Episode 44

Best Practice Summit 2025: Innovations, AI, and the Future of Primary Care

In this episode of Medicubes, Chris, Riwka, Kim are joined live at the Best Practice Summit 2025 by Craig Hodges (CEO, Best Practice), Janice Tan (GM of Clinical at Bupa), Steven Kaye (GP and RACGP committee member), Jaspreet Saini (GP and Chief Medical Officer, HotDoc), and Kylie Payne (CEO, Interconnect Healthcare). The panel explores the primary care landscape, with a focus on technology-enabled practice management, digital health, and the practical implications for practice managers working in Australian general practice.

Key Points:

  • Celebrating Progress: Recognising recent “bright spots” in primary care, including rapid digital transformation during COVID-19, especially the adoption of eScripts, and the increasing role of AI technology.
  • Integrating AI: Discussing practical examples of AI benefiting general practice, all while maintaining a patient-centred approach.
  • Challenges and Risks: Addressing barriers to digital adoption in primary care. The lack of comprehensive regulation and standards around AI in Australia is also noted as a current concern for clinical safety and governance.
  • Access and Continuity: They highlight rising wait times for appointments and shifting patterns of patient access. The tension between continuity and convenience is a central theme, with technology proposed as a bridge to close this gap.
  • Role of Education: Emphasising the need for ongoing education of all practice staff, across clinical and administrative roles, as essential to prevent practices and patients being left behind in the rapid digital transformation of primary care.
  • Collaborative Projects: Initiatives like the SPARK project are presented as examples of industry collaboration, aiming to align data collection across the healthcare sector to facilitate more integrated and patient-centred care.
  • Looking Forward: Discussing what’s possible in the next five years, advocating for digital solutions that maintain a balance between technological advancement, sustainability, and optimal patient outcomes.


Medicubes is a proud member of the Talking HealthTech Podcast Network - the premier audio destination for cutting-edge insights and thought leadership in healthcare delivery, innovation, digital health, healthcare ICT, and commercialisation. Learn more at www.talkinghealthtech.com/podcast/network

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About the Podcast

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Medicubes
The Medicubes team bring you a monthly panel conversation of exciting and challenging topics in primary health care, answering listener questions and invited guests to the discussions.

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About your hosts

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Kim Poyner

Accredited Health Coach and executive coach, with over 20 years of experience in General Practice and Intensive Care Units. Mentor to health professionals and organisations to achieve their best, specialising in chronic disease management, coaching, and change management programs.
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Riwka Hagen

An experienced general practice manager, with a passion for leadership development, coaching, and business management in the health sector. As the Director of Medical Business Services and Medical Business Coaching, she provides consulting, advisory, coaching, training, and mentoring services to health organisations Australia-wide, and is also the founder of the highly active Facebook group 'Practice Managers Network'.
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Chris Smeed

A lover of all things Practice Management and Data. Always thinking of ways to make life easier and to help with patient outcomes.