The Sparked Podcast

Australia’s digital health standards are gaining global focus as Sparked’s FHIR Accelerator puts interoperability and productivity at the centre of reform. In this episode, it examines how national priorities connect with international frameworks, and explores why standards matter for practical data exchange, system efficiency, and the safe adoption of new technology.
Guests:
Rachel Fellner & Kate Ebrill
Key themes and takeaways:
Global Alignment and Local Implementation - Aligning Australian standards with international frameworks supports real interoperability and avoids duplicating effort, with benefits for vendors, clinicians, and patients.
Beyond Technical Solutions: Productivity and Change Management - The real value of interoperability is realised through improved system efficiency and better patient outcomes, and requires active collaboration and change management, not just technical fixes.
Building Strong Data Foundations for AI - High quality, standardised data is essential for safely adopting emerging technologies like AI, reinforcing the need for robust clinical and technical governance.

This episode offers practical insights for digital health leaders, informaticians, policy makers and anyone interested in how connected care is built through better data standards.

In Season 1, we introduced Sparked and explored the big-picture challenges of digital health standards in Australia and around the world.
Now, in Season 2, we’re diving deeper—spotlighting sectors like aged care, nursing, and allied health, and unpacking what interoperability beyond FHIR really means.
Join us as we explore how better data standards can transform care, one connection at a time.

FHIR alone isn’t enough to revolutionise Australia’s digital health landscape. In this episode, we explore how interoperability depends on the alignment of multiple standards—including OpenEHR and SNOMED. Our expert guests unpack what makes Patient Summaries work, how terminology supports data exchange, and why Sparked’s approach is catching global attention.
Guests: Grahame Grieve, Rachel Dunscombe, Rory Davidson

What does Sparked mean for private specialists and patients across every stage of life? From paediatrics to geriatrics, this episode explores how standards can break down silos and improve patient care across the full lifespan. Our guests reflect on why they champion Sparked and what success looks like from the clinic to the cloud.
Guests: Michael Strachan, Dr Sanka Amadoru, Dr Kim Drever

Allied health professionals are critical to patient outcomes—but are they included in the interoperability conversation? This episode dives into the opportunities and challenges of bringing allied health into the fold, and why better data exchange could revolutionise shared care, treatment plans, and patient-centred outcomes.
Guests: Bronwyn Morris-Donovan, Kath Feeley

Nurses are the backbone of healthcare, yet digital systems haven’t always worked for them. In this episode, we hear how Sparked is helping the nursing workforce shape national standards that reflect real clinical needs. From SNOMED terminology to startup innovation, this is a conversation about equity, influence, and the future of nursing.
Guests: Janette Gogler, Zara Lord, Karen Booth