About

The Health Prototyping Centre (HPC) is a joint venture between eHealth NSW, HealthShare NSW, Health Infrastructure NSW and NSW Health Pathology, which provides facilities for clinicians and system experts across NSW Health to rapidly test ideas, designs and concepts before building a final version.

This provides early insights into the design and efficacy of ideas, ultimately saving time and money when developing complex solutions for today’s health challenges.

Opened in August 2022, the Macquarie Park-based Health Prototyping Centre includes:

• a built-for-purpose, dedicated facility of over 1000 square metres to support rapid prototyping and simulation-based testing
• a team of technical and design experts on hand to support rapid prototyping
• a range of clinical simulation suites and equipment replicating common pathology, acute care and home care settings
• a large flexible space for the temporary installation of new clinical environments and large equipment which can be repurposed as required
• design development spaces and office accommodation
• tooling and technology to enable the development of prototypes of varying levels of fidelity
• a replication of the NSW Health technology stack to support integration and functional testing.

The centre accommodates the setup and evaluation of a range of prototypes, whether they are products, devices, services, systems, or experiences. Everything from an automated pathology machine to planning a new ward can be tested in the centre.

The Outcome

Several projects have used the space to explore a range of solutions. These include:

• exploration of Food Services workflows and the application of infection prevention and control practices
• testing alternative designs for curtain rails to inform future health facility builds.

The Benefits

• End-user involvement - Clinicians and patients can test and inform the design of new facilities, products, services and models of care in a safe and realistic environment.
• Integrated cross-organisational prototyping and simulation provides a holistic method of problem-solving.
• Rapid and flexible testing allows NSW Health facilities, products and services to stay clinically relevant.
• Statewide facility - district and facility agnostic to ensure scalability for solutions.

The centre allows for the recreation of a range of clinical spaces and identifies key differences between facilities in different districts or between rural and metro settings. By identifying these differences earlier, the solutions can accommodate a wider range of facilities.