Australia Forms National Committee to Ensure Safe Use of AI and Virtual Care in Healthcare
Australia has taken a major step toward safer digital healthcare by establishing a new national committee that will guide the use of artificial intelligence, telehealth, and digital health data systems across the country. The initiative comes as digital healthcare adoption continues to grow rapidly, making safety, quality, and proper governance more important than ever.
The Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA) has created the National Clinical Governance Committee for Digital Health (NCGC-DH), which will advise the government on policies and best practices related to digital health technologies. The committee will play a key role in ensuring that new technologies are implemented safely while still allowing innovation in healthcare delivery.
To support its work, the committee will be assisted by three expert advisory groups that will focus on major areas of digital health growth. These include safe sharing of health information through the My Health Record system, patient safety and quality in virtual care and telehealth services, and the safe implementation of artificial intelligence in healthcare environments.
These advisory groups will include a wide range of participants such as doctors, healthcare professionals, consumers, technology experts, industry representatives, and government agencies. Important organisations like the Therapeutic Goods Administration and the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care will also be involved. According to the agency, the goal is to bring together diverse perspectives so that digital health technologies can be implemented in a safe, effective, and collaborative way.
Officials say the committee will act as a national platform for collaboration across the healthcare and technology sectors. Its main objective is to strengthen clinical oversight as new digital tools and care models are introduced. The committee may also recommend the use of legislation, standards, and compliance frameworks to support healthcare workers, reduce administrative workload, and build a safer and more sustainable healthcare system.
This new committee expands on the work already being done by the ADHA’s internal Clinical and Technical Advisory Committee, which will continue to provide governance for existing digital health products and services. The agency has also created formal pathways between the two committees to ensure coordination and avoid duplication of work.
The formation of the committee also builds on earlier policy work, including Australia’s “Sharing by Default” legislation, which will come into effect in July 2026. This legislation is designed to improve how health data is shared across the healthcare system while maintaining privacy and safety standards.
Dr Amandeep Hansra, Chief Clinical Adviser at the Australian Digital Health Agency and chair of the new committee, said the main focus is to ensure that digital innovation in healthcare is introduced responsibly. The committee aims to provide advice to the government based on collaboration across the healthcare ecosystem, ensuring that clinical safety and quality remain the top priority as digital health technologies continue to evolve.
