Talking HealthTech

In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Aaron Leibtag, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Pentavere, a HEALWELL AI company.
The conversation covers Aaron Leibtag's transition from finance to healthtech, the founding story of Pentavere, how AI technology is being leveraged to improve healthcare data utilisation, the practical impact of these solutions in real health settings, and what partnerships with organisations like Orion Health mean for the future of health systems in Australia and beyond.
Aaron explains why roughly 80% of existing health data sits unused, buried in free-text notes, referral letters and PDFs that analytics and decision-support tools rarely reach.
He walks through how Pentavere's Darwin AI engine works, using natural language processing to read and interpret that material and build summaries that reflect the judgement of clinical experts, with full source document verification so clinicians can trust what they are seeing.
The discussion also looks at the Darwin Power Smart Summary pilot delivered with Canada Health Infoway and integrated directly into the EMR, alongside close to eighty real-world evidence studies run across Canada, the United States, Europe and the Middle East.
From there, the conversation turns to the ethics, privacy and governance questions that come with deploying AI in clinical settings.
Peter and Aaron close on what Australia's existing health information exchanges make possible, why medical error and missed screenings remain such costly problems, and why solving the basics matters more than chasing the next breakthrough.
Key Takeaways
🩺 The majority of documented healthcare data remains unused, with AI technology now helping to extract and utilise this information for patient benefit
🌏 Implementation of AI-driven real-world evidence studies is already underway in countries including Canada, the US, Europe, the Middle East, and Australia
⏱️ AI tools that summarise patient data significantly reduce clinician administrative load and improve accuracy in patient care decisions
🔒 Ethical, secure, and compliant deployment of AI in healthcare is a global priority, with regions like Europe leading on policy frameworks
🤝 Partnerships with organisations like Orion Health are helping accelerate access, interoperability, and clinical utility of healthcare data in Australia and globally
Timestamps
00:01 — Introduction & guest background
03:01 — Why healthcare data is underutilised
05:10 — Real-world AI implementations
07:57 — Immediate and long-term impact of solutions
15:06 — Clinician-level AI tools
21:10 — Orion Health’s role in the Australian context
Check 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_shownotes
And if this episode was useful, leaving a review or sharing it with someone in the industry always helps.
Mentioned in this episode:
Join THT+ Solo to connect with other people working in or moving into digital health through members-only events, deeper content and the Talking HealthTech community hub: talkinghealthtech.com/thtplus.

In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Dr Chris Jones, Founder and Clinical Director at HosPortal, about the evolution of clinical rostering in Australian healthcare, the integration of AI in medical workforce management, and shifts in work-life balance for healthcare practitioners.
The discussion covers how HosPortal is addressing the complex challenges of scheduling across diverse medical craft groups, the impact of digital transformation on hospital operations, and the growing importance of customisable solutions and ongoing user support.
HosPortal has been rebuilt from a clean slate and has roughly doubled in capability, and the software now runs across every state in Australia, covering anaesthesia, emergency departments, radiology, junior medical doctors and radiographers.
Chris explains why the current build focus is junior doctor term placement, a problem most hospitals are still solving with survey forms and spreadsheets, and how the team designs for complexity they have not been told about yet.
The conversation also gets into where AI genuinely earns its place inside clinical software. Chris describes agents that turn a plain-language description of a rostering rule into a working rule, and agents that do the task rather than point users at a help file.
He shares his view that diagnostic radiology will be fully replaced by AI within five years, along with the ten-times-better test he applies to it, and paints a picture of an emergency department avatar that is endlessly patient and never tired.
Underneath all of it sits a point about people. Chris argues that doctors working fewer hours with better supervision is a net good for clinicians and patients alike, and that the real cost of fatigue is doctors who quietly stop caring.

Key Takeaways
🩺 The complexity of clinical rostering is growing, driven by specialist requirements, junior doctor preferences, and a broader focus on work-life balance.
💻 A major rebuild of Hosportal's platform has enabled greater customisation, scalability, and more sophisticated automation across Australian hospitals.
🤖 AI is playing an increasing role in both automating roster construction and making the system easier for end-users to interact with, including the use of natural language agents.
🧠 There has been a cultural shift in healthcare, with greater attention on clinician mental health and safer working hours, positively impacting staff and patient safety.
🌏 The future roadmap for Hosportal includes continued AI integration, product refinement, and expansion beyond Australia into new international markets.

Timestamps
00:00 - Hosportal introduction & background
02:27 - Rostering problems & user experience
04:13 - Shifting work-life balance for doctors
07:17 - Customisation and customer-driven solutions
11:30 - AI features & natural language tools
13:44 - AI's role in the future of healthcare
31:04 - Roadmap and international expansion

Check 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_shownotes
And if this episode was useful, leaving a review or sharing it with someone in the industry always helps.
Mentioned in this episode:
Join THT+ Solo to connect with other people working in or moving into digital health through members-only events, deeper content and the Talking HealthTech community hub: talkinghealthtech.com/thtplus.

In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Peter O'Halloran from the Australian Digital Health Agency, and Farhoud Salimi and Dr Monica Trujillo from Telstra Health, about the current state and future of interoperability in Australian healthcare.
The discussion covers why seamless data sharing is crucial, how policy, technology, and consumer expectations are driving change, and the evolving roles of national infrastructure like My Health Record.
The group unpacks how the shift from paper to digital created a new problem, with information locked inside systems built for a single hospital, practice or specialty.
They talk through the real cost of that fragmentation, from repeated tests and retold medical histories to the harm that occurs when clinicians do not have what they need at the point of care.
The episode closes on what success looks like by 2030, including a future where interoperability is no longer a talking point, data simply arrives inside the workflow, and connected care reaches rural and regional Australia as reliably as it does the capital cities.

