624 - Telehealth for Regional Australia: Updoc's Mission to Bridge Healthcare Gaps at DHF26

In this episode of Talking HealthTech Peter Birch speaks with Dylan Coyne, co-founder at Updoc, about the origins and growth of the Updoc platform, the challenges and opportunities of providing accessible healthcare across Australia, and the balance between technology, trust, and scalability in digital health.

The conversation traces back to a personal injury that exposed the inefficiencies of the traditional healthcare system, sparking the idea for a platform built around convenience and access.

The episode explores how Updoc is addressing gaps in rural and regional healthcare access, fostering a supportive culture for both patients and clinicians, and participating in the development of national telehealth standards.

Recorded live at the Updoc booth during DHF26, The Digital Health Festival, the conversation highlights the ongoing innovations and real-world community engagement driving the company's mission.

Key Takeaways

🩺 Updoc aims to be a digital "front door" to healthcare, offering on-demand consultations without the need for traditional appointments or waiting rooms.

🌏 Rural and regional Australians represent nearly 40% of Updoc’s consultations, reflecting critical healthcare access barriers outside metropolitan areas.

🔒 Trust and data security are central to Updoc's operations, safeguarding both patient and doctor information while fostering confidence in telehealth solutions.

💡 Bootstrapping the company drove a focus on sustainability, leading to scalable offerings like unlimited telehealth subscriptions.

📜 Updoc played an active role in developing national telehealth standards, advocating for shared quality, credentialing, and feedback systems across the industry.

Timestamps

00:00 - Updoc's origin story

02:07 - Making healthcare accessible and convenient

04:22 - Impact and scale—reaching over a million Australians

05:24 - Building trust with patients and clinicians

08:20 - Serving rural and regional communities

09:09 - Community Access Programme and in-person outreach

12:01 - Attracting and supporting clinicians through flexibility

15:06 - National telehealth standards initiative

16:36 - Updoc's future and role in the healthcare ecosystem

Check out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website.

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