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Sydney More than 100 participants and guests at the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth heard that to remain competitive, Australian ICT firms must embrace an open mindset and engage more with the research sector. Dr George Margellis, Industry Development Manager, Intel Australia, focused on the role of ICT in healthcare, showing how technology could be used to treat people at home and keep them out of hospitals. “There’s a shortage of nurses and doctors in the workforce. Meanwhile,
demand for their services is increasing exponentially. The perfect storm is
here and growing,” he said. Glenn Wightwick, Chief Technologist for IBM Australia, spoke of the role that innovation was playing in transforming IBM. “Twenty years ago at IBM, innovation was a linear model, built around a set of products, and focused on science and technology. It didn’t necessarily connect with the problems of clients,” he said. Now IBM was based on collaborative innovation, generating ideas from many sources, acknowledging that we lived in an interconnected world, a smarter planet. Dr David Skellern, Chief Executive Officer, NICTA, said he believed that the digital economy could become a powerhouse of this country’s economy. However Australia had a $28 billion trade deficit in ICT in 2008, a figure that had more than doubled over the past decade.
Dr Farrell, Chairman of Resmed Inc. heads an impressive list of guest speakers for the 2010 series. His knowledge and experience working with a number of bio tech companies and it’s relevance to the Innovation and R&D sector will be fascinating. Check all information at www.innovationseries.com.au
Brisbane Brisbane Innovation Series – November 2009 Keeping a perspective and striking the right balance are the keys to continued health innovation in Queensland. In discussing the topic of Health Innovation, it was an interesting perspective from Andrew Fraser who is both the Queensland Treasurer and the Minister for Employment and Economic Development. ‘Against common belief, in fact only a small part of the increase in health care budgets is attributable to the ageing population. The dominant part of the message is what you (the audience) are responsible for – that is the increase in innovation and technology in the health sector.’ said Mr Fraser. Prof. John Prins, Chief Executive Officer for Mater Medical Research Institute highlighted the integral role of the Princess Alexandra Hospital, University of Queensland, the Mater Hospital and the planned Queensland Children’s Hospital in the success of the PAH precinct and how this is an important part of the R&D and Innovation network. Prof Prins explained how the PAH precinct has the potential to be the lead medical research campus in Australia. ‘What we want to do in this precinct is to provide all patients with a level of clinical care and deliver that care within the precinct underpinned by a strong research program that initiates research and education at every point providing international standard and cutting edge palliative care. If we can do that, the activities of the precinct will greatly benefit, from the patient to the family to future generations.’ Dr Richard Ashby, Executive Director and Director of Medical Services at Princess Alexandra Hospital discussed the role of “Bio Precincts” in health innovation with particular emphasis on the opportunities presented by eHealth. Dr Ashby, after trying Google and Wikipedia found that there was no definition of a Bio Precinct, so he quite proudly unveiled his definition. “It is about a designed environment, it’s about co-location, it’s about self governing communities… it’s about all the dimensions of productivity of innovation, from the idea right through to sales and marketing, training and education, and all the things that come about as a result of collaboration of intellect. It’s a place where people with the smarts can interact, and by breaking down the organisational boundaries. come up with real solutions.” said Dr Ashby. Dr Ashby also made a strong point about the doctors’ frustrations of current procedure and why it must change. “I can book an international trip with 29 stops and book 29 hotels and I can do it during the course of this lunch and do it all from the convenience of my iPhone, but I can’t order a chest x –ray. It’s ‘walk’, paper and more ‘walk’… and it has got to change.” he said. Thank you for your support during 2009. We look forward to presenting the 2010 Series. For all information go to: www.innovationseries.com.au
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Dr Peter Farrell heads
the 2010 IVS Sydney Series
Whilst displaying a great
understanding of the big picture in
Health, and the need for R&D and
innovation, the minister emphasized
that we need to find the funds to
support collaboration both here and
off shore by hooking up researchers
with industry. Mr Fraser is acutely
aware of the need for innovation,
but as the Treasurer he posed the
question of who should pay for it.