Key Takeaways
💡 The priority now is not convincing stakeholders of the need for interoperability but implementing practical solutions for data sharing in healthcare
💡 Modernising "classic" or legacy systems is a major challenge, but new platforms are being built with interoperability and patient-centricity at their core
💡 Consumer expectations are rapidly evolving, with an increasing demand for immediate access to health information and digital-enabled care
💡 My Health Record has shifted from being a basic repository to becoming central infrastructure, supporting real-time, secure, and routine data sharing
💡 Incorrect or incomplete health data, particularly when combined with AI, can lead to safety risks, reinforcing the need for better standards and data quality

Timestamps
00:00: Introduction & framing the interoperability challenge
01:09: Evolution and urgency for healthcare data sharing
03:07: Patient impact and consumer stories
08:47: Practical use cases and technology improvements
12:48: Urgency, burning platforms, and risks of inaction
19:02: The role and future of My Health Record
22:52: Interoperability at Telstra Health and industry collaboration

Check 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_shownotes
And if this episode was useful, leaving a review or sharing it with someone in the industry always helps.
Mentioned in this episode:
Join THT+ Solo to connect with other people working in or moving into digital health through members-only events, deeper content and the Talking HealthTech community hub: talkinghealthtech.com/thtplus.

In this episode of Talking HealthTech, Peter Birch speaks with Dr Rae Donovan, Chief Clinical Information Officer at e-Health Queensland, Professor Peter Steel, Associate Dean of Digital Health and Informatics at the University of Melbourne and Chief Transformation Officer at Royal Melbourne Hospital, and Anita Ghose, Founder and CEO of inventiveX, at HIC 2026, hosted by the Australasian Institute of Digital Health.
Recorded on the sidelines of the conference, the conversation brings together perspectives from frontline clinical practice, academic leadership, and industry innovation, offering a well-rounded look at where Australia's digital health sector is heading.
The discussion covers digital health innovation, advancing clinical AI in Australia, workforce enablement, women in digital leadership, and the ongoing transformation of healthcare through technology-driven collaboration.
The conversation also touches on the gap between technical ambition and everyday clinical reality, including how outdated hospital systems and clunky electronic medical records continue to shape the day-to-day experience of clinicians.
Together, the guests unpack what it takes to modernise ageing hospital systems, build local expertise in clinical AI, and create lasting pathways for women in digital health careers, drawing on real experience from the clinic floor, the university, and the boardroom.

Key Takeaways
💡 Workforce enablement in digital health involves not just technical training, but supporting ongoing learning, retention, and the evolution of clinical workflows with new technologies.
💡 Clinical AI development in Australia needs hubs or ecosystems of excellence to concentrate capabilities and deliver region-wide benefits, rather than isolated innovation.
💡 Women remain underrepresented in tech roles, and programs focused on digital health leadership can bridge gaps through mentoring, networking, and targeted initiatives.
💡 Technology in healthcare must evolve beyond digitising paper processes to provide more intuitive, AI-enabled, and context-aware support for clinicians.
💡 Networks, global connections, and sponsorship are critical for developing future leadership and sustaining momentum in digital health transformation.

Timestamps
00:00 - Peter Birch | Episode introduction and HIC overview
00:33 - Dr. Rae Donovan | Workforce enablement & networking
07:58 - Professor Peter Steel | Clinical AI innovation & hubs
13:42 - Anita Ghose | Women in Digital Health Leadership Program
19:54 - Anita Ghose | Mentoring and legacy networks

Check 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_shownotes
And if this episode was useful, leaving a review or sharing it with someone in the industry always helps.
Mentioned in this episode:
Sign Up to the Free Talking Healthtech Newsletter
Sign up to the free Talking HealthTech newsletter for weekly digital health news, events, jobs, partner updates and Pete’s take on what matters across the sector: talkinghealthtech.com/newsletter

Talking HealthTech (THT) is Australia's leading media company for health tech conversations, connecting decision-makers, innovators and doers across the healthcare industry.

Hosted by Peter Birch, our weekly podcast features conversations with the brightest minds in healthcare innovation from around the world. Alongside the show, we run a newsletter, active social channels and a comprehensive glossary of digital health terms, so you've got one place to stay across the industry.

*THT+ Community*
Our safe space for the doers and builders in health tech to connect, learn and grow. Members get access to our community platform, live online meetups, exclusive content, partner discounts and other member-only benefits. Join at talkinghealthtech.com/thtplus

*THT Productions*
Our production arm helps healthcare organisations tell stories that spark real change, through customer testimonials, product showcases, workflow explainers and documentaries.

*Company Partnerships*
Want to get your organisation in front of the health tech community? Our partnership tiers include a feature podcast episode, directory listing, community seats and more. See what's included: talkinghealthtech.com/partners

*About Pete*
Peter Birch has spent his career in healthcare operations, from running GP clinics and global medical assistance centres to being first hire at multiple health tech startups. He now sits on the boards of industry groups and health tech companies, bringing that experience into every conversation on the show.

Timestamps:
0:00 Welcome to Talking HealthTech - podcast, newsletter, social and glossary
0:22 THT+ Community: our space for health tech doers and builders
0:41 THT Productions: video storytelling for healthcare
1:03 About Pete: from GP clinics to health tech startups
1:32 Real conversations that improve patient outcomes
1:47 Subscribe, follow and join the newsletter

🔗 Website: talkinghealthtech.com
🔗 Media kit: talkinghealthtech.com/mediakit
🔗 Join THT+ Community: talkinghealthtech.com/thtplus
🔗 Partner with us: talkinghealthtech.com/partners

#HealthTech #DigitalHealth #HealthcareInnovation #HealthcarePodcast #HealthTechAustralia