Insights 20 Years of Digital Screening: Lessons from a Journey of Innovation, Partnership and Impact

This year marks two significant milestones for Diginostic founder and director David: 20 years of digital screening innovation and 42 years in business.

Over that time, digital health has transformed from an emerging concept into an integral part of healthcare delivery. From some of Australia's earliest digital EPDS programs through to statewide perinatal screening and preventive health initiatives, David has worked alongside health knowledge workers, researchers, healthcare organisations and government partners to make digital screening more accessible, practical and equitable.

Twenty years ago, digital screening looked very different. Paper-based processes were common, with technology was still developing and the smart phone in its gestational period. Many of the barriers that prevent people from accessing care; including language, location and stigma, remained significant challenges.

Looking back on the journey with David, what stands out is not only the evolution of technology, but the opportunities created when innovation is designed around the realities of people, clinicians and communities.

Stepping into my role as Deputy CEO of the Convenience Group has given me the opportunity to work alongside David more closely and from a different perspective. He brings decades of experience building partnerships, identifying opportunities and translating ideas into practical solutions that improve healthcare outcomes. Having worked on the frontline of healthcare, I bring an understanding of the realities faced by clinicians, services and communities, helping keep our approach grounded in the needs of those it is designed to support.

Together, this combination of experience connects clinical insight with innovation, translating ideas into practical, meaningful and sustainable solutions for healthcare.

While we come from different backgrounds, our focus often centres on the same challenge: how can we strengthen healthcare delivery by supporting clinicians and improving access to care for the communities we serve?

To mark this milestone, I sat down with David to reflect on the moments that shaped the journey, the lessons learned along the way, and where digital screening can continue to make a difference in the future.

One of David’s earliest digital screening projects began in New Jersey, working with Spanish-speaking mothers.

At the time, language was a significant barrier to accessing healthcare information. Many health systems were predominantly designed around English-speaking populations, creating challenges for people who needed to communicate personal experiences and mental health concerns in another language.

Digital screening created a new opportunity: allowing people to complete health questionnaires privately on a personal device, in their preferred language, and in an environment that felt less like a clinical assessment and more like a safe opportunity to share their experiences openly.

“For many people, answering personal health questions in a clinical environment can influence how openly they respond. The white coat effect is real,” David reflected. “Creating an environment where people could respond more openly gave better information and helped clinicians understand what support was needed.”

Looking back, this early work established principles that continue to guide Diginostic today: accessibility, inclusion and designing solutions around the needs of the people they are intended to support.

When I asked David what had remained constant across two decades of digital health innovation, his answer was immediate: listening.

Whether working with midwives, mental health clinicians, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities or workplace health teams, every successful initiative began with understanding the people who would ultimately use it.

“If you're working in the perinatal space, you need midwives involved,” he explained. “If you're working in drug and alcohol, you need people with lived experience involved. Ideas only become meaningful when they're shaped by the people who understand the problem.”

That philosophy resonates strongly with me. Having worked as a healthcare professional, I’ve seen the difference between technology that adds another task and technology that genuinely supports clinicians, streamlines workflows and enhances care delivery.

David shares the view that the most successful solutions are developed with clinicians, not simply delivered to them.

“Healthcare should be cautious about change,” he said. “The way you introduce innovation is by bringing stakeholders together, co-designing the solution properly and making sure people can see their contribution in the final outcome.”

Throughout our conversation, it became clear that healthcare innovation is rarely about technology alone. Sustainable change happens when clinicians, health services, government partners and communities work together to solve real-world challenges.

As technology evolved, so did the opportunities to use digital screening beyond traditional healthcare settings.

One significant milestone was an 8-year longitudinal study involving more than 1,000 electricity grid maintenance workers across 17 locations.

The project explored health risks among a predominantly male workforce exposed to high-risk environments, tracking 5 chronic preventable diseases through annual screening.

For David, the project demonstrated the importance of reaching people before health concerns become more serious.

“Every November, we would identify people who needed to see a doctor,” he recalled. “Some of those workers came back and said they wouldn’t have known there was a problem without the screening.”

The project demonstrated the power of prevention, highlighting how digital screening can improve visibility of health risks, support earlier intervention, reduce the potential for harm and reach populations who may not otherwise engage with healthcare.

Over the past two decades, Diginostic’s work has evolved from early digital screening programs into scalable healthcare solutions delivered through partnerships with health organisations, government partners, researchers and communities.

The expansion of statewide and territory-wide screening programs represents one of the most significant chapters in that journey.

For David, seeing these partnerships mature has been a career highlight. “Seeing the work led by Lyndsey and delivered by the team, across state and territory programs has been incredibly rewarding.”

These programs reflect how digital health has evolved. The focus is no longer simply digitising a process; it is about creating connected pathways that support clinicians, improve visibility of need and help people access care earlier.

This is where complementary leadership strengths become valuable. David brings decades of experience building relationships, identifying opportunities and driving innovation, while I bring clinical insight, an understanding of current healthcare landscape and a focus on strengthening partnerships for sustainable delivery.

Together, those perspectives help ensure solutions are both ambitious in vision and grounded in the realities of healthcare delivery.

When I asked David what first convinced him that digital screening could become transformative, his answer was simple.

“The smartphone reeked of opportunity.”

For David, the arrival of mobile technology represented the possibility of making screening more accessible, scalable and available beyond traditional settings. While technology will continue to evolve, he believes the fundamentals remain unchanged.

“Technology should never be implemented for its own sake. Its value comes from helping clinicians work more effectively and helping people access the care they need.”

As healthcare systems continue to face workforce pressures, increasing demand and growing expectations around access and quality, digital solutions will play an important role.

The opportunity is not simply automation. It is creating better visibility of need, reducing administrative burden and strengthening the connection between people, clinicians and services.

For Diginostic, the next chapter will continue to be shaped through collaboration with the health organisations, government partners and communities we serve, continuing our role as a trusted partner in healthcare innovation, implementation and system improvement.

Reflecting on 20 years of digital screening, one theme stands out above all others: meaningful change happens through purpose and partnership.

From supporting Spanish-speaking mothers in New Jersey, to identifying preventable health risks among electricity workers, to developing culturally responsive pathways with First Nations communities and partnering with health services across Australia, the purpose has remained consistent.

Improving access to support for people. Enabling clinicians to deliver better care.

While technology will continue to evolve, the principles that have guided Diginostic’s journey remain unchanged. The future of digital health will be shaped not by technology alone, but by how effectively we bring together people, expertise and innovation to create better outcomes for communities.

David’s legacy is evident throughout Diginostic’s journey. His commitment to reducing harm and improving patient outcomes has driven his passion to empower others, share knowledge and create evidence-based innovations that keep people at the centre of care.

 — Lyndsey Franklin