Data is the key to healthcare transformation, yet most organisations fail to unlock its full potential. With only 23% of Australian healthcare organisations able to analyse all their device data – structured or unstructured1 – few are collecting all the data they need, let alone leveraging it to optimise care.
This article is part of a series examining how providers can align their digital investments to optimise care delivery and address the four key pillars of Australia’s National Digital Health Strategy: digitally enabled, person-centred, inclusive and data-driven healthcare.
Australia’s vision: Insights that elevate care levels
Australia's National Digital Health Strategy2 outlines a clear vision for a data-driven future of care, where: Readily available data informs decision making at the individual, community and national levels, contributing to a sustainable health system.
This vision recognises that when properly collected, analysed and applied, healthcare data can drive improvements across all aspects of care delivery – from clinical decisions to resource allocation.
For healthcare and aged care providers, becoming truly data-driven is less about collecting more data and more about developing the capabilities to transform that data into actionable insights that improve patient outcomes and operational efficiency.
Further reading
Digitally enabled healthcare: Elevating care through connected, secure systems
Further reading
Person-centred healthcare: Putting patients in control with digital empowerment
Further reading
Inclusive healthcare: Breaking down barriers to essential care through digital innovation
From information overload to diagnostic insights
Healthcare organisations face significant obstacles to becoming data-driven:
Data fragmentation: Health information is often stored in separate systems across different care settings, making it challenging to create a comprehensive view of patient journeys or population health trends.
Quality issues: Inconsistent, incomplete and out-of-date data undermines confidence in analytics and insights. According to recent research, 50% of healthcare organisations cite “improving data governance and compliance” as their major data focus.1
Advanced analytics capabilities: Many organisations lack the tools and expertise to apply advanced analytics, machine learning and AI to their data, limiting their ability to maximise value.
Privacy and security concerns: With 43% of healthcare organisations citing “security tool proliferation” as a major challenge1, balancing data accessibility with appropriate protection is an ongoing struggle.
Integration of emerging data sources: New data types – from genomics to personal health devices – present both opportunities and challenges for healthcare organisations seeking to incorporate them into existing data ecosystems.
Technology that turns data into decisions
Modern digital approaches offer powerful ways to address these data challenges:
- Unified data platforms: Solutions that integrate data from multiple sources – including electronic health records, clinical systems and administrative databases – create the foundation for comprehensive analytics and insights.
- Advanced analytics and AI: As healthcare data volumes continue to grow, AI and machine learning capabilities become increasingly essential for identifying patterns, predicting outcomes and generating actionable insights from complex datasets.
- Real-time analytics: Tools that support immediate insights and timely decision-making at the point of care, helping clinicians and administrators respond quickly to changing conditions. This is particularly valuable in aged care settings, where early intervention can prevent hospitalisation.
- Privacy-preserving analytics: Technologies that enable analysis while protecting sensitive information help organisations balance the benefits of data-driven approaches with the need for privacy.
- Outcomes measurement frameworks: Systems that link interventions to measurable outcomes enable continuous improvement and value-based care approaches.
Evolving from reactive to predictive care
Emerging technologies, such as predictive analytics, precision medicine and population health management, will further enhance the value of healthcare data, enabling more personalised and proactive approaches.
Australia’s Action Plan for the Aged Care Data and Digital Strategy 2024-2029 outlines how data will play a key role in transforming aged care through better integration and analytics.3
Elevating care through data partnerships
The strategic alliance between Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) and Nexon provides healthcare organisations with a powerful combination for data-driven transformation.
HPE provides infrastructure designed to handle the massive data volumes of the healthcare industry, while Nexon contributes expertise in managing and securing healthcare information systems across Australia.
This partnership provides the technical foundation and specialised knowledge needed to unlock the full potential of healthcare information. To explore more about building connected healthcare systems, download our resources:
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Australia’s Path To Data-Informed Healthcare Excellence
Our latest research paper, Australia’s Path to Data-Driven Healthcare Excellence, explores the challenges for healthcare leaders, and helps identify a path towards modernised, digital care.
Discover more about our healthcare technology solutions
Discover how we can help expand your care beyond traditional boundaries, or contact Nexon to discuss your goals.
References:
1
Ecosystm & Nexon Research: Australia’s Path To Data-Informed Healthcare Excellence, 2024
2
Digitalhealth.gov.au: Australia’s National Digital Health Strategy (2023 – 2028)
3
Health.gov.au: Aged Care Data and Digital Strategy 2024-2029
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