Last week in Sydney, we convened an extraordinary group of health leaders, innovators, and change makers for the inaugural Healthcare 2040 Expo Advisory Board Lunch, an energising step toward shaping one of Australia’s most future-focused healthcare gatherings.

Bringing together executive voices from health services, government, startups, consumer advocacy, and digital health, the session provided a space to share bold ideas, challenge assumptions, and align on a shared vision for Healthcare 2040 Expo, launching 11–12 March 2026, co-located with Australian Healthcare Week.

Why Healthcare 2040 Expo?

Our health system is at a turning point. With rapid advances in technology, changing consumer expectations, and rising economic pressures, the need to come together has never been greater.

Healthcare 2040 Expo was created as a platform to explore the complex questions shaping the future of health:

• How can we use AI and automation to solve our workforce crisis?
• What will a truly connected and person-centred health system look like?
• How do we ensure innovation is both responsible and equitable?
• And how can we prepare now for the care models of the next 15 years?

As Andrew Wilson, CCO of NexusMD and a Foundation Sponsor of the Expo, advocated:

“I encourage the industry to attend Healthcare 2040 Expo because it isn’t afraid to ask the tough questions and seek the real answers that we need to be a technology leader in healthcare.”

Meeting the Moment: Shaping a Future-Focused Health System

Healthcare is no longer just about treating illness, it’s about promoting health and wellbeing. Mitch Burger, Chief Insights Officer at Healthdirect, reflected this shift;

“My vision for the future of health is a health system that is re-oriented toward production of health and wellbeing, rather than the treatment of illness, and we are taking advantage of modern technology to vastly improve productivity and sustainability.”

But technology alone won’t solve everything. Mitch emphasised the urgent need to tackle complex challenges:

“To move the industry forward, we must tackle key challenges including the labour force and economic disruption that will arise from AI; environmental sustainability and emissions; operationalising responsible AI governance.”

Balancing Innovation and Compassion

As digital health rapidly evolves, the challenge is to balance innovation with regulation and ensure solutions are tailored without causing fragmentation. Rob Marshall, Chief Strategy Officer at St Vincent’s Health Australia, shared a compelling vision for care:

“My vision for the future of health is care meets you where you are and whenever you need it - digitally connected, deeply compassionate, and tailored to your life. We're building that future now at St Vincent's, bringing hospital-grade care into homes and communities across Australia.”

He also acknowledged the delicate balancing act the industry must manage:

“We must address the balancing act of digital health; between innovation and regulation; between build and buy; between tailoring to unique settings and fragmentation.”

Rob also referenced the unique role Healthcare 2040 Expo plays in bringing together a diverse community, saying:

“I encourage the industry to attend Healthcare 2040 Expo because it's the biggest and most diverse gathering of like-minded people in Australia. If the people at Healthcare 2040 can't bring about the future of health in Australia, I don't know who can.”

The Power of Collaboration

No organisation can transform healthcare alone. This was a key theme underscored by Puja Pankhania, Managing Director of Healthcare 2040 Expo:

“Transformation doesn’t happen in silos. It happens when we bring together bold thinkers across the sector to ask the hard questions, and start building the answers together. That’s the mission behind Healthcare 2040 Expo. It’s a platform for real collaboration, with the urgency and imagination the future demands."

Who Was in the Room?

The inaugural lunch featured an impressive and diverse group of contributors, including:

• Rob Marshall, Chief Strategy Officer, St Vincent’s Health Australia
• Paul Middleton, Chief Medical Information Officer, South Western Sydney Local Health District
• Paul Creech, Chief Program Officer, Australian Digital Health Agency
• Mitch Burger, Chief Insights Officer, Healthdirect
• Daniel Pettman, Chief Information Officer, BaptistCare
• Densearn Seo, CEO & Co-Founder Gravida Health and RACMA Governance Committee
• Harry Nguyen, Director, APAC, Heidi Health (Foundation Sponsor)
• Andrew Wilson, Chief Commercial Officer, NexusMD (Foundation Sponsor)
• Harry Iles-Mann, Consumer Representative
• Puja Pankhania, Managing Director, Healthcare 2040 Expo
• Moderated by, Robyn Chanter, Show Director, Healthcare 2040 Expo

Supported by a National Advisory Board

In addition to those who attended in person, Healthcare 2040 Expo is proudly supported by a wider national Advisory Board, made up of visionary leaders from across Australia and beyond:

• Michelle Rennie, Chief Digital Officer, The Royal Children’s Hospital
• Amith Shetty, Clinical Director, NSW Health
• Kendra Hagedorn, Chief Nursing Information Officer, Ramsay Health
• Tom Lawry, Best-Selling Author & Global AI Expert
• Maree Ruge, Chief Nursing and Midwifery Information Officer, Metro North Health
• Sandip Kumar , Chief Digital & Innovation Officer, Kings College Hospital London
• Nirvana Luckraj, Chief Medical Officer, Healthdirect
• Emily Mailes, Chief eHealth Strategy Officer, Victorian Department of Health
• Dr John F. Lambert, Chief Clinical Information Officer, Department of Health Tasmania
• Michael Bakker, Chief Pharmacist Information Officer, SA Health
• Jason S., Chief Digital Officer, West Moreton Health
• Antonela Manovski (Vogranic), Chief Nursing Information Officer, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
• Nathaniel Alexander, Chief Nursing and Midwifery Information Officer, South Western Sydney LHD
• Andrew Dome, Chief Digital Information Officer, Uniting NSW.ACT
• Kath Feely, Chief Allied Health Information Officer, Parkville Precinct

Community Partners

We’re proud to collaborate with a growing group of Official Community Partners, whose support helps us build a truly representative and inclusive platform:

• Hunter New England Local Health District
• Australian Indigenous Doctors'​ Association
• Australian Healthcare & Hospitals Association (AHHA)
• Australian College of Nursing (ACN)
• Australasian Institute of Digital Health (AIDH)
• Victorian Healthcare Association
• RACMA
• NSW Justice Health & Forensic Mental Health Network
• Health Information Management Association of Australia Limited (HIMAA)
• eHealth NSW
• CSIRO

What’s Next?

This lunch marks the beginning of a larger national movement. Over the coming months, our Advisory Board and community will help shape a program that’s rich with insight, packed with innovation, and grounded in real-world change. If you’re working at the intersection of healthcare, technology, systems, and people - we invite you to join us.