Flinders University launched their new Flinders Digital Health Research Centre yesterday afternoon in a ceremony at Flinders at Tonsley. Co-Directed by two new Chairs of Digital Health, Professor Anthony Maeder and Professor Trish Williams, the Centre will help drive Flinders’ expansion in the Health Technology domain.
Supported by the Premier’s Research and Industry Fund provided by the South Australian Government, and Cisco Systems Australia Pty Ltd under the Cisco Digital Health Initiative, the Centre will focus on uniting health and IT.
Professor of Digital Health Systems and co-Director, Professor Maeder said Digital Health is a major developing area in healthcare, leading to improved services and healthcare reform.
“Healthy ageing is critical to the State and National agendas” said Professor Maeder.
“The Centre will initially focus efforts on digital health projects that enable smart living, leveraging new ICT technologies to enable new health services and realise new models of care delivery”.
Spanning across two Faculties (Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences, and Science & Engineering) and working closely with the already established Medical Device Research Institute, the Centre will be a driver for new digital health developments.
Flinders University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Robert Saint said the Centre will provide expertise, innovation and leadership to ensure that Flinders University achieves national and international recognition as a premier institution for Digital Health Systems and Technologies research.
“Working closely with industry partners such as Cisco Systems Australia Pty Ltd, the Centre will also foster Digital Health university-industry alliance relationships benefiting South Australia and the nation” said Professor Saint.
As part of Tonsley’s emerging health-tech precinct, it is perfectly placed to drive health innovation.
“Tonsley provides an ideal combination of academic and training institutions, a mix of established global companies and start-ups and carefully curated research and industry networks that provides a strong collaborative and innovative environment”, said Professor Williams.
The launch included an opening address by the Chancellor of Flinders University, Mr Stephen Gerlach AM, followed by a speech by Ms Katrine Hildyard MP (representing the Premier of South Australia, Jay Weatherill) and an address by Mr Reg Johnson, General Manager Education for Cisco Systems Australia Pty Ltd.