Digital champion recognised for revolutionary work

ACT Health’s digital transformation is in good hands with the Directorate’s Acting Executive Group Manager and Chief Information Officer, Sandra Cook receiving the 2019 Digital Champion Award at the Australian Government’s Digital Awards run by the Digital Transformation Agency. These highly competitive awards attract entries from across all government sectors nation-wide. The Digital Champion Award is the only individual award, for which Sandra was a standout.

ACT Health’s digital transformation is in good hands with the Directorate’s Acting Executive Group Manager and Chief Information Officer, Sandra Cook receiving the 2019 Digital Champion Award at the Australian Government’s Digital Awards run by the Digital Transformation Agency.

These highly competitive awards attract entries from across all government sectors nation-wide. The Digital Champion Award is the only individual award, for which Sandra was a standout.

Sandra says she is humbled by the Award which has recognised her stewardship of a highly complex ten-year digital transformation for ACT Health.

“As a former Allied Health Officer, I have been able to bring my clinical knowledge and understanding about the needs of clinicians and patients as we progressively move towards a greater digital footprint,” Sandra said.

“To deliver effective health care today, it takes a digital system that’s timely, integrated across the various health settings such as our hospitals, Walk-in Centres and Community Health Centres and that is future-proofed to ensure it’s sustainable,” she said.

“I’m fascinated and determined to find digital solutions that deliver person-centred care that ensures information is available to the treating team when it is needed and where it is needed. This helps to deliver the best care possible to our ACT community.

 “This is an exciting place and sector to work in because the technology just gets better and better and the opportunities for improving health care for practitioners and patients is sometimes mind blowing.

“It has also been encouraging to experience open collaboration with other federal government agencies such as the Department of Human Services and the Digital Transformation Agency to improve citizen centric work. This includes work on improving multi-government agencies at the life event of the birth of a child to make the registering a lot easier for parents.

 “Of course, one of the most transformative stages for this Digital Health Strategy will be the implementation of the Digital Health Record. This is when the rubber hits the road for patients and clinicians. This project will deliver a single point of access to patient information across our public hospitals and health services. This project will revolutionise how health services are delivered, to whom, where and when because all the required clinical information will be housed in the one place for public health services.

Australian Government Digital Awards - Sandra Cook
Sandra Cook with Australian Public Service Commissioner and judge, Peter Woolcott
Acknowledgement: image courtesy of Bradley Cummings
Page last updated on: 6 Dec 2019