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Open Access CC BY V4.0
Working paper
Health leaders' experiences on barriers and enablers to artificial intelligence integration in Western Australia's metropolitan public health services
Policy Brief
Murdoch University
2026
Abstract
This policy brief draws on the results and discussion of a qualitative study of 12 senior leaders and executives across Western Australia's metropolitan public health system. It shows that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already being explored in some services, but technology adoption and organisational readiness are uneven. There is a low level of awareness of existing policies and guidelines on AI use. Leaders saw clear opportunities for AI to improve analysis, service efficiency and some aspects of care, but they also reported major barriers: gaps in governance, limited workforce capability, uneven infrastructure, funding constraints, and uncertainty about risk, privacy and accountability. The study suggests that WA Health is at a turning point. There is an innovation culture, interest, leadership support, early capability and some successful examples, but the system does not yet have the consistent foundations needed to scale AI safely and effectively. Without a clearer system-level governance, stronger workforce capability development, supportive infrastructure and more suitable funding, AI adoption is likely to remain fragmented, cautious and difficult to sustain. The findings also show that health services need support to balance innovation with patient safety, equity, privacy and public trust. Purpose The purpose of the study was to examine how senior leaders and executives in Western Australia's metropolitan public health services understand and experience the adoption of AI in a period of rapid technological change. The research aimed to identify the main barriers and enablers shaping AI adoption, assess organisational readiness through the Non-adoption, Abandonment, Scale-up, Spread, and Sustainability (NASSS) framework, and generate insights into what is needed for responsible, safe and sustainable AI integration in WA's public health system.
Details
- Title
- Health leaders' experiences on barriers and enablers to artificial intelligence integration in Western Australia's metropolitan public health services
- Authors/Creators
- Ana Rita Sequeira (she/her) (Principal Investigator) - Murdoch University, Murdoch Business SchoolSusannah Nichols (Collaborator) - Murdoch University, School of Humanities, Arts and Social SciencesTauhid Islam (Collaborator) - Murdoch University, Murdoch Business SchoolMoira Watson (Collaborator) - Murdoch University, Murdoch Business SchoolKevin Wong (Collaborator) - Murdoch University, School of Information Technology
- Publication Details
- Policy Brief
- Publisher
- Murdoch University
- Identifiers
- 991005891554107891
- Murdoch Affiliation
- Murdoch Business School; School of Information Technology; School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Working paper
- Note
- Policy Brief
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