Digital maturity centre stage at ITAC 2025
Fay Flevaras and Anders Sorman-Nilsson both emphasised the importance of automated back-end data processes and digital maturity at the first day of the ITAC 2025 conference, while Dr Nic Woods reminded providers that digital maturity is reliant on workforce digital literacy.
The Australian aged care data landscape report by CSIRO and digital health CRC has outlined a clear need for consistent and standardised data sharing in the aged care sector, a topic that was at the top of the agenda for Department of Health and Aged Care chief digital information officer at the Fay Flevaras and global futurist and innovation strategist Anders Sorman-Nilsson.
The report published on 4 March notes: “consistent and standardised data sharing is vital to the provision of connected and coordinated care across the aged care sector,” especially when considering the diverse array of relevant stakeholders.
Data allows for accurate reporting, but major differences exist in the system maturity between different parties in the sector – preventing data sharing and wasting time that could be spent on humane care – and as Ms Flevaras reminded providers, there is not much time left before the 1 July changes come into effect.
“We’ve got a new regulatory model, we’ve got strengthened aged care quality standards. there’s a new statement of rights to ensure older people and their needs are at the centre for the new aged care system… the launch of the new Support at Home arrangements that will help older people live in their home if they wish to do so,” she told the conference, which attracted people to Marvel Stadium in Melbourne.
“So, in the digital transformation space, that means quite a lot of work for us, together with you. We see digital as a key contribution to achieving these real-world outcomes.”
“Our priorities for digital are making sure our own systems are ready to support the rights-based model of the Act, as well as the regulatory changes. We’re working with the sector to lift up the collective digital maturity, and we’re creating meaningful, better solutions, not just building tech for tech’s sake,” she added.
Ms Flevaras told the ITAC audience that many organisations have expressed worry about how they will adapt digitally in time for the reforms.
“It’s not just the new Aged Care Act that they’re working on, but they’re focusing on actually maturing some of their other legacy systems like their payment systems or their data systems. They’re also trying to improve security in this kind of cyber world that we’re in and they’re also trying to innovate with AI as well.”
Of particular importance in this digital transformation and consistent evolution of digital maturity across the sector is the Business to Government platform developed by the department, which Ms Flevaras said she hoped would be the site for most of the interactions between themselves and providers.
Co-designed with providers, the Business to Government platform reduces administrative burdens and collects data relevant to the agreed standards and APIs – creating an automated and connected eco-system that can re-use data multiple times without requiring re-entry.
Data-centric care
The 1 July reforms also introduce the need for more data and reporting, but Mr Sorman-Nilsson said this is actually the best way to achieve person-centred care.
“The only way for us to truly be patient and client-centric today is to be extremely data-centric because patients and clients are now taking life matters into their own hands,” he said.
“I believe the role of the human… is to really nurture our emotional quotient every day. To tap into our own unique intelligence as a psychograph of one. But also to harness our creative quotient. A quotient we often forget about because we get so busy that we do the menial and the mundane as opposed to the meaningful and the humane,” he added.
“And if you sprinkle on top of that a little bit of digital augmentation and new technologies, I believe we’ll have the most empathetic brands in the aged care sector that you could ever, ever imagine…
“Technology is helping us now take the robot out of the human… Imagine if you could do less of the menial and the mundane and more of the meaningful and the humane, courtesy of new technologies.”
Both Ms Flevaras and Mr Sorman-Nilsson said the current state of technological innovation is happening at the fastest rate it ever has, leap frogging healthcare innovation strategies that have been in development for years. However, both said it is also the slowest that this technology will develop, with digital and automation solutions growing exponentially.
“I think in the race against the machines we better start partnering up with them,” said Mr Sorman-Nilsson.
Digital maturity and automated data sharing continued to dominate discussion, being re-visited in the positioning for the future panel – facilitated by Roald Versteeg, general manager policy and advocacy, Ageing Australia and featuring Ms Flevaras, health and aged care department assistant secretary in the digital reform branch Emma Cook, Whiddon chief infrastructure officer Regan Stathers and Kate Ebrill, interoperability lead AEHRC, CSIRO.
Workforce digital literacy
Dr Nic Woods, national director, digital health and technology, Calvary Health Care also urged for attention to be placed on better data management strategies, back-end automation and digital maturity, but reminded the crowd at ITAC that this can only be done if the workforce is digitally literate.
“It’s almost a bit of a social exchange between us as technologists and also our staff. And we need, very much need, to get them engaged when we start building systems or implementing systems or designing roadmaps,” he said.
“There is a little bit of building up that maturity and understanding, but tech’s not going to solve everything.
“Perfection is the enemy of good. Sometimes you have to eat your broccoli before you get to your dessert, which was a phrase taught to me by a CMIO from Houston, Texas, which I love, and I think that is an ongoing conversation that we need to keep having with people as well; that technology is just a tool, whether it’s AI, whether it’s automation, whatever. It is one tool. And down at the bottom is, I’ve got a bunch of people in my technology team that come up with lots of great ideas.
“We’re harvesting lots of ideas from across our organisation, but how do we arm them with the skills, and it’s not just the technical skills, but how do you establish that as a framework? How do you build up muscle around looking at contracts, looking at cyber, etc.? So we’ve just kicked off some work in the last eight months on that, and making some progress there.”
Dr Woods went on to present three case studies of how Calvary Health Care is approaching this issue, including a non-mandatory digital literacy program.
Ms Fevaras also encouraged providers to take part in a research study on digital maturity. Participants can also opt-in for a targeted report that benchmarks their organisation against the sector average.
Australian Ageing Agenda is a media partner of ITAC 2025
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