The Royal Flying Doctor Service has landed the GovTech Award at the 2025 InnovationAus Awards for its unstaffed virtual emergency department in outback South Australia.
Proudly sponsored by TechnologyOne, the GovTech category recognised standout government-focused innovators including Cyber Wardens, Horizon Power, See Me Please and SmarterSoft at a black-tie gala in Sydney on Thursday night.
The South Australia and Northern Territory branch of the Royal Flying Doctor Service was recognised for the virtual health centre in William Creek, where the nearest hospital is a two-hour drive.
The self-contained, unstaffed centre is powered by reliable satellite connectivity and telehealth infrastructure, the site enables 24/7 access to emergency clinicians located hundreds of kilometres away.
Since opening, the virtual care centre has already saved lives and prevented multiple aeromedical retrievals, with patients able to connect instantly with a doctor, conduct vital checks and initiate treatment under remote clinical guidance.
Judges praised the RFDS SA/NT for pushing the boundaries of what modern remote healthcare can look like, blending digital systems, emergency protocols and community-based support to deliver critical care where it has never been available before.
The 2025 InnovationAus Awards for Excellence are proudly supported by ACS, PEXA Group, the CSIRO ON Program, Griffith Hack, TechnologyOne, Q-CTRL, National AI Centre, University of New South Wales, KPMG, AgriFutures Australia, Investment NSW and IP Australia.
Protecting your great ideas with intellectual property (IP) rights can lead to lasting benefits for your growing business. IP refers to creations of the mind, such as a brand, logo, invention, design or artistic work. Head to the IP Australia website to find out more about IP, and how it might help your business.
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