Overview

    The National Telehealth & Virtual Care Conference will take place on the 2-3 April 2025 at the Hilton Sydney. Meet a variety of different people outside your existing network, discuss common challenges and exchange learnings about telehealth and virtual care in Australia – present and future.

    This event will gather a diverse mix of people from public hospitals and LHDs, PHNs and primary care providers, aged care, allied health, private health providers, health insurers, government departments and agencies, telehealth companies, telehealth technology and software providers and many more.

    KEY TOPICS INCLUDE:

    • Emerging technologies in telehealth – AI, VR, Remote Monitoring, etc.
    • Staff engagement on virtual care
    • Telehealth in rural and remote areas
    • Policy, funding, and patient engagement
    • Addressing how we link public, private and primary care
    • Ways to provide more comprehensive virtual care services
    • Privacy, security and legal considerations
    • Interdisciplinary approaches to telehealth
    • Success stories in telehealth implementation
    • Telehealth for chronic disease management, pediatrics, corrections, mental health, first responders, etc.
    • Future trends

    Connect Virtual Care
    The event will take place as part of 2025’s CONNECT VIRTUAL CARE event. We’re bringing together three related, but distinct events which will be co-located at the Hilton Sydney. One pass gives access to all three conferences

    Sponsors

    2025 Speakers


    Dr Teresa Anderson AM
    Chief Executive, Single Digital Patient Record Implementation Authority


    Emily Mailes
    Chief eHealth Strategy Officer, Victorian Department of Health


    Richard Nankervis
    Chief Executive Officer, Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network


    Dr Melanie Smith
    GP Consultant, Co-Clinical Lead, SA Virtual Care Service, SA Health


    Dr Marija Kirjanenko
    Emergency Physician, Victorian Virtual Emergency Department & Eastern Health, Melbourne


    Phil Greenup
    Telehealth Program Officer,
    Queensland Health


    Dr Matt Vickers
    Clinical Director,
    Eucalyptus


    Ryan Hutton
    Manager – Provider Networks,
    nib


    Adeola Bamgboje-Ayodele
    PhD, Lecturer in Design and Innovation, Discipline of Design, The University of Sydney


    Dr June Song
    Medical Director, Hospital in the Home Adult, Monash Health


    Julia Conway
    Director, Hospital Policy and Projects, Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority


    Donna Parkes
    Stream Lead, Virtual Care, NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation


    Dr Konrad Kangru
    General Practitioner, Whitsunday Doctors Service; Medical Advisor, Office of Rural and Remote Health; Qld Representative, RACGP Rural Faculty; Board Director, North Qld PHN


    Michelle Dobie
    Principal Advisor Digital Health Systems & Projects, Royal Flying Doctor Service (SA/NT)


    Mirela Prgomet PhD
    Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Health Systems and Safety Research, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University


    Brenton Jones
    Senior Digital Health Officer, Western NSW Primary Health Network


    Niranjan Bidargaddi
    Professor of Digital Health,
    Flinders University


    Crystal Chua
    Acting Project Manager, Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Redesign Initiatives, MOH Office for Healthcare Transformation, Singapore


    Anna McFadgen
    Chief Executive Officer, St Vincent’s Health Network Sydney


    Sarah McRae
    Chief Executive Officer, Amplar Health Home Hospital


    James McDonald
    Head of Telehealth Operations, Bupa


    Dean Jones
    National Director, St Vincent’s at Home & St Vincent’s Virtual


    Rachel Griffiths
    Manager Strategic Policy, Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency


    Ella Cannon
    Principal, Hive Legal


    Associate Professor Tam C. Nguyen
    Deputy Director Research, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne


    Brian Long
    Health Consumer Advocate & Advisor, NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation


