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Australia’s healthcare system is nearing a decisive inflection point, where choices made in the next decade will shape how every citizen experiences care, access and outcomes. From March 11 to 12, the Healthcare 2040 Expo arrives as pressure intensifies across hospitals, primary care and digital infrastructure, yet confidence in the sector’s capacity to evolve is building in parallel.
This is not a conventional industry gathering built on abstract panels and polite applause. It is a national convergence of leaders who hold genuine authority, control real budgets and influence real policy. The momentum behind the event stems from a simple but powerful premise: when decision-makers breathe the same air, promises become plans.
Why the conversation cannot wait
Demand is climbing, the workforce is stretched and fragmentation continues to undermine patient journeys across the country. These are not new issues, but the scale and urgency have shifted. Healthcare 2040 is positioned as a response to this acceleration rather than a reflection on past shortcomings.
More than five thousand executives, policymakers, clinicians and technology innovators are expected to converge in Sydney with a common intention of redesigning the system for an AI-enabled future that prioritises experience as much as efficiency. With over 200 speakers, 100 sessions and a vast exhibition floor showcasing emerging technologies, the event creates a rare density of expertise that few gatherings can replicate. The atmosphere is built around progress, not theory, with an emphasis on decisions that can be implemented immediately, not discussed indefinitely.
In a featured fireside chat, Victor Dominello, former NSW Minister for Customer Service and Digital and CEO of Future Government Institute, will argue that technology alone won’t fix the system. “AI solves the vertical; leadership solves the horizontal. We’ve seen the mathematical miracles of AlphaFold 3, but the holy grail is a horizontal continuum that keeps the patient at the centre,” says Dominello.
“We must stop managing silos of sickness and start designing systems-level health through experience-led leadership — because if we want systems-level outcomes, we must apply systems-level thinking.”
Around this anchor session, a diverse lineup of senior government representatives, health-district executives and primary-care leaders will share practical examples of reforms already underway, from AI scribes reducing administrative burden to virtual care models reshaping patient access.
The message is consistent throughout the agenda: the future is not hypothetical, it is already being constructed, and those absent risk falling behind conversations that will influence procurement, funding and policy direction nationwide.
Where innovation meets accountability
What distinguishes Healthcare 2040 from traditional conferences is the deliberate blend of inspiration and execution. Live technology demonstrations allow decision-makers to see tools functioning in real environments rather than relying on promises.
Startup pitch sessions introduce agile thinkers capable of challenging established models, while closed-door executive roundtables provide space for candid dialogue about interoperability, procurement reform and scalable artificial intelligence.
The structure recognises that transformation demands both creativity and accountability, pairing visionary ideas with leaders who have the authority to implement them. More than a passive showcase, the expo becomes a working forum with tangible professional value, not just fleeting motivation.
Equally significant is the co-location with Australian Healthcare Week, which broadens the scope of discussion, attracting the healthcare industry from every corner of the ecosystem from frontline care to future innovation. Hospitals, government agencies, digital health providers and emerging ventures intersect in a single environment, creating cross-sector conversations that rarely occur elsewhere.
For senior decision-makers, the opportunity goes well beyond observing trends but to influence them, to shape partnerships and to position their organisations at the forefront of systemic evolution.
Healthcare 2040 ultimately presents as an invitation to step into the arena where reform is being designed in real time. The combination of authoritative speakers, practical demonstrations and high-level networking generates momentum that extends beyond the two-day schedule. Attendees leave with insight, connections and commitments capable of accelerating transformation within their own institutions.
In a landscape where hesitation can stall progress for years, the expo offers a wealth of confidence and collective intent. For leaders determined to influence the trajectory of Australian health care, your ticket is a summons to participate in decisions that will define the next generation of care.
Healthcare 2040 Expo + Australian Healthcare Week
ICC Sydney
March 11-12, 2026
Free visitor passes available