Bendigo Health Accelerator

Accelerator and Innovation Programs

Accelerator and Innovation Programs

Events

Upcoming Events

Safer Care Victoria Design Challenge Workshops

On behalf of Safer Care Victoria, Bendigo Health and the University of Melbourne are bringing together key healthcare innovation stakeholders to promote, connect and foster creative problem-solving to improve patient safety and quality of care across Victoria. 

Be part of one of four co-design challenges where you can share your knowledge, lived experiences and feedback: 

  • 24 August: Digital Health & Medical Technology
  • 7 September: Empowering patients to manage chronic conditions
  • 28 September: Addressing suicidality amongst young Victorians
  • 19 October: Improving emergency department waiting rooms

We would like to hear from people with lived experience or a strong interest in the subject areas. 

Expressions of interest are now open. Contact Consumer Participation Support Officer Paula Rielley via [email protected] or 03 5454 9080. More information can also be found here.

Past Events

Women Entrepeneurs in Conversation - Start Up Central Victoria

More information can be found here.

Bendigo Startup Meetup April

Bendigo Health Accelerator (BHx) hosted the April Bendigo Startup Meetup event to assist with networking of individuals interested in learning about startup companies.

At the April Bendigo Startup Meetup, Bendigo Health hosted a virtual on the couch session with Megan Gomez from Rural Health Connect to discuss her top tips and experiences with starting up your own enterprise.

Please find a recording of this here: https://youtu.be/6228GoHB8KM

Bendigo Startup Meetup September

Bendigo Health Accelerator (BHx) hosted the September Bendigo Startup Meetup event to assist with networking of individuals interested in learning about startup companies.

At the September Bendigo Startup Meetup, themed ‘Innovative Women Leading Health Startups’, Bendigo Health facilitated an insightful panel discussion with three female founders of startups taking part in the inaugural BHx Program 2020 – Grace Petherick of Age Up Health, Annette Nunn of Ampisafe and Lexi Randall-L’Estrange of Social Impact Software.

Please find a recording of this here: https://youtu.be/gObx4ZyhxbY

Accelerator and Innovation Programs

Innovation Acceleration Program (IAP)

Expressions of interest (EOI) for the IAP are now closed. 

The program is for anyone who sees an unmet healthcare need and wants to develop an innovative solution as part of a well-supported expert team, with the potential for seed funding. 

Let's get our thinking caps on. We need MedTech* ideas to help solve healthcare and clinical problems. 
(* What is MedTech? Any technologies used for medical purposes - apps, and digital health, making data meaningful, virtual care, workforce enablement and manufacturable devices.)

To find out more visit https://innovationaccelerationprogram.com.au/bendigo-health/

Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) - Aged Care Service Model

In 2020, through the Victorian Government’s Regional Digital Fund, Bendigo Health received a grant to test and validate a digital innovation that could allow older Australians to access care in the comfort of their home.

With the real time digitally enabled Bendigo Hospital capable of harnessing the untapped opportunities created by Digital Health, the intersection of technology, our patients, data and direct care services, Bendigo Health's Research and Innovation team jumped at the chance to use new technologies. It led the Industry 4.0 Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) project. A collaboration with La Trobe University, the Mildura Base Pubic Hospital and Swan Hill Health Service. The association bought access to and understanding the local community's needs, expertise in geriatric health services, and knowledge of digital technologies.

The 'proof of concept' project that looked at the technology side of virtual care achieved many significant outcomes that will positively impact virtual health care across the region and improve access to health services for older Australians.

For example:

  • The project's approach to interoperability and integration meant that a platform was developed to collect and analyse data using existing hospital systems. Data integration and protocols were established in a way that takes into account privacy and data integrity
  • The project tested the LoRaWAN and NB-IoT networks and validated that they can be used in the remote monitoring of older Australians in our community
  • This model of virtual health care can free up time for clinicians and potentially reduce costs associated with the delivery of health services to those who need it most
  • The project helped the hospital develop and refine policies for remote patient monitoring
  • The project demonstrated that older Australians were willing and able to participate with digital technologies and local networks were generally in place to support remote monitoring

"This was an amazing project. It came at a time, during the pandemic when people felt isolated and helped prove this technology works. It demonstrated what could be done with a relatively small investment in technology to connect people in remote locations to access the help and support they need."
- Kylie Ovenden, Regional Innovation Hub Manager, Bendigo Health 

Looking ahead, Bendigo Health is now leading the establishment of a Virtual Care Office that will further understand models and opportunities for remote health monitoring of our community and the provision of future care.

Bendigo Health Accelerator (BHx)

The Bendigo Health Accelerator (BHx) was the first regional health accelerator in Victoria. It commenced in June 2020 and finished in October 2020.

The successful BHx program provided early-stage health startup companies the opportunity to access a world-class digital hospital to validate and test their ideas, and potentially accelerate their startup into the health sector.

The BHx operated in collaboration with the Melbourne Health Accelerator (MHx) under the Victorian Health Network Accelerator (VHNx) Project, funded by LaunchVic. LaunchVic is a Victorian Government initiative started in 2016 designed to support the startup ecosystem in Victoria.

The program delivery was revamped in response to the evolving COVID-19 pandemic and was provided as a 15-week online, virtual model with clinical hospital immersion.

The BHx is part of Bendigo Health’s commitment to research and innovation that benefits regional communities, particularly in the current context of COVID-19 - anything that helps us work smarter, faster and safer is welcome.

The BHx Program Manual below provides you with an insight to the startups, mentors, innovation leaders and program associates who all form part of the BHx Program. We would like to thank all our program associates and mentors who have generously provided their time to the BHx.

We are currently planning our new programs. You can check here for regular updates, otherwise please send your details to [email protected] and become part of our ecosystem. 

Testimonials

Read testimonials about us here.

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