Update 2 July 2020: Due to the current COVID-19 developments, Northern Health’s Hack Weekend has been postponed.

What the Hack? – Northern Health’s inaugural hack weekend is scheduled for 11-12 July 2020, and will be held both face-to-face at NCHER and virtually, via MS Teams. It will take place over two full days, 9 am-6 pm, with optional evening sessions.

What the Hack? brings together Northern Health staff who have a problem to solve within their work area, and ‘techies’ of all descriptions, from students and gurus, app and software developers, data professionals, designers and other digital wizzes, to work together over a weekend and create exciting solutions and products.

“The main idea behind the event is to engage the community in supporting Northern Health to re-imagine our future through new digital solutions. Our staff will present problems and engage the community who have the skills to support us to develop those in a short timeframe,” explained Penelope Grellet, Director – Trust, Diversity and Engagement. 

“In the current environment, we need to think about innovative ways to communicate with our community and the hack weekend offers an opportunity to start that conversation,” explained Anthony Gust, Director, Data Science and Analytics.

Ed Savill, Operations Director, added the Northern Health is looking for three big ideas to solve during the hack weekend. These ideas need to have a technical solution, or a major component, for our tech community to be able to help.

“Because of COVID-19 pandemic and the need to deliver healthcare differently, considering ongoing physical distancing and the feedback we have from patients asking for more care to be delivered virtually, we’ve decided to organise the hack weekend. We are looking for the three problems that our patients and clinicians face that virtual healthcare may help be part of the answer for. Remember the theme is ‘Supporting Northern Health to re-imagine and transform healthcare, using digital solutions, in the new world’, he explained.

Ariana Carrodus, Project Manager explained all Northern Health staff can participate in the hack weekend in a variety of roles.

“Those who have an idea to pitch can do so via Ideas Scale, while there is an opportunity for others to help with running the event or providing advice on the spot on whether solutions work in “real-life scenarios”. And if you have tech skills – you can be part of the digital solution and work closely with the community experts,” she said.

Those who have pitched ideas and are selected for the hack weekend are expected to participate in both days of the weekend and pitch their idea to the community.

To find more about different roles at the event, please click here. If you are can’t wait to roll up your sleeves and get involved, please click here to register.

If you have more questions, please have a look at our FAQ page or email Ariana and the team at hackweekend@nh.org.au.

Keep an eye on our social media for the video below, and share with your friends and connections. Who knows, one of your “geek” friends might join the hack weekend!

Please see the promo video below: