Our guest is Merrilyn Strohfeldt, a health executive, consultant, and former CEO of the Darling Downs and West Moreton Primary Health Network, right here in Toowoomba. 

Most recently Merrilyn has been leading a major piece of work commissioned by Toowoomba Surat Basin Enterprise and Rural Medical Education Australia, looking at the health workforce challenge facing the Darling Downs and Lockyer Valley regions.

The result is the Toowoomba Region Health Industry Environmental Scan and Workforce Development Plan, which is a document that lays out, in pretty stark terms, where our regional health workforce is right now, where it's heading, and what we need to do about it.

But this conversation is also about the opportunity, because Merrilyn's argument is that Toowoomba is genuinely well placed to address this in a way that other regions could learn from and apply, if we get our act together. Here's that conversation.

For resources and more conversations, visit https://statim.com.au/podcast and be part of the journey towards better health outcomes in regional Australia.

The Regional Health Solutions Podcast is produced by Ellen Ronalds Keene for Perk Digital https://perkdigital.com.au/

Our guest is Rob Timmings, founder of ECT for Health and a nurse educator with over 25 years of experience. Rob trained at the Royal Brisbane Hospital back in the mid-eighties, cut his teeth in ICU and emergency, and has spent the better part of three decades travelling across Australia delivering face-to-face clinical education.

He's also built one of the most engaged nursing communities online, with over 100,000 followers across social media. That reach gives him a genuinely unique view of what's happening inside the nursing workforce right now and in this conversation, he doesn't pull any punches.

We talk about burnout, bullying, the erosion of workplace culture post-COVID, and why nurses with 20 years of experience are walking away from the profession. But we also explore what good looks like, the role education plays in keeping clinicians confident and capable, and why face-to-face learning still matters in a world that wants to put everything online.

Rob is a STATIM partner, and honestly one of the best educators I've come across in this industry. Here's our conversation.

For resources and more conversations, visit https://statim.com.au/podcast and be part of the journey towards better health outcomes in regional Australia.

The Regional Health Solutions Podcast is produced by Ellen Ronalds Keene for Perk Digital https://perkdigital.com.au/

Our guest today is Margot Morton, co-founder of CareZen. Margot grew up on a sheep and wheat farm outside Wagga Wagga, and has spent her career in healthcare, including rolling out virtual care programs during COVID, where she saw firsthand just how real the digital divide is for people in rural and remote Australia.

What CareZen built in response is genuinely clever: a virtual care pod. Think of it as a phone booth for the 21st century, that combines Starlink connectivity, soundproofing, and AI-assisted onboarding to give anyone, regardless of their digital literacy, a private and reliable way to access healthcare. No forms to fill in. No tech skills required. Just touch the screen and see a doctor.

With pods already operating across Queensland and Victoria, and results that are turning heads Margot is very much one of the doers. This is a great conversation.

For resources and more conversations, visit https://statim.com.au/podcast and be part of the journey towards better health outcomes in regional Australia.

The Regional Health Solutions Podcast is produced by Ellen Ronalds Keene for Perk Digital https://perkdigital.com.au/

In this episode, William and Jaden sit down with Graham Russell, the founder of Talius, a real-time health monitoring platform working at the intersection of IoT sensors, data aggregation, and AI-powered care.

Graham's background is in electronic security, and his path into healthcare came from being called in to solve costly workflow failures — the unchecked drug fridge, the missed safety inspection — and asking how technology could prevent them from ever happening again.

It's a frank, forward-looking conversation about why the healthcare sector is in crisis, why it's been so slow to innovate, and what a genuinely different approach looks like in practice.

For resources and more conversations, visit https://statim.com.au/podcast and be part of the journey towards better health outcomes in regional Australia.

The Regional Health Solutions Podcast is produced by Ellen Ronalds Keene for Perk Digital https://perkdigital.com.au/

For resources and more conversations, visit https://statim.com.au/podcast and be part of the journey towards better health outcomes in regional Australia.

The Regional Health Solutions Podcast is produced by Ellen Ronalds Keene for Perk Digital https://perkdigital.com.au/

Find out more about the framework at https://attractconnectstay.com.au

For resources and more conversations, visit https://statim.com.au/podcast and be part of the journey towards better health outcomes in regional Australia.

The Regional Health Solutions Podcast is produced by Ellen Ronalds Keene for Perk Digital https://perkdigital.com.au/

With a staff of over 1,300, SCCQ provides compassionate care and support to over 2,600 individuals across 13 residential aged care homes, 5 retirement villages, and over 1,200 home care clients in metropolitan and rural Queensland.

Jason’s work with SCC gives him unique insights to share about Regional Health Solutions, which is why we asked him to come on the podcast.

In this conversation with Jason, recorded in mid 2024, we discuss the challenges with Aged Care in Australia right now and how he sees it evolving over the next 10 years. We discuss the workforce challenges in rural health care as well as the economic benefits of health and aged care facilities in regional towns.

Jason tells us about the $36m Southern Cross Care project in Chinchilla–which at the time of recording was still being built but is now in operation as of February 2025– and how good partnerships are key to success in regional initiatives, such as the one SCC has with Western Downs Regional Council. 

We cover the need to prioritise relationships, community and social aspects in not just aged care, but healthcare and life in general, and why listening to community needs is key when addressing challenges in regional Australia.

We finish the interview discussing the challenge of navigating complex healthcare systems for older Australians, the fragmented healthcare continuum and the ways a combination of political will, funding model changes and more proactive collaboration could unify healthcare delivery. Enjoy the podcast!

