644 - Improving Patient Journeys: Clintel Systems and the Future of Digital Health in Australia

In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Nick Cuthbertson, CEO of Clintel Systems, the Australian digital health company behind CareRight.

With a background in business system design and around 20 years in the industry, Nick shares how the definition of a hospital is changing and what that means for patients, clinicians and health services.

Nick explains why a hospital is increasingly seen as a coordinated set of clinical capabilities delivered wherever the patient is, and the three forces driving that shift.

He walks through how CareRight was built on a workflow foundation, allowing it to support everything from e-registration, online referrals and pre-admission assessments to discharge planning and follow-up programmes that run for months after a patient leaves hospital.

The conversation also covers the real-world lessons Clintel has learnt from clients bringing multiple systems together, including why change management is critical and why flexibility often works better than a one-size-fits-all approach.

Nick shares Clintel’s philosophy on integration, its connections with platforms such as Medicare, My Health Record, Coviu and Microsoft Teams, and his advice for hospital leaders planning for a future where virtual care and Hospital in the Home become the norm.

Key Takeaways

🔗 The definition of a hospital is shifting from just a physical place to a coordinated network of clinical capabilities delivered wherever the patient is.

💻 Digital technology is both enabling and driving transformation in healthcare, addressing complexity and supporting new models, including virtual and home-based care.

🗂️ CareRight was designed with workflow and business process foundations, supporting end-to-end patient journeys, data capture, and adaptability across multiple care settings.

🤝 Integrations with other systems and services (like My Health Record, Medicare, telehealth platforms) are foundational, allowing health providers to select best-of-breed solutions and maintain flexibility.

♻️ Change management and incremental adoption are critical for the successful transition to digital systems in healthcare environments.

Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction to Nick Cuthbertson and Clintel Systems

01:32 - Redefining what a hospital is

03:03 - Drivers of care model evolution

05:06 - The complexity of connected hospitals

06:24 - How CareRight supports connected care

09:28 - Specific CareRight solution features and workflow

12:37 - Lessons from clients: change management and flexibility

15:39 - Integration approach and philosophy

17:29 - Examples of integrations and partnerships

18:47 - Future directions: Hospital in the Home, virtual care

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

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