Optus paving the way for health and aged care innovation

Catholic Healthcare (CHC) has revealed that employee and resident complaints about poor coverage in rural Australia while they treat patients have fallen by 50 per cent since transitioning to the Optus network. 

Optus’ 5G network has also unlocked new technologies for CHC to explore and implement, including Microsoft’s HoloLens headset, which provides hands-free telehealth and assessment services while providing more modern solutions for healthcare workers and residents.  

A roundtable hosted by Optus in collaboration with Catholic Healthcare and Samsung unveiled key industry insights into the intersection of health and technology, the transformative power of digitisation and AI, and strategies to improve employee and customer experiences in the health industry. 

Brett Reedman, Chief Information Officer at Catholic Healthcare shared that through partnering with Optus, Catholic Healthcare has overhauled its delivery of aged care services and enhanced overall client experience. Mr Reedman said wearables and IoT devices are enabling elderly Australians to remain in their home longer. 

Ben Vella, Optus Vice President of Enterprise and Mid-Market said the evolving landscape of digital health and aged care emphasised the need for technology solutions that deliver enhanced connectivity and speed, while providing transformative improvements for businesses and their clients.  

Professor Nilmini Wickramasinghe, Optus Chair of Digital Health and Professor at La Trobe University said Optus’ commitment to digital transformation in healthcare was driving innovation with new technologies like AI and digital twins. 

Digital twins allow healthcare professionals to apply machine learning to create a digital representation of a patient using genetic information, social data, and medical records that help healthcare teams predict, and also prevent, potential health risks. 

Rob Taylor, Head of B2B Division at Samsung Electronics said that Samsung is working on releasing future devices that have the capability to function over low earth orbit (LEO) satellites. This technology will play a critical role in providing medical assistance and support for individuals in remote areas without cellular coverage. 

Mr Taylor also highlighted the role wearable technology will continue to play in the medical industry, monitoring vital signs for patients and how these devices can seamlessly connect with partner healthcare ecosystems. 

If you would like to learn more about how Optus can help your organisation, request a call back below.

^{1 IDC US Enterprise Workspace Management and Security Survey 2021}

^{2 In Optus mobile network and Optus roaming partner coverage areas}

^{3 To secure and manage a device's Wi-Fi access, the companion application needs to be installed on compatible Google Android and Apple iOS / iPadOS devices.}