For resources and more conversations, visit https://statim.com.au/podcast and be part of the journey towards better health outcomes in regional Australia.

The Regional Health Solutions Podcast is produced by Ellen Ronalds Keene for Perk Digital https://perkdigital.com.au/

In this episode of Regional Health Solutions, we have an inspiring conversation with Dr Rolf Gomes, founder and director of the Heart of Australia network. Rolf is a passionate advocate for improving access to specialist healthcare in rural and remote communities. Through Heart of Australia, he has pioneered the use of mobile medical clinics to deliver life-saving diagnostic and specialist services to people in regional and outback Australia who would otherwise have to travel long distances for care. This episode was recorded in late 2024.

Heart of Australia is transforming the way healthcare is delivered in the regions, and Rolf’s insights into innovation, logistics, and patient-centred care make for a compelling discussion. We hope you enjoy this episode!

What You’ll Learn:

• How Dr Gomes’ early career inspired a bold solution to rural health access.
• How Heart of Australia delivers specialist care via mobile, high-tech clinics.
• Why private enterprise can be a powerful model for delivering healthcare.
• How strategic partnerships enable mobile clinics to serve remote communities.
• The role of government investment in strengthening regional health systems.
• How future tech like AI and drones could shape the next chapter of regional health.

Action Steps for Listeners:

1. Support local solutions: How can you champion rural health initiatives in your area?
2. Innovate in your own context: What barriers could be solved in your workplace or region with a little creative thinking?
3. Foster collaboration: Are there untapped partnerships in your network that could lead to better outcomes?

For resources and more conversations, visit https://statim.com.au/podcast and be part of the journey towards better health outcomes in regional Australia.

The Regional Health Solutions Podcast is produced by Ellen Ronalds Keene for Perk Digital https://perkdigital.com.au/

Welcome back to the Regional Health Solutions Podcast! In this episode, hosts William Mundt and Jaden Frame speak with Associate Professor Geoff Argus, Director of Southern Queensland Rural Health (SQRH) and a Board Director with the Australian Rural Health Education Network and the National Rural Health Alliance.

Geoff has a professional background as a Clinical Psychologist and is passionate about building the health workforce in rural areas. In this episode, we focus on Geoff’s work with SQRH, which is funded by the University of Queensland’s Department of Rural Health and established in late 2017.

Located in Toowoomba, Charleville, and Chinchilla, the SQRH footprint covers the Darling Downs, South Burnett and South West Queensland regions. Geoff brings deep insight into the complex challenges and opportunities facing the rural health workforce in Australia. This conversation was recorded in mid 2024.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why attracting and retaining healthcare workers in rural areas remains a major challenge, and some potential solutions
• How implementing a "grow your own" model of attraction and retention can help develop a local health workforce
• Why telehealth should enhance, not replace, face-to-face healthcare in regional communities
• How the Nursing Allied Health Graduate Outcomes Tracking Study (NAHGOT) is helping understand the factors that lead to rural conversion of healthcare students
• The need to strengthen primary care models and the importance of policy change in addressing funding
• Why economic development and community engagement are essential for rural health and liveability

Action Steps for Listeners:

1. Learn About NAHGOT: Explore how this research is shaping health data.
2. Get Involved Locally: Consider how your local government or organisation can support community health efforts.
3. Support Integrated Care: Think about how telehealth can complement your services while keeping local providers at the core.
4. Advocate for Wellbeing: Recognise the strong link between rural health and economic development, and use this knowledge to push for change.



Join us as we explore practical strategies, community-driven approaches, and data-informed insights to support rural health in Australia.

For resources and more conversations, visit https://statim.com.au/podcast and be part of the journey towards better health outcomes in regional Australia.

The Regional Health Solutions Podcast is produced by Ellen Ronalds Keene for Perk Digital https://perkdigital.com.au/

What You’ll Learn:

• Why strong health systems are essential for the long-term liveability of rural and regional towns.
• How STATIM is redesigning the agency model to build a sustainable healthcare workforce.
• Opportunities in local training and micro-credentialing to shape the next generation of health professionals in the regions.
• What the “STATIM Score” is and how it helps identify regional healthcare needs.
• Ways individuals and businesses can support better healthcare outcomes in their communities.

Meet the Hosts:

Jaden Frame brings expertise in finance and allied health business, while William Mundt offers deep clinical knowledge as an RN and Director of Nursing. Together, they shine a light on the urgent issues and untapped opportunities in regional healthcare.

Take Action:

• Connect: Join our network of regional leaders and healthcare changemakers.
• Reflect: Consider how your community’s health services impact its future.
• Follow: Follow the podcast to stay informed and inspired.

Join the Movement:

We’re here to spark real, actionable change in regional healthcare across Australia. Thanks for tuning in—we’re glad you’re here. Together, let’s build stronger, healthier communities.

Follow now: Follow the Regional Health Solutions Podcast on your favourite platform so you never miss an episode.

For resources and more conversations, visit https://statim.com.au/podcast and be part of the journey towards better health outcomes in regional Australia.

The Regional Health Solutions Podcast is produced by Ellen Ronalds Keene for Perk Digital https://perkdigital.com.au/

For resources and more conversations, visit https://statim.com.au/podcast and be part of the journey towards better health outcomes in regional Australia.

The Regional Health Solutions Podcast is produced by Ellen Ronalds Keene for Perk Digital https://perkdigital.com.au/

For resources and more conversations, visit https://statim.com.au/podcast and be part of the journey towards better health outcomes in regional Australia.

The Regional Health Solutions Podcast is produced by Ellen Ronalds Keene for Perk Digital https://perkdigital.com.au/