Bold prescription for WA to drive medtech revolution

By John Barrington AM

A middle-aged man feels unwell. Rather than visit his GP, he measures his temperature, blood pressure and breathing at home. Each medical device is linked to his phone.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) analyses the data and makes a preliminary diagnosis. After screening for severity, an algorithm recommends he call a telemedicine general consultant for further assessment and advice.

The consultant says he should visit his GP. After examination, the doctor refers him to a cardiologist, to test his heart. Using AI, the cardiologist receives a diagnosis within minutes of coronary artery disease, helping guide the recommended treatment.

Although with extra layers, the medical process is faster, more accurate and cheaper. Like millions of Australians, the man owns simple medical devices that monitor his health. AI is his first point of call for healthcare, saving the health system billions each year and helping more people.

Welcome to the future of healthcare. This is just one of many scenarios for the coming e-health revolution. For clarity, nobody should believe AI can replace GPs or other medical professionals. AI augments the work of clinicians to improve health outcomes.

In some ways, Coronavirus is providing a crash course on the intersection of health and technology – an area with great promise for Western Australia.

More than 5.4 million Australians downloaded the COVIDSafe App by mid-May. Behind the scenes, researchers are using AI to analyse large data sets, predict and explain different scenarios caused by COVID-19 and inform policymakers.

AI is also being used to manage resources and services at large healthcare centres worldwide, and in virus research and the development of potential drugs and vaccines. AI is among our most powerful weapons to fight the virus.

Coronavirus has also given the world a wakeup call on the dangers of over-reliance on China to manufacture pharmaceuticals, medical devices and personal protective equipment.

Never again should we rely on one country to supply so much critical health material – particularly in light of China’s recent trade retaliation against Australia.

However, diversification of global medical supply chains cannot stop at the manufacture of pharmaceuticals and basic health goods. If AI is central to the future of healthcare, we must develop our own technologies and rely less on other countries.

By 2030 we might not be fighting over the supply of face masks or gloves should another pandemic strike. A bigger issue could be who owns the intellectual property behind the AI that, by then, will be integral to managing health crises.

WA can and must play a larger role in AI and healthcare. We have the foundations to build a thriving medtech sector, creating better healthcare outcomes, high-tech jobs of the future, and long-term wealth for investors and the community.

WA has outstanding medical-research capabilities through its universities and medical-research organisations, such as the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research.

Our State’s emerging medtech cluster is producing high-potential firms such as Linear Clinical Research, an early-phase clinical trials facility owned by the Harry Perkins Institute.

OncoRes Medical, also based at the Institute, is developing intraoperative imaging technology to provide surgeons with real-time assessment of tissue microstructure.

Another is Artrya, developing AI solutions to change how heart disease is diagnosed to help more patients and cardiologists.

WA must invest in AI because countries that fail to do so face ever-rising healthcare costs, deteriorating health outcomes and greater vulnerability to health crises.

The WA Government deserves credit for its announcement last year to invest a further $52 million in the New Future Health Research and Innovation Fund. However, significant constraints still exist. Start-ups, for example, cannot access the Federal government JobKeeper package as many do not meet the criteria of having prior-year revenue. Much more funding is needed to ensure promising, cash-strapped medtech and biotech firms get through this crisis and capitalise on longer-term opportunities.

Imagine if Perth became a leading hub for medtech research, innovation and commercialisation in the Indian Ocean Rim. WA has already attracted some of the world’s best medtech researchers.

Naysayers will argue this vision of medtech in WA is fanciful or fuelled by self-interest. I disagree. The world has changed and WA needs to change with it by focusing more on industries of the future, such as medtech and AI.

Most of all, we need to harness WA’s greatest strength for the post-pandemic world – a capacity for innovation and entrepreneurship that is in our State’s DNA.

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John Barrington AM is co-founder and Executive Chairman of Artrya, a director of the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research and Chair of Curtin University School of Management Advisory Board