Digital Health Weekly - 23 - 27 Mar, 2026

• The Australian Government will start negotiations to associate with Horizon Europe, the EU’s $155 billion research programme, giving Australian entities access to its health research funding from early 2027. 
• Association will allow Australian researchers and health‑tech startups to lead and join EU projects on next‑generation healthcare, advanced computing, and digital health solutions. 
• The Group of Eight universities will jointly support the partnership, aiming to boost international collaboration, job creation, and productivity in Australia’s health sector. 
• More than 20 countries already benefit from Horizon Europe, and Australia expects similar returns on investment and accelerated innovation in health technologies. 

• The ACT Government released the first Digital Health Record (DHR) Benefits Realisation Yearbook, showcasing how the system, launched in Nov 2022, is delivering person‑centred care across the ACT public health system. 
• The DHR has prevented over 90,000 unnecessary blood draws, delivered 826,000 test results to patients within 24 hours (85% same‑day for outpatients), and averted more than 270,000 potential medication errors through real‑time alerts. 
• Communication and coordination have improved, with nearly 3.9 million secure messages exchanged between clinicians and care teams, and 98% of public health staff completing digital‑confidence training. 
• The platform has consolidated over 50 legacy systems into a single integrated record, cutting ICT incidents by >60% and enabling rapid upgrades, while the government plans ongoing enhancements based on stakeholder feedback.  

• Doctronic, a digital health startup, has secured $40 million in Series B funding to expand its AI‑powered chatbot service for renewing drug prescriptions and providing virtual consultations. 
• The core service uses a chatbot to assess patient symptoms before connecting them with a clinician over telehealth for diagnosis and treatment, charging a $39 fee. 
• Founded in 2023, Doctronic has raised $65 million across three rounds in under a year and expects to generate over $10 million in revenue this year. 
• The funding will fuel rapid hiring and enable partnerships with digital health firms, health systems, and payers to launch new technology versions. 

• The healthcare industry is shifting from a disease-centred care model to a wellbeing-centred support model, giving rise to a new category of innovation called WellTech, which focuses on prevention, early intervention, and self-management. 
• WellTech aims to extend healthcare beyond clinics and into people's daily lives, empowering individuals to take an active role in managing their health, and providing them with accessible and portable health information. 
• The Digital Health Passport, an app developed by Dr. Greg Burch, is an example of WellTech in action, allowing users to carry validated, up-to-date health information with them, share it easily with clinicians and others, and feel more prepared and in control. 
• The success of WellTech depends on co-designing with patients, families, and communities, prioritizing trust, accessibility, and inclusion, and designing for the realities of daily life, rather than idealized use cases. 

• Infosys has agreed to acquire Optimum Healthcare IT, a US-based healthcare digital transformation and consulting firm, for $465 million, expanding its healthcare capabilities. 
• Optimum Healthcare IT, founded in 2012 and headquartered in Florida, provides technology‑driven consulting, implementation, and managed services to hospitals, health systems, and payers, with FY25 revenue of $275.9 million. 
• The deal will give Infosys access to new provider clients and enable integration of its Topaz AI, Cobalt cloud, cybersecurity, and application transformation services. 
• The transaction is slated to close in the first quarter of FY27, pending regulatory approval and closing conditions. 

• SOMNDEEP has introduced a contactless sleep monitoring solution that uses radar‑based technology to track sleep patterns without the need for users to wear a device, charge it, or manually activate it. 
• The new system aims to address the issue of long‑term abandonment of wearable devices, which often occurs due to user fatigue with charging, discomfort during wear, and forgotten devices. 
• By removing the need for user interaction, SOMNDEEP’s contactless approach increases the likelihood of long‑term adherence to sleep tracking, providing more consistent and meaningful insights over time. 
• This technology reflects a broader trend in health technology, shifting from visible, user‑driven devices to invisible, environment‑integrated systems that adapt to existing behaviors and make health tracking feel effortless.

• JAAQ, a London‑based digital health engagement platform, secured $17 million in Series A funding to accelerate its U.S. expansion and enhance its clinical infrastructure. 
• Founded in 2021, the company shifted from a direct‑to‑consumer model to embedding over 10,000 clinically reviewed mental‑health videos into insurers’, employers’ and healthcare organisations’ digital products, now covering more than 1.5 million eligible lives. 
• New CEO Alex Packham will lead the next growth phase, while Meridian Health Ventures partner Dr Pooja Sikka joins the board. 
• The platform offers a “clinical engagement layer” for AI‑native products, allowing organisations to embed governed mental‑health content without building their own clinical governance, addressing both access gaps and low benefit engagement.