    Robert Read
    Chief Executive Officer, Amplar Health


    Travis Hodgson
    Chief Operating Officer, Healthdirect Australia


    Dr Jamie Phillips
    Chief Medical Officer, Updoc


    Prof Clair Sullivan
    Director,
    Queensland Digital Health Centre


    Dr Shaun Hosein
    Clinical Director – Virtual and Integrated Care, Metro South Hospital and Health Service


    Rebecca Perry
    Nursing Director – Operations, South Australian Virtual Care Service


    Dr Owen Hutchings
    Clinical Director, RPA Virtual Hospital


    Ben Okonjo
    Digital Health Manager, Adelaide Primary Health Network


    Mickael Gieules
    A/Manager, Connected Care,
    NSW Ministry of Health


    Dr Carmon Guy
    HITH Clinical Director, Cairns Hospital, Queensland Health


    Tom Hall
    National Manager of Notifications, Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency


    Brooke Dalton
    RN, Senior Business Development Manager, Personify Care


    Dr Shannon Nott
    Executive General Manager – Health & Clinical Services and Chief Medical Officer, Royal Flying Doctor Service (South Eastern Section)

    AGENDA

    08:15

    Registration & Morning Coffee

    08:50

    DAY ONE OPENING

    08:55

    Opening remarks from the Chair

    Associate Professor Tam C. Nguyen, Deputy Director Research, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne

    09:00

    OPENING KEYNOTE | Striking a balance between easy access and quality care

    Anna McFadgen, Chief Executive Officer, St Vincent’s Health Network Sydney
    Dean Jones, National Director, St Vincent’s at Home & St Vincent’s Virtual

    09:30

    KEYNOTE | Single Digital Patient Record as enabler for care provision

    Dr Teresa Anderson AM, Chief Executive, Single Digital Patient Record Implementation Authority

    10:00

    Virtual Psychologist Pilot Program

    Richard Nankervis, Chief Executive Officer, Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network

    10:30

    Regulating in the digital health age: challenges and opportunities

    • Current guidance about virtual care – an overview of how professional obligations in codes of conduct, and guidelines for the health professions apply when delivering safe and effective virtual care services
    • The regulatory landscape for virtual care – including the roles of different regulators, how regulation is responding to evolving models of care, and emerging regulatory issues such as the use of AI in healthcare
    • Practical insights about where professional conduct sometimes fall short in virtual care, and what we can do to support safe professional practice.

    Rachel Griffiths, Manager Strategic Policy, Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency
    Tom Hall, National Manager of Notifications, Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency

    11:00

    Networking Break & Morning Tea

    11:30

    Towards Uniform Safety and Quality Standards for Telehealth

    Australia still does not have uniform, government-endorsed accreditation standards for online telehealth clinics. This unfortunately sets them apart from hospitals, day clinics and GP clinics in Australia, and sets Australia apart from comparable jurisdictions such as the UK. This gap exists despite telehealth as a model of care representing an increasingly high proportion of GP and nurse practitioner consultations in the country. While we await a resolution of this gap from the government, Eucalyptus has partnered with experts to propose its own industry standards.

    Dr Matt Vickers, Clinical Director, Eucalyptus

    11:55

    CASE STUDY | Digital Emergency Healthcare for Remote Communities

    Launch of a 24/7 unstaffed facility with capability to support remote patients access to diagnosis, advice, and treatment. Remotely supported by RFDS staff and local community medical Chest custodians.

    Michelle Dobie, Principal Advisor – Digital Health Systems and Projects, Royal Flying Doctor Service SA/NT

    12:25

    CASE STUDY | Statewide Virtual Emergency Service in SA

    Aspects of the innovative work we have been doing in supporting regional sites, aged care, disability residential care, community nursing and our consumer front door via HealthDirect.

