13 February 2026 - Top Stories

Australian health tech is pivoting toward a life hub model, with AI expected to coordinate health, mental health, social services, employment and community supports around the individual. At the international e-Mental Health Conference in Toronto, Liquid chief executive Fiona Armstrong argued for designing care around people rather than organisations and proposed a digital backbone to surface personalised support and manage complexity.

In practice, this points to a shift toward person‑centred digital ecosystems in Australia, aiming to reduce fragmentation and bend the cost curve by linking care across health and social supports around the individual.

Gatekeeping in access to care is rising, influenced by bed and staff shortages. Patients now often need to prove eligibility and navigate bureaucracy, with online guidance and even social platforms playing a role. General practitioners frequently draft referral letters that steer the narrative, a dynamic that can advantage those with literacy, time and networks and widen inequities. There is potential for health‑tech to improve navigation, transparency and equity across paths to care.

InterSystems has been recognised with multiple Global Best in KLAS awards, including TrakCare for acute care EHR across markets such as Australia, and HealthShare for Europe’s shared care records. The honours underscore demand for interoperable, patient‑centred records within Australian health systems and may influence local procurement choices.

Australia reported a record start to GP training for 2026, with 1,772 new entrants and 161 expected to spend at least six months in high‑need regions including the Northern Territory and parts of Queensland and New South Wales. The rural focus aligns training with regional health needs and highlights the importance of digital health tools to support dispersed practitioners.

Funding and policy signals are also shaping the tech landscape: the Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program disbursed about $61.4 million to 2,949 practices in the latest round, with an average payment just under $21,000. The Department of Veterans Affairs has committed $739.2 million to improve veterans’ treatment and rehabilitation, including admin tasks tied to compensation claims. A proposal to standardise GP referrals, linking to cost information, could drive price transparency and new vendor opportunities, while the overseas‑trained GP fast‑track continues to inject clinicians rapidly into practice, supported by ongoing digital onboarding and supervision demands. Senate health estimates keep a close watch on funding flows, governance and how AI descriptors feature in aged care and disability supports.

• AI-enabled life hub concepts gain traction as a model for person‑centred care coordination in Australia.
• Rural GP training reaches a record 1,772 entrants, with 161 in high‑need regions, boosting rural service capacity.
• InterSystems’ recognitions reinforce the value of interoperable EHR and shared records in Australia.
• BBPIP payments total $61.4m to 2,949 practices, indicating momentum in bulk‑billing uptake and associated admin challenges.
• DVA funds $739.2m to enhance veterans’ treatment and rehab, including administrative workflows for claims.
• A push for standardised GP referrals and price transparency could reshape data flows and vendor opportunities in GP software.
• Overseas‑trained GP fast‑track continues to supply clinicians quickly, with 692 applicants and 501 registrations by Jan 2026.