Australia’s First Patient Resource For Health Technology

Founded by local entrepreneur & physiotherapist Barry Nguyen (Chief Executive Officer) and GP Dr Khurram Akhter (Chief Medical Officer), HealthAide.com.au is a free Australian health information website which identifies useful health technology solutions supported by crowdsourced expert content. 

HealthAide.com.au was founded as a result of the frustrations experienced by Barry and Khurram, whilst treating patients closely together in a Melbourne based medical clinic, specialising in chronic disease care and preventive health. Together, they have encountered an increase in patient inquiries about alternative health technology solutions to manage their health condition - notably, mobile apps and wearable devices. Frustrated by the lack of credible health technology resources available online to research and advise their patients, they felt compelled to do something about it.

Over 3 years of extensive market research, idea mapping and interacting with many of their industry colleagues and patients, they found that an easy-to-use and reliable online information resource to assist the public about health technology solutions did not appear to exist. They felt that healthcare, like most industries will change to become more affordable, remote and accessible, with the right tools. 

In the last few years, Barry and Khurram saw that a health technology revolution is starting to provide these tools. They see parallels with the health technology industry today and the pharmaceutical industry about 90 years ago: embryonic and full of hope to reform healthcare.  Passionate about this trend, they looked for products that were supported by good quality research but soon realised that this was uncommon. As a result, they focussed on peer to peer recommendations and selected products that were guided by the ethical principles that define medical practice: beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy and justice, whilst continuing to monitor for quality research publications that supported or refuted technology products. Consequently, HealthAide.com.au was born. A resource that enables patients and health professionals to be better informed about the real-world application of health technology solutions.

Uniquely, with Barry’s experience as a health technology entrepreneur and advisor, and Khurram’s breadth of medical knowledge, they built a website resource which neatly organises health technology solutions. These range from mobile apps, online tests and wearables to digital therapeutics and more sophisticated medical devices. There are currently over 160 solutions published on the website, suited to the health needs of Australians. These solutions have been categorised into common medical conditions and health concerns. 

Barry has emphasised that the initial plans for the startup is to launch their beta site in Australia, and take a pragmatic and humble approach, because of the risk averse culture towards technology adoption in healthcare. They are also currently working on their content platform to suit the market needs of the United Kingdom (UK) and North America (USA and Canada). Barry notes that “the key questions that we currently need to address include which individuals are likely to benefit most from the resource, and how do we go about engaging the target audiences in the most cost effective way? Revenue models will be explored in due course once we clearly achieve product market fit and user traction.”

Invitation for content submissions

HealthAide invites expert health professionals interested in health technology to contribute relevant content. To find out how, visit healthaide.com.au or e-mail barry@healthaide.co.

About Us

HealthAide is a health information service about health technology solutions that is supported by expert content. HealthAide is a subsidiary of Phyto Inc., a Delaware incorporated digital health company with offices in both Melbourne, Australia and London, United Kingdom. Phyto, Inc is a graduate of the 2017 MAP Velocity Program (University of Melbourne) and Melbourne Health Accelerator (Royal Melbourne Hospital).

Barry Nguyen is an entrepreneur, physiotherapist and lecturer in health technology at Australian Catholic University, and digital health technology advisor to the Australian Physiotherapy Association (peak body representing over 26,000 physiotherapists).

Khurram Akhter is an internationally recognised, experienced primary care physician and a thought

leader in the field of digital health, who sees a symbiotic relationship between technology and health as being the future of affordable accessible healthcare.