    Dr Melanie Smith, GP Consultant, Co-Clinical Lead, SA Virtual Care Service, SA Health
    Rebecca Perry, Nursing Director – Operations, South Australian Virtual Care Service

    12:55

    SESSION SPOTLIGHT | Improving access to healthcare with Updoc

    • Updoc’s technology platform connects patients across Australia to doctors across Australia.
    • With access limitations becoming more prevalent, more people are looking for digital health solutions like Updoc for primary care.
    • Using technology to improve access, particularly for regional and remote Australians, is becoming increasingly more important – and doing so with robust clinical governance is critical to improving access.

    Dr Jamie Phillips, Chief Medical Officer, Updoc

    13:20

    Networking Lunch

    14:20

    Empowering consumers – Is virtual care right for me and my family?

    • A Virtual Care Consumer Suitability Toolkit has been codesigned to provide consumers with the information and tools they need when deciding if virtual care is right for them.
    • Information is consumer friendly
    • Encourages conversations between health care providers and consumers, their family and carers.

    Donna Parkes, Stream Lead, Virtual Care, NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation
    Brian Long, Health Consumer Advocate & Advisor, NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation

    14:50

    PANEL | Advancing Telehealth: Expanding the Boundaries of Virtual Care Delivery

    • What emerging technologies are enhancing telehealth models showing proven value?
    • What can current technology platforms do, and what are their limitations?
    • Future outlook?

    Brenton Jones, Senior Digital Health Officer, Western NSW Primary Health Network
    Robert Read, Chief Executive Officer, Amplar Health

    Travis Hodgson, Chief Operating Officer, Healthdirect Australia
    Prof Clair Sullivan, Director, Queensland Digital Health Centre
    Moderator: Donna Parkes, Stream Lead, Virtual Care, NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation

    15:30

    Networking Break & Afternoon Tea

    The below sessions will host both Telehealth & HITH audience

    16:00

    PANEL | Overcoming barriers to virtual care pathways to improve health outcomes

    • How can we avoid hospitalisation? Can we incentivise hospitals not to keep inpatients?
    • Key considerations when designing virtual pathways that cater to diverse patient populations
    • How can data from virtual pathways be leveraged to enhance clinical decision-making and patient outcomes?
    • Emerging trends and future? Regulatory and policy considerations?

    Ryan Hutton, Manager – Provider Networks, nib
    Niranjan Bidargaddi, Professor of Digital Health, Flinders University

    Dr Owen Hutchings, Clinical Director, RPA Virtual Hospital
    Ben Okonjo, Digital Health Manager, Adelaide Primary Health Network
    Moderator: Donna Parkes, Stream Lead, Virtual Care, NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation

    16:40

    DEBATE | HITH and Virtual Care are the same!

    This debate will try to define what HITH v/s Virtual Care and if they are indeed the same or not? This subject allows for exploration of how virtual care enhances the effectiveness of HITH models versus arguments about the potential drawbacks of integrating the two.

    • Opening statements (10 mins)
    • Rebuttals from each side (10 mins)
    • Closing statements (10 mins)
    • Audience Q&A (10 mins)

    Chair: Michael Tresillian, HITH/General Medicine, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Metro North Health

    Negative

    Dr Shaun Hosein, Clinical Director – Virtual and Integrated Care, Metro South Hospital and Health Service
    Mickael Gieules, A/Manager, Connected Care, NSW Ministry of Health

    Affirmative

    Sarah McRae, Chief Executive Officer, Amplar Health Home Hospital
    Dr June Song, Medical Director, Hospital in the Home Adult, Monash Health

    17:20

    Closing Remarks from the Telehealth Chair

    17:25

    End of Day 1 & Networking Drinks

    08:30

    Registration & Morning Coffee

    09:00

    DAY TWO OPENING

    09:05

    Opening remarks from the Chair

    Dr Shannon Nott, Executive General Manager – Health & Clinical Services and Chief Medical Officer, Royal Flying Doctor Service (South Eastern Section)

    09:10

    OPENING KEYNOTE | Victorian Virtual Care Strategy

    Emily Mailes, Chief eHealth Strategy Officer, Victorian Department of Health

    09:40

    INTERNATIONAL KEYNOTE | Telehealth-enabled Care Redesign: Opportunities in Pre-Emergency/Hospital Care for Avoidance of Inappropriate Emergency Department Visits and Emergency Medical Services Use.

