In this fourth ANMF and Australian Digital Health Agency podcast, nursing and midwifery leaders discuss how curiosity and cultural evolution are driving the future of digital health in the professions.
From breaking away from traditional models of care to embracing new ways of thinking, the panel explores how nurses and midwives can adapt, lead, and innovate in a rapidly changing healthcare landscape.
With a focus on mentorship, lifelong learning, and the courage to ask, “How might we…?” this conversation demonstrates how digital tools can be utilised by nurses and midwives for patient-centred, safe and quality care and stronger connections across the system.
Our panellists are Alison McMillan (Commonwealth Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer), Kellie Wilton (Senior Midwifery Advisor)*, Annie Butler (ANMF Federal Secretary), Karrie Long (Victorian Chief Nurse and Midwifery Officer), and Alicia Graham (Digital Health Educator, Australian Digital Health Agency).
Key Topics:
- The power of curiosity in adopting digital tools and systems
- Cultural evolution in nursing and midwifery—thinking beyond four walls
- Merging experience and digital fluency across generations
- Building confidence through education and practical learning environments
- How digital health supports leadership, evidence-based care, and patient connection
Annie Butler says digital health integration requires a cultural revolution.
“We need to make sure that we encourage curiosity and inquiry. Digital health is based on having expertise in nursing and midwifery. It is the connecting of wisdom. I think it is going to provide the mechanisms for us to be able to genuinely recognise the real value of nurses and midwives and then reward that accordingly. There are a lot of opportunities, we just need to look at how we are able to integrate them.”
Alison McMillan sees opportunities in digital health expanding across sectors.
“I think the system is at different levels of maturity and therefore, the nursing and midwifery input will be different in different contexts. What we need to ensure is that our undergraduate education system is embracing our health system in its entirety and not solely preparing our undergraduates for an electronic medical record in a in an acute setting, they need to be thinking about virtual health, different ways that care will be delivered to the community in the future, and the different ways that we may see maternity and midwifery-led care into the future.”
Alicia Graham considers the integration of digital health into health organisations as incredibly important.
“We need to upskill our students in digital health tools before they come out into the world that they have to work in. We think providing them with these particular healthcare tools could make a huge impact. Also to support the existing workforce to upskill in the digital health space.”
Kellie Wilton envisages a fully integrated system for digital health in Australia.
“Where women and midwives and all other health professionals alike can access information. And upload information and speak to other clinicians in real time and just have seamless integration in the woman’s pregnancy care journey, her postnatal journey and the early life continuum of the baby. That would be my ultimate goal for a digital health revolution.
The future of digital health
“I really see digital health as the absolute genesis of how nurses can be leading the system. I see it is perhaps our real key to unlocking true leadership across the system for patient benefit,” says Karrie Long.
“I would like to see that digital health is trusted by people, that it’s timely and accessible, and the use of data underpins that personalised connected health system that reaches all Australians across our system. I know that’s aspirational, that’s a vision,” says Alison McMillan.
Listen to the podcast here
*Kellie Wilton was in this role at the time of recording and is now the Chief Midwifery Officer of the Northern Territory.
For more information, resources, and to join the conversation, visit the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation website
Tune in now and be part of the digital health transformation!
