by Domenic Fonte - CEO, AssetFuture
We’ve used the term "empower tomorrow" to describe our purpose for a long time. At AssetFuture, we all know what it means, but what has become apparent in the last few days is the foundational applicability to asset management and the ability of technology to enable human connection. So, what does "empowering tomorrow" actually mean?
Last week I was lucky enough to present at Australian Healthcare Week alongside Monash Health’s Claire Maloney to discuss their Asset Management evolution through leadership, empowerment and technology.
It was great hearing Claire speak about Monash Health’s experience with technology and how embracing continuous improvement and innovation has resulted in excellence in patient care. Claire emphasised how she considers technology to be an enabler. This really got me thinking about the role of technology for the future of infrastructure.
Healthcare facility design and management were major themes at the conference, with the conclusion that creating a stress-free environment is paramount for optimal patient care. Technology, from asset management to digital wayfinding and triage solutions, can help deliver this.
But although technology holds extremely exciting potential, human care and services can never be replaced by machines. From doctors and nurses to aged care professionals, teachers and childcare educators, the human aspect of caring professions, with their human-to-human connections, will always remain vital.
What technology has the ability to do is enable better care of humans to humans. If we take care of all of the built infrastructure and optimise cost, risk and performance to get the best out of these assets, then we have more money to invest in the human element of care and connection.
One of the key common themes for infrastructure plans in Australia for health is tech enablement. This means digitising and streamlining all health services, allowing humans to interact seamlessly.
On a day-to-day level, AI and automation can free us from mundane and repetitive tasks such as admin and data entry. Instead, medical and caring professionals can focus on the most valuable aspects of their job: interacting with people and caring for them.
By harnessing data, Monash Health was able to better establish a clear picture of the overall risk and associated costs for the infrastructure of its whole portfolio. It’s a clearer view to understanding the lifecycle costs for asset management. Additionally, the visualisation of the data means the team are able to articulate Asset Intelligence in a way that is easy for other humans to understand, creating a line-of-sight through the entire organisation.
At AssetFuture, this is a continual focus for us: ensuring that humans remain central to what we do, and that technology enables transparency and simplicity in our work, rather than drowning us in complexity.
Technology’s role is to enhance and empower us, not to replace us.
Domenic Fonte - CEO, AssetFuture