Digital Transformation: Mapping the digital future for allied health
Sarah Wright1, Rachelle Pitt, Adrian Powlesland, Liza-Jane McBride1Office of the Chief Allied Health Officer, Queensland, Australia
Abstract
Background:
Digital transformation is rapidly changing healthcare provision, and the allied health workforce is well placed to drive change. In Queensland, it was recognised that collaboration and shared responsibility for action was required to achieve this at scale. To enable and guide collective action, the Office of the Chief Allied Health Officer aimed to develop a Digital Transformation Roadmap that would provide high-level initiatives to digitally transform practice over 10 years.
Method:
A rapid literature review informed consultation and strategy development. Broad workforce consultation was undertaken to map and analyse the current status of digital innovations across Queensland. Key digital and clinical stakeholders, including external partners, were engaged to workshop four key themes:Digitally enabled care;Data informed planning and outcomes;Workforce capability and digital leadership;and Digitally transformed research and innovation.
Results:
Findings from the literature review, current state mapping and stakeholder workshops informed the development of problem statements and strategic outcomes that were foundational for developing the initiatives reflected in the roadmap. Consultation highlighted examples of excellence in all areas of digital transformation but also significant disparity in accessibility, infrastructure, maturity, capability and opportunities state-wide. A roadmap was drafted to reflect this diversity that recognised what was within scope for the allied health workforce.
Discussion:
The Queensland Health Allied Health Digital Transformation Roadmap provides the foundations for future digital transformation that will build on current exemplar innovations and addresses identified opportunities. A collective and strategic approach by the workforce and leaders, including advocacy and support are critical to sustainable and equitable implementation.
Biography
Rachelle is the Director of Health Practitioner Research for the Office of the Chief Allied Health Officer, Queensland Health. Rachelle is committed to developing, implementing and evaluating research capacity building strategies targeted at all levels of the health system that enables clinicians to solve health service challenges and address evidence gaps with research and knowledge translation. Rachelle is also passionate about research that adds to the evidence for the delivery of telehealth and exploring how digital innovations are able to be sustainably implemented in health services and systems.