Innovation Challenge winner: Oculo

Background

In 2020, and on the backdrop of COVID-19, the Australian Digital Health Agency held the first Innovation Challenge. A chance for Australian industry and academia to share ideas and solve key healthcare challenges. To put forward digital tools that will help improve the quality of healthcare services for Australians. Nearly 400 applications were received, and 5 were awarded. The winning entrants enable delivery of care in new ways, improve health outcomes, strengthen responses to health emergencies and accelerate digital health into the future.

About the winner

Through mobile technologies, Oculo's solution aims to inform telehealth decisions and further enhance digital pathways for eye care.

Using Oculo's video conference feature, eye care providers can send links to vision testing apps, so that when telehealth consultations take place, clinicians have objective measures to inform their decision-making. Additionally, patients can upload pictures of the front of the eye and eyelids.

Enhanced telehealth can better support public and private ophthalmology patients to be managed, triaged, and monitored. It can also be done from the safety of their own homes, reducing the need for patients to physically attend clinical appointments. This will also reduce demand on the clinic capacity, which may be constrained by social distancing requirements.