Australia’s digital health debate has shifted from funding shortages to disagreements over how value and return on investment are defined, a theme of a HIMSS–Nous Group discussion and joint report highlighted by Dr Amandeep Hansra of the Australian Digital Health Agency. Stakeholders warn that narrow, short-term ROI metrics favor cost-cutting over investments in interoperable systems, data platforms and AI tools whose benefits accrue through improved clinical workflows, predictive analytics and population health management.
Experts argue this mindset risks underinvesting in AI-driven capabilities that require upfront change management, workforce training and robust evaluation frameworks to demonstrate clinical and economic value. They recommend reframing ROI to include patient outcomes, clinician time savings, reduced adverse events and system-wide efficiencies, and developing shared governance, procurement and measurement approaches to accelerate safe, scalable AI adoption across Australia’s health system.
