MONA Art Gallery - Interior
MONA Art Gallery - Interior

Rapidly establishing a reputation as a focus of creativity – think David Walsh’s MONA gallery, Richard Flanagan’s Booker Prize win, and global awards for its single-malt whiskies – Tasmania is hosting a major conference on health system innovation.

The focus of the ‘Sustainable Healthcare Transformation’ conference in Hobart from 18-20 March is the improvement of hospital performance in Tasmania, nationally and globally.

Amongst the high-flying presenters are Sir Robert Naylor, Chief Executive of University College London Hospitals, knighted for services to UK health care, Professor Chris Baggoley AO, Australia’s Chief Medical Officer, Anthony Moorhouse, CEO of emergency management firm operating Dynamiq, and well-known spokesperson on youth matters, Holly Ransom.

An ‘on-the-couch’ panel session with key speakers will be hosted by former ABC North Coast station manager, and popular breakfast host, Martin Corben.

The inaugural conference will address the challenges of delivering quality acute care in an era of rising patient demand and tighter funding.

Particular attention will be paid to developing more innovative ways of providing clinical care, according to University of Tasmania Assoc Prof Craig Quarmby, Co-Director of Health Services Innovation Tasmania, which is implementing clinical redesign in the Tasmanian hospitals under a Federal funding package.

“This will be a valuable event for anyone whose focus is providing high-quality care in a tight fiscal environment,” Assoc Prof Quarmby said.

“At a time of growing demand and finite budgets, both at a state level and federally, it is unrealistic for the health sector to try and spend its way to improvement.

“Nationally and internationally, it has been shown that inpatient and out-of-hospital care can be done much better when the right systems are put in place.

“Some of these innovations have already been implemented, many are being planned, while others have yet to be identified and explored.”

Conference speakers come from the forefront of transformative change in the field of healthcare, higher education and manufacturing industry. As leaders in innovative organisations they have a range of valuable experiences to share with clinicians and healthcare planners in Tasmania and beyond.

The conference is designed for:

  • Medical, nursing and allied health clinicians from the primary care or acute sectors both public and private.
  • Health service and hospital managers.
  • Policy makers within government.
  • Educators and researchers.

Sustainable Healthcare Transformation’ will be held at the Hotel Grand Chancellor, Hobart, from 18-20 March 2015.