New survey report reveals Allied Health sector ready for digital transformation and urges further policy and funding commitment. 

 

AHPA today released the Allied Health Digital Transformation Survey Report. 

Conducted last year in collaboration with the Australian Digital Health Agency, the survey sought to understand allied health professionals’ current awareness, use and readiness to use: 

  • Provider Connect Australia™ (PCA™) 

  • My Health Record 

  • Electronic prescribing. 

With a total of 2,419 participants from 36 allied health professions (AHPs), this is the largest and most diverse cohort to respond to a national survey focused on Australian AHPs and their use of digital products. 

AHPA Chief Executive Bronwyn Morris-Donovan said the report is a crucial resource for allied health professionals and health policymakers to understand the bigger picture and integrate allied health into the digital ecosystem. 

“The survey findings reinforce our position that ongoing policy and funding commitment is required from the Commonwealth in order to build the necessary allied health digital infrastructure to strengthen capacity and capability of the sector. 

“This report is a timely and tangible resource to highlight that there is no one-size fits all approach to accelerating uplift in use of the key digital products within the allied health sector. 

“We look forward to working with the Australian Digital Health Agency and our 36 member organisations to swiftly operationalise the recommendations,” said Morris-Donovan. 

The report: 

  • summarises key findings across the sector

  • presents results by professional discipline where relevant

  • makes key recommendations regarding next steps to assist the digital uplift of the allied health sector 

  • identifies topics requiring further exploration. 

Key recommendations include: 

  • A sector wide education campaign tailored to the unique and diverse demographic characteristics of the AHP workforce

  • Interoperable digital products fit for purpose to the allied health workforce

  • Expansion of the type of information AHPs can author in My Health Record

  • Terminology datasets to enable sharing of allied health clinical information within an interoperable digital ecosystem.

Download the full survey report or view here.

For media interviews contact: communications@ahpa.com.au

 
Media releaseEloise HudsonAustralian Digital Health Agency, PCA, My Health Record, Electronic prescribing