In summary

  • The Clinical Innovation Fellowship Program (CIFP) provides healthcare professionals with an opportunity to develop creative problem-solving skills while focusing on an industry-specific passion project
  • Previous Fellow, Dr Matthew Read, has recently commercialised a product developed through the CIFP, which aims to empower the digital transformation of operating rooms   
  • The fourth round of the CIFP will begin in October 2024, welcoming a brand-new cohort of creative thinkers in the healthcare space

Swinburne University of Technology’s MedTechVic is gearing up to begin its fourth year of the Clinical Innovation Fellowship Program (CIFP), following the highly successful third round in 2023.

The CIFP is an eight-week fellowship aimed at upskilling health professionals by providing an opportunity to collaborate with a network of professionals and develop creative solutions to individual passion projects. The program has undergone a co-design process to ensure that the delivery is clinician informed.

In the program, Fellows select a challenge project from their respective fields and are guided by leading professionals to find human-centred solutions.

Past cohorts have explored a broad range of areas within the healthcare sector, including pressure care, assistive technology, medication management and hospital management systems. 

Clinical Innovation Fellowship Program Presentation Night 2023

Smarter operating rooms for enhanced patient care

Previous Fellow, Dr Matt Read who is a surgeon based at St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne, has successfully commercialised the product he developed during his time in the program. Dr Read recently launched Sentinel Healthcare Solutions, which is working to build smarter operating rooms and enhance patient care.

Dr Read is addressing the unnecessary waste of equipment and time within Australia’s operating rooms, which can cost between $1,000 and $5,000 per surgery. Dr Read’s solution, developed through the CIFP, looks to integrate advanced digital solutions and data analytics to streamline surgical workflows and enhance patient outcomes.

“I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to participate in the CIFP. It forced me to think outside the box and helped me to develop a completely new set of skills. The association with both Swinburne and MedTechVic has certainly bolstered our credibility within the industry and aided with the commercialisation of our solutions,” says Dr Read.

Sentinel Healthcare Solutions is just one example of the successful outcomes of the Clinical Innovation Fellowship Program.

“The Clinical Innovation Fellowship Program provides an excellent opportunity for professionals to develop user-centred solutions to problems facing their respective fields. Collaboration is at the heart of creative design, and the Program allows Fellows to collaborate with other industry professionals to develop products and services that will enhance lives,” says Professor Rachael McDonald, Director of MedTechVic.

“It’s fantastic to see professionals from across the healthcare sector working together to create solutions to everyday problems impacting the healthcare sector. The success of these projects following the completion of cohorts is a testament to the dedication of our Fellows,” says Professor McDonald.

For more information on the CIFP, including how to be involved in the 2024 cohort, contact medtechvic@swinburne.edu.au. 

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