619 - Practical AI in Public Health: Eastern Health at the Microsoft Stand at DHF26

In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Suma Shivalingaiah, Chief Information Officer at Eastern Health, about the practical use, governance, and impact of AI and digital technologies in a large Victorian public health service.The conversation covers the AI journey at Eastern Health, from addressing a significant cyber incident that reshaped the organisation's digital strategy to building internal capability, upskilling staff, and deploying AI across both administrative and clinical workflows.Suma shares how Eastern Health approaches AI governance through a dedicated committee that assesses and manages risk across all tools and platforms, why cybersecurity remains the organisation's top priority, and how clinician buy-in is central to any successful implementation.The discussion also touches on real-world pilots including GP referral triage systems, help desk and policy management agents, and Emergency Department wait time predictions, as well as the role of university partnerships in accelerating AI adoption.This episode was recorded live at the Microsoft stand during the Digital Health Festival 2026, held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre in May 2026, as part of a series of conversations captured across the event.Key Takeaways🛡️ Governance and cybersecurity are foundational for AI deployment in healthcare, and a dedicated committee is needed to ensure safe use of digital tools⚙️ Real-world AI success starts with addressing repetitive and administrative tasks for staff and clinicians, using agents like help desk and policy management tools👨‍⚕️ Clinician and staff buy-in is critical. Adoption depends on early engagement and solving actual pain points📊 AI in clinical workflow includes initiatives like triaging GP referrals and predicting ED wait times, always as a support tool, not a replacement for clinicians🎓 Building AI literacy, continuous training, and partnerships with universities are essential for capability uplift and safe technology integrationTimestamps00:00 - Introduction & Episode Setting00:28 - Overview of Eastern Health01:35 - Practical AI applications02:51 - AI agents & support tools03:57 - Importance of clinical buy-in05:33 - Governance & cybersecurity foundations06:30 - AI use case—triaging referrals08:31 - Justifying AI adoption in public health10:02 - Automating clinical notes & admin11:16 - Multi-pronged strategy & advice12:02 - Lessons for healthcare leadersCheck out the episode and full show notes on the Talking HealthTech website.If you’re enjoying the show and want access to exclusive healthtech discussions, meetups, and member-only content, you can learn more about becoming a THT+ Solo Member here: talkinghealth.tech/solo_shownotesAnd if this episode was useful, leaving a review or sharing it with someone in the industry always helps.Mentioned in this episode:THT+ Digital Health Career ToolkitExplore the free THT+ Digital Health Career Toolkit, a five-day email series to help you clarify where you fit in digital health and take your next step: talkinghealth.tech/toolkit.THT+ Digital Health Career ToolkitExplore the free THT+ Digital Health Career Toolkit, a five-day email series to help you clarify where you fit in digital health and take your next step: talkinghealth.tech/toolkit.THT+ Digital Health Career ToolkitExplore the free THT+ Digital Health Career Toolkit, a five-day email series to help you clarify where you fit in digital health and take your next step: talkinghealth.tech/toolkit.