Driving Digital Transformation in Healthcare

Ramesh Raghavan joined Uniting NSW.ACT in 2021 tasked with devising and leading the organization's digital strategy and technological innovation. Since then, his focus has been on harnessing emerging AI-centric technologies, emphasising telehealth, and advancing Generative AI at the point of care.  

With a background rich in digital technology across several industries, Ramesh is actively trialling and building future-ready solutions while engaging with healthcare industries, cross-industry collaborations, and research entities. He also serves on the Industry Advisory Board of RMIT Centre for Industrial AI Research and Innovation. 

Congratulations on your recent appointment to the RMIT Industry Advisory Board – how do you think this will help you deliver on your Uniting goals? 

Thank you. As a member of the RMIT industry advisory board, I see a great opportunity to collaborate and gain insights that can inform Uniting’s decisions aligned with industry trends and emerging technologies.  

This firsthand knowledge is invaluable and gives us opportunities to leverage innovative solutions to enhance care quality, improve efficiency, and address sector-specific challenges, keeping us ahead of the curve. Additionally, being part of the board keeps us informed about the regulatory landscape and aids in discussions on compliant implementation of AI technologies. 

What was your background before you joined Uniting, and why did you choose to join a NFP organization? 

I have over two decades of digital transformation experience in global industries such as Banking, Retail, Energy, and Telecom and I’ve worked across the spectrum of strategy to execution for various organisations.  

I chose to join Uniting to align my work with my values and make a positive impact on causes I am passionate about. The opportunity in Uniting, allows me to contribute to transformative initiatives and make a measurable impact not only within the organisation but across the health care sector.  

How would you define your main goals for Uniting? 

To lead the digital transformation strategy which is specifically tailored to enhance the well-being of our elderly customers and communities. This involves leveraging technology to create user-friendly experiences, fostering innovation in care delivery, and implementing digital solutions that prioritise the unique needs and experiences of our customers across our services. This includes facilitating a transformation at the point of care enabled by AI and Sensors, re-imagining traditional care delivery models.  

What major digital transformative projects have you worked on at Uniting? 

Two projects close to my heart include the creation of a digital marketplace connecting older Australians and people with disabilities with trusted care providers, bringing choice and quality of life. The second project focuses on enhancing employee experience through cloud-based solutions and leveraging partnerships with Microsoft for a unified digital gateway using platforms like Viva Connect. 

Regarding your recent trial of AR Smart Glasses in Uniting residential aged care facilities, how successful has this been, and what are the main benefits? 

The trial of AR Smart Glasses and supporting technology in Uniting residential aged care facilities has been highly successful. It has expanded our ability to address clinical issues, breaking geographical barriers and providing timely care. The solution prevented approximately 9 hospitalisations during the trial, reduced referral wait times, and increased response time by 75%, highlighting efficiency gains and empowering Clinical Nurse Consultants to reach remote areas. 

We have received a lot of attention and requests for information about our trial from other providers and the interest from clinicians is also high. In fact, I have just been invited to be a Keynote Speaker at this year’s Wounds Australia National Conference in October where I will be giving an update on the technology and how successful it has been particularly in preventing hospitalisations, amputations and even death in some cases. 

We have also just found out we have been shortlisted as a finalist at the 12th Asia Pacific Eldercare Innovation Awards 2024 for our AR Smart Glasses in the category of ‘Innovation of the Year – Smart Care Technology.  

What’s next for Uniting’s digital transformation?  

We are currently collaborating with Microsoft’s AI incubation Lab for Aged Care to address challenges faced by the sector. This includes Generative AI solutions for a mobile assistant and AI-enabled solutions to capture case notes and sensor data, shifting towards a predictive care model. 

We are also focussing on transforming the customer experience, making it simpler for customers to connect with us enabled by a single digital platform to engage with Uniting, and will give Uniting an opportunity to offer more products and services.  

Thanks Ramesh

Thank you