultations as effective as possible. Our partnership with Swinburne will ensure that this process takes place,” said Dr Silvia Pfeiffer, CEO and co-founder of Coviu.