Tech innovators invited to enter awards

Aged care providers are being encouraged to submit their innovation and technology accomplishments for an ITAC 2024 Award.

The awards aim to promote and recognise innovative solutions or developments that demonstrate a focus on improving the lives of people receiving aged care support.

There are four award categories looking for excellence in technology implementation, collaboration, business intelligence and digital workforce.

The winners of each category will be given the opportunity to showcase their project to their peers at the ITAC National Conference Dinner in March, said ITAC 2024 Award chair, Graeme Wickenden.

“I would encourage any aged care providers that have done any innovation around technology to support their residents or their clients in home care, residential care and retirement living to apply,” Mr Wickenden told Community Care Review.

“It’s a great opportunity to showcase the work that they’ve done to their peers. It promotes themselves as an innovator in the sector. It’s a great opportunity to also give recognition to the individual staff members who have led that technology,” said Mr Wickenden, chief financial officer of aged care provider MiCare.

ITAC award categories

The technology implementation award focuses on achievements in deployments to drive innovation and efficiency. It aims to recognise organisations that have successfully integrated cutting-edge solutions to elevate user experiences and set new standards in their endeavours.

The collaboration award targets organisations leading digital transformation through evidence-based partnerships. It aims to highlight the impactful use of collaborative efforts and data-driven strategies in navigating the ever-evolving landscape of digital transformation.

The business intelligence development and the use of analytics award targets exceptional achievements in leveraging data for strategic decision-making.

The digital workforce development award recognises organisations for outstanding efforts in cultivating a skilled and innovative digital workforce including digital skills development, fostering adaptability, and promoting digital literacy within the modern workplace.

The awards will be judged at a national level with the winners from each category announced at the ITAC 2024 National Conference Dinner on 26 March. Nominations close Friday 1 March.

Program highlights

The awards dinner takes place at the end of the first day of the Innovation and Technology Across Care Conference. An initiative of the Aged Care Industry Information Technology Council, the two-day event this year has the theme “Elevating Aged and Community Care and Inspiring Innovation”.

Among the scores of people discussing the latest in technology and innovation for residential and community aged care providers are:

• Professor Gregory Alexander from Columbia University delivering a keynote on global healthy ageing ecosystem         
• Professor Len Gray from the University of Queensland discussing data standardisation in aged and community care
• Josh Maldon – Department of Health and Aged Care assistant secretary of ICT Strategy and Business Assurance – talking about transforming aged and community care to a new digital horizon
• Australian Nursing Home Foundation project manager Angela Ng discussing gerontechnology adoption in Canada, Japan and Hong Kong
• Dr Melanie Tan, a clinical governance and medico-legal consultant, on the legal considerations for technology and innovation in aged and community care 
• McLean Care chief executive officer Sue Thompson presenting on new business models enhancing the uptake of innovation and technology across care.

The 2024 ITAC National Conference takes place on 26-27 March 2024 at the Royal Pines Resort, Gold Coast, Queensland.

Australian Ageing Agenda is the official publication of the ITAC 2024 National Conference

Main image: Celebrating the 2022 ITAC award winners (from left): Allison Nikula, Kylie Grima, Cameron van den Dungen, Tammy Sherwood, Daniel Pettman, André Ferretto, Bart Williams, Jon Maloney, and Graeme Wickenden

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