In a report developed by the CSIRO and the Queensland University of Technology’s Centre for Future Enterprise [1], a set of nine knowledge-based emerging seed industries have been identified as having the potential for strong and sustained employment and economic growth in Queensland.
In terms of indirect job creation, AI-enabled healthcare is the 2nd most significant industry identified in this report.
Datarwe has been acknowledged as the exemplar in this report, having developed a precision data platform that enables the development of AI-enabled clinical diagnostic tools, laying the groundwork to unlock Australia’s potential for ai-enabled healthcare.
High-quality healthcare system and strong translational research institutions and facilities
Australia has one of the more trusted, high-quality healthcare system in the world and possesses numerous strong research capabilities in health and AI. In Queensland itself, world-class health and biomedical research institutes, facilities, hospitals and translational research institutes, such as the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute and the Translational Research Institute, are based in the Sunshine state and are part of emerging innovating collaborations with local companies. The establishment of the Queensland AI Hub in April 2020 showed a significant – $5.5 million – state public investment in AI and digital health.
Australia’s reputation for quality healthcare and its strong health and medical research sector position the country – including Queensland – in a great position to develop the opportunities provided by AI-enabled healthcare.
Imperative to deliver the same high standards of care
The growing demand for healthcare services coupled with national and international grand health challenges such as COVID-19, have dried-up healthcare budgets. Constrained between this increasing demand and a reduced healthcare workforce, there is a requirement for the Australian healthcare system to improve their use of technologies to reduce the cost burden and deliver the same high standard of care.
This is where AI-enabled healthcare can provide solutions to reduce the stress on both the health budget and resources.
Unlocking the potential of advanced digital health records
According to the report, Queensland’s contribution to My Health Record, the national digital health record, has grown exponentially since its introduction in 2016 (see Figure). Queensland’s digital health records are growing in numbers and in type, with more and more diverse data being integrated into the digital system. Queensland is leading the country with the deployment of ieMR (integrated electronic medical records) which aims to improve access to longitudinal patient information and collaboration between healthcare providers to improve system efficiency.
The integrated electronic medical records, thanks to its digital form and its exponential growth, is a unique, valuable and easily accessible resource to develop clinical ai-enabled tools to support better system and patient outcomes. The report states that this digitalised asset is currently underused and a missed opportunity for the Australian healthcare system to improve patient outcomes, reduce healthcare cost, strengthen sovereign resilience and capabilities of the healthcare system.
From the report by CSIRO and Queensland University of Technology.
Datarwe’s Clinical Data Nexus precision medicine platform provides a multimodal data environment including real-world de-identified clinical data.
Datarwe’s platform solution, leveraging growing capabilities in ai-enabled healthcare
Datarwe is showcased in the report as an example of one of the 9 nine knowledge-based emerging seed industries in Queensland.
At Datarwe, we are unlocking the potential of digital health by providing a safe, governanced environment for health providers to rapidly and efficiently develop ai-enabled clinical diagnostic tools. Our Clinical Data Nexus (CDN) is a precision medicine data platform, providing a multimodal data environment including real-world de-identified clinical data. It enables health providers, researchers, medical institutes and med-tech product developers to conduct research and translate their medical and technological innovations back into the healthcare system.
Before, detailed multimodal data was not accessible for clinicians to use in the development of new clinical therapies. The data was either not collected, or was not ready for use in research. With the CDN platform and the development of integrated electronic medical records use, clinicians, medical researchers and clinical product developers can rapidly collaborate in the development and delivery of AI-enabled clinical diagnostic tools and technologies, improving patient outcomes.
Conclusion
Datarwe and its Clinical Data Nexus platform is raising awareness around the potential of artificial intelligence applications in healthcare, across national and international clinical and non-clinical stakeholders. The CDN is a trusted research infrastructure that manages privacy risks, integrating sets of ethical principles for AI in healthcare, which considers ‘fairness, transparency, explainability and trustworthiness’ [2].
Datarawe’s CDN ecosystem welcomes new partners and projects, in Australia and internationally, to drive the adoption of AI-enabled healthcare. Contact Datarwe via email at info@datarwe.com to explore ways of collaborating towards a more advanced, real world data-driven health system.
[1] commissioned by the Queensland Department of Environment and Science, and fully published in July 2022.
[2] these values should be considered in the set of ethical principles for AI in healthcare, according to the report.