    Crystal Chua, Acting Project Manager, Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Redesign Initiatives, MOH Office for Healthcare Transformation, Singapore

    10:10

    Convenient care: How health programs are supporting Bupa customers on their health journeys 

    When it comes to health care, consumers increasingly want more convenience and choice. Bupa is now supporting thousands of its customers annually through a range of hospital substitution and chronic disease management programs that are delivered virtually. And while the demand is strong, scaling such programs is not without its challenges.

    James McDonald, Head of Telehealth Operations, Bupa

    10:40

    CASET STUDY | Connecting Hospital and Home: Digital Pathways Transforming Care – How to Stay Ahead of the Curve

    From video assisted consent to prehab and enhanced recovery – digital care pathways are being utilised by health services today to rapidly innovate their care models, drive organisational efficiency and enhance patient outcomes. We’ll be sharing the latest in digital patient pathways from across public and private hospitals and clinics to help put you in the driver’s seat of change.

    Brooke Dalton, RN, Senior Business Development Manager, Personify Care

    11:00

    Networking Break & Morning Tea

    11:30

    Role of Telehealth in Australian Primary Care and Sustainability

    Long held as a critical enabler of primary health care service delivery across rural and remote Australia, Telehealth utilisation saw exponential growth during the Covid19 Pandemic. It has now become a permanent fixture of how General Practice operates, but ow can we best manage this modality to ensure sustainability for our system, while also ensuring optimal health care to our communities?

    Dr Konrad Kangru, General Practitioner, Whitsunday Doctors Service; Medical Advisor, Office of Rural and Remote Health; Qld Representative, RACGP Rural Faculty; Board Director, North Qld PHN

    11:55

    What impact does Virtual Care have on patient attendance rates?

    Comparisons of no-show rates between virtual and in-person models of care are commonly reported during evaluation, indicating how coveted improvements in attendance are to health service providers.  This study seeks to synthesise the data from studies that make these comparisons, providing a more accurate indication of what can be expected from virtual care models.

    Phil Greenup, Telehealth Program Officer, Queensland Virtual Hospital, Queensland Health

    12:20

    Approaching Refusal of Care in Virtual Space – Possible Framework for Clinicians

    With a consistent percentage of people refusing care—around 15%, and no data on refusal of care in the virtual space, it’s clear we need a new approach. From personal experience, at least one person on my shift would refuse indicated care. It’s important to note that, up to date, there is no clear approach to refusal of care in virtual space. Drawing from clinical experience and ethical concepts, I propose a framework that helps clinicians approach refusal of care consistently and safely.

    Dr Marija Kirjanenko, Emergency Physician, Victorian Virtual Emergency Department & Eastern Health, Melbourne

    12:45

    Networking Lunch

    13:40

    BREAKOUT – INDUSTRY ROUNDTABLES (This will host both Telehealth & HITH audience)

    Join us for an engaging roundtable (RT) discussion featuring 2 to 3 esteemed featured speakers and a skilled moderator. Each RT session will delve into innovative strategies for addressing current and future challenges in Virtual Care. The discussions are meant to be very organic, interactive and aims to foster exchange of ideas, highlight best practices, and explore top 3 to 5 actionable solutions. Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in the conversation, ask questions, and contribute their perspectives.

    Industry RT1
    Navigating data breaches in Telehealth & HITH: What to do when the digital walls crumble?

