OP-ED: FUNDING ROADBLOCKS CREATING DIGITAL HEALTH INEQUITY Beyond just clinical: Making the case for a pivot in reimbursement by Australian Government

With
Helen Souris,
CEO and Executive Director
Cardihab &
Board Member
Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA)

OP ED SEGMENT
Filmed in Sydney | June 2026

Helen Souris, CEO and Executive Director of Cardihab and Chair of the Digital Health Advisory Group at the Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA), highlights the significant gap in cardiac rehabilitation access across Australia. Despite the proven benefits of cardiac rehabilitation in improving survival, quality of life, and reducing hospital admissions, around 80% of eligible patients do not receive this care, with access rates even lower in regional and rural communities.

Cardihab was established as a digital health company originating from CSIRO research and has spent the past decade developing a digital therapeutic solution for cardiac rehabilitation.

Delivered through a clinically supervised software platform, the program enables patients to access rehabilitation remotely, removing barriers associated with travel and face-to-face attendance. The platform is registered with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) as a Class IIa medical device, reflecting its compliance with rigorous clinical and regulatory standards.

Over ten years, Cardihab has built a substantial evidence base, including randomised controlled trials and real-world studies. Independent research has demonstrated improvements in patient outcomes, quality of life, and cost-effectiveness, with the program outperforming traditional alternatives in most evaluated scenarios. As a result, the majority of private health insurers now support access to the platform, while statewide implementation has been achieved through partnerships such as the Tasmanian Health Service.

Despite these successes, Souris identifies funding as the primary barrier to broader adoption within the public health system. She argues that Australia already possesses the technology required to support the government’s digital health ambitions and that sustainable funding and reimbursement mechanisms are now needed to enable widespread access to evidence-based digital therapeutics and remote patient care solutions.

Source: Adapted from transcript
Media access credit: Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA)

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