For Professor Shelley Dolan, CEO of the Royal Melbourne Hospital, the Health Roundtable plays a pivotal role in helping hospitals make sense of information and turn it into action. “We’ve worked with the Health Roundtable for over 15 years, and it brings huge value,” she reflects.
One of the Health Roundtable’s greatest contributions has been fostering a culture of openness around data. In healthcare, insights only drive change when hospitals can compare, analyse and act on them. “More and more, I think health is about planning your strategy for the future, and you can’t do that unless you know the data of the present,” Shelley explains.
She describes data as “the golden thread that goes through everything,” shaping decision-making, accountability and long-term planning.
Benchmarking is another cornerstone of the Health Roundtable’s impact. By comparing performance with peers, hospitals can identify strengths, uncover opportunities, and continuously improve.
“The beauty of the Health Roundtable is that we can compare data with other health providers and that’s really critical,” Shelley says.
“Benchmarking is really important so we can examine our own data backwards and see how we’re doing.”
This process enables leaders to celebrate progress, recognise challenges and drive excellence. Ultimately, it all comes back to patients. “It really has helped us in improving our patient care, which is kind of what we’re all here for, isn’t it?” Shelley says.
By turning data into intelligence and fostering open conversations among hospitals, the Health Roundtable helps improvements ripple across entire health systems.
Like the hospitals it supports, the organisation has evolved over time.
“It has been on its own journey of improvement and that’s really evident and really important,” Shelley observes.
From its beginnings in 1995, the Health Roundtable has grown into a trusted partner for hundreds of hospitals, adapting as new challenges, from digital transformation to global health crises, reshape the sector.
Equally powerful is the sense of community it creates. “More than anything else, you’re not on your own… the people at Health Roundtable are very expert,” Shelley explains.
That collaborative spirit ensures no hospital faces challenges in isolation. Instead, leaders and clinicians are supported by a network of peers, tackling shared issues and learning together.
“Having meaningful data is hugely important in my role, but in many roles across the Royal Melbourne. The Health Roundtable gives us the tools and the network to move forward with confidence.”
By empowering leaders with actionable data and a community of peers, the Health Roundtable continues to strengthen healthcare across Australia and New Zealand, helping hospitals deliver better care.
Watch the full video from Shelley below.
