Media release

From: Flinders University

Digital health technologies give health and aged care systems the opportunity to deliver cost savings, efficiencies, stronger safeguards and more seamless connections to other services.

A review of digital health adoption in aged care in Australia, led by Flinders University, found that rural and regional aged-care services need greater support to realise the full benefits of new technologies.

The scoping review, published in the International Journal of Medical Informatics, analysed 48 Australian studies exploring how health professionals experience digital health in aged care.

First author, Dr Naser Pourazad says, “Digital health isn’t a luxury for metropolitan providers; it’s essential infrastructure for equity, safety, and sustainability.

“Smart tech saves money and smarter policy saves people, but rural and remote aged care and home services can struggle to implement new technologies due to challenges such as connectivity, training and leadership support.”

“Mobile and remote monitoring tools help under-resourced facilities track health changes in real time and prevent crises,” he says.

Common barriers to adopting digital health technologies are:

• Patchy broadband and IT infrastructure in rural areas.
• Limited digital literacy and confidence among aged care staff.
• Lack of organisational leadership, strategy, and ongoing support for digital innovation.

Co-author Dr Peivand Bastani, a Senior Lecturer in Healthcare Management at Flinders University, says the new study shows the digital divide will keep growing if rural and regional communities were unable to take advantage of the range of time and money-saving tools.

“Australia’s aged care system is under strain, with rising costs, growing demand, and persistent workforce shortages stretching services to their limits,” says Dr Bastani, from the Centre for Social Impact research group.

“Digital health technologies promise safer, more efficient, and more connected care. Yet, our study shows that the tools such as telehealth, virtual consultations, remote monitoring and electronic record keeping are least available where they’re needed most in rural and regional communities,” she says.

To close the gap, aged-care providers need to:

INVEST in connectivity and digital infrastructure across rural and remote aged care.

BUILD digital capability and confidence through continuous, supported training.

STRENGTHEN leadership and governance so “innovation becomes routine, not exceptional”.

CO-DESIGN solutions with health professionals and older Australians to ensure technology enhances, not replaces, human care.

Senior author Dr Madhan Balasubramanian adds telehealth and virtual consultations reduce unnecessary hospital transfers and keep older adults connected to care – both in residential and home care – while Electronic Health Records improve medication safety, reduce duplication, and enhance coordination.

The article, ‘Lived experiences of health professionals using digital health in Australian aged care: A scoping review’ (2025) by Naser Pourazad, Mahnaz Samadbeik (University of Queensland), Peivand Bastani and Madhan Balasubramanian has been published in the International Journal of Medical Informatics. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2025.106145