26 February 2026 - Top Stories

Australian health tech moves from planning to action, as telehealth standards, AI governance and digital education take centre stage for executives.

Telehealth is formalising its role in cardiovascular care across Australia and New Zealand, with a cross‑country position statement that outlines how clinicians should deliver remote services safely and to adult care standards. Led by 38 authors and senior author Prof Sally Inglis, the guidance emphasises safe practice and expanded access for diverse groups, including Aboriginal communities, signalling what health‑tech teams should build to boost equity and outcomes.

Australia’s digital health education capabilities are getting a national uplift through the Digital Health Train the Trainer Toolkit. Developed by the Australian Digital Health Agency and partners with input from 37 universities, the resource helps universities embed digital health across nursing, medicine, pharmacy and allied health. It includes eight learning plans and 34 core topics covering technical concepts, professionalism and ethics, aiming to standardise upskilling and interoperability across the workforce.

Into the policy and governance lane, leaders are calling for stronger AI investment and clearer rules. Notably, UNSW’s Toby Walsh urged urgent regulation to ensure safe, ethical AI that serves national interests, highlighting healthcare as a key sector with real potential and risks. The period also features a push for clinician‑led governance of AI in health, with emphasis on maintaining clinician decision‑making at the point of care and boosting AI literacy for safe adoption.

On the R&D and tech‑transfer front, ERS Genomics launched an Early Access Express CRISPR license to help early‑stage Australian ventures access foundational CRISPR IP. The non‑exclusive license runs up to three years and scales to a standard Express license as ventures grow, reducing upfront barriers for universities, incubators and spinouts pursuing R&D in gene editing.

Other technology‑driven moves touch the practical realities for clinicians and patients: HotDoc rolled out a default payment flow that includes Apple Pay and Google Pay, prompting clinics to consider how data ownership and revenue might shift if the platform becomes a primary payment intermediary. Separately, paediatric speech therapy access expands under the Medicare Benefits Schedule, with up to 20 rebated treatment sessions and eight assessments annually for those under 25, supported by almost $75 million in funding.

Taken together, the week’s health‑tech news points to a pragmatic Australian path: interoperable systems, clinician‑led AI governance, and earlier access to advanced therapies and digital education to sustain a capable, data‑driven health system.

• Cross‑border telehealth standard for cardiovascular care enabling safer remote delivery and equity
• Digital Health Train the Trainer Toolkit to embed digital health across 37 universities
• Rising emphasis on AI investment and clinician‑led governance in health
• ERS Genomics Early Access CRISPR license lowers entry barriers for Australian biotech
• HotDoc payment shift and potential changes in data ownership and revenue
• Medicare paediatric speech therapy expansion supported by nearly $75M