Australia’s premier technology in diagnostics congress returns for 2026 — with a focus on delivering flexible, personalised, and preventative healthcare. 

Australia’s healthcare system is under mounting pressure from an ageing population, increased chronic disease, and workforce challenges. Our important infrastructure under Medicare and State Health systems urgently need to evolve to meet these challenges using scalable, technology-enabled models of care. 

PTA-C/26 is moving the conversation forward from ideas to action: 

• Predict. Prevent. Personalise – How innovative diagnostics enable earlier detection, targeted prevention, and tailored care. An efficient and sustainable approach driving better outcomes for patients and systems alike. 

• Innovation in Motion – What it takes to deliver the right test to the right patient at the right time — in real-world, flexible high-volume, and decentralised settings. 
• The Value Fountain – Why the ‘value of knowing’ and other fundamental values must be central to healthcare decision-making. Exploring diagnostics as a cornerstone of value-based care. 

Expect real-world case studies, diverse voices across the health continuum, health economic arguments, government perspectives, and hands-on workshops designed to spark practical change. 

Who Should Attend? 
This congress is designed to unite healthcare professionals across disciplines. Topical and action-oriented content ideal if you work in:

• Pathology or pathology services
• General Practice or other healthcare settings
• Pharmacy
• Health policy
• Medical technology industry
• Government health services
• Medical and health research

Adopting a drill down format - plenary lecture