The digital health community continued to explore the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning at HIC 2024.

Health and care are increasingly delivered in a digital world, but nothing promises to change the way we work and live like AI, generative AI, and machine learning.

Other key topics in the program, including workforce, interoperability, FHIR, standards, UX and usability, and cybersecurity, continue to demonstrate how digital health leaders and innovators are steadily advancing towards connected care.

In this rapidly developing environment, the voice of the consumer and the clinician has never been so vital. It was pleasing to see the number of consumer representatives, generously supported through sponsorship, in attendance as delegates.

This year, for the first time at HIC, a symposium was held for early and mid-career researchers supported by Academic Translational Research in Digital Health. Designed for graduate and postgraduate students, PhD candidates, postdoctoral fellows, and early career faculty, it focused firmly on digital health research and supported those looking at research careers.

For the Australasian Institute of Digital Health, continually evolving and changing to serve our members, the conference has morphed into a new model: Health. Innovation. Community (HIC). It’s a new way of broadening our message, connecting the digital health ecosystem and engaging with the Australian community.

The theme of HIC 2024 is It Starts With Us. It acknowledges that, as a community, we are all responsible for initiating and creating positive change. HIC 2024 envisions a future where collective insights, shared knowledge, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and enthusiasm drive systemic improvements.

Together, the digital health community can help deliver a more responsive, inclusive, innovative, and human-centric healthcare system.

Digital health is more than the development and adoption of new technologies. It opens the door to new ways of thinking, spurring innovation in connected care that will ultimately enable accessible, equitable healthcare for all Australians.

On behalf of the Australasian Institute of Digital Health Board, I would like to thank the HIC 2024 Organising Committee, co-chaired by Dr Tanya Kelly and Professor Adam Dunn, for their leadership in delivering this important conference.

Damian Green (FAIDH)

Acting Chair

Australasian Institute of Digital Health

Deputy Director General

Corporate Services Queensland Health