    Ella Cannon, Principal, Hive Legal
    Ben Okonjo, Digital Health Manager, Adelaide Primary Health Network

    Industry RT2
    Pixels + Pillows: Integration of Telehealth & HIT

    Dr Konrad Kangru, General Practitioner, Whitsunday Doctors Service; Medical Advisor, Office of Rural and Remote Health; Co- Chair, Queensland’s Rural & Remote Clinical Network; Qld Representative, RACGP Rural Faculty; Board Director, North Qld PHN
    Dr Carmon Guy, HITH Clinical Director, Cairns Hospital, Queensland Health

    Industry RT3
    The road ahead: Navigating Policy & Funding + Addressing reimbursement issues

    Julia Conway, Director, Hospital Policy and Projects, Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority
    Ryan Hutton, Manager – Provider Networks, nib
    Dr Shannon Nott, Executive General Manager – Health & Clinical Services and Chief Medical Officer, Royal Flying Doctor Service (South Eastern Section)

    Industry RT4
    Innovative Research Spotlight

    Lecture 1: Data on telehealth use trends in general practice from over 800 practices across Victoria and NSW
    Mirela Prgomet PhD, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Health Systems and Safety Research, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University

    Lecture 2: Evaluating the learnability of virtual care technologies used in residential aged care homes
    Adeola Bamgboje-Ayodele, PhD, Lecturer in Design and Innovation, Discipline of Design, The University of Sydney

    14:40

    Someone from Industry RT sessions share the top 3-5 strategies for each issue that was discussed in their RT

    15:00

    Closing Remarks from the Chair

    15:05

    Closing of the Conference & Afternoon Tea

    BOOK A PASS

    STANDARD PASS

    REGISTER NOW

    • Access to full two day conference
    • On-demand recordings
    • Networking drinks reception
    • Pre-book meetings with event app
    • Searchable attendee list
    • App messaging function
    • Live interactive Q&A & audience polls
    • Dedicated networking opportunities
    • BONUS post-event video content including speaker interviews
    • Access discounted hotel rate

    VIRTUAL PASS

    REGISTER NOW

    • Access to full two- day conference online
    • On-demand recordings
    • Searchable attendee list
    • App messaging function
    • Q&A through event app

    • Workshop pass: $495 + GST
    • Dinner ticket (single): $150 + GST
    Packages Full Rate
    2 Day Conference – Standard Pass $2,695 + GST
    2 Day Conference – Healthcare Professional Pass $1,995 + GST
    Virtual Pass – Standard $2,595 + GST
    Virtual Pass – Healthcare Professional $1,795 + GST

    Venue

    Hilton Sydney
    488 George St
    Sydney NSW 2000

    Booking Link: https://www.hilton.com/en/attend-my-event/sydhitw-gdyn10-6167f5e2-7026-4f84-8bc2-53eea0ebf55/
    Group Name: Group Accommodation DYN10
    Discount: 10% off Hotel’s Best Available (Flexible) Rate
    Booking method: via link or Guests can also book by calling our central reservations by providing a group code.
    Phone number: +1300 445 866
    Group code: GDYN10


    Book accommodation with HotelMaps
    To access the best available rate, book here.

    Event Code of Conduct

    We want everyone who comes to our events to have a great experience. This code explains our expectations and rules, which includes general good practice behaviour, and how to report anything witnessed or experienced that goes against them. Read our Event Code of Conduct here.

    ConnectMe + Streamly

    ConnectMe • Networking enhanced

    All of our events utilise a bespoke dynamic smartphone app, ConnectMe – which guarantees attendees a premium event experience. Logins are sent prior to the conference commencement allowing you to check who’s attending, schedule in meetings and catch ups, participate in live Q+A and interactive polls, and much more. ConnectMe ensures you never miss a beat prior, during and post event.

     

    Streamly • On-Demand video vault

    Streamly is a new video platform from Informa Connect – hosting hours of session recordings from our events and more. Select the Streamly add-on at the checkout to receive an annual subscription to exclusive On-Demand session recordings from all of our related healthcare events*. Login information will be sent post event.

    * Note: In a minority of cases, speakers may request their sessions to be excluded from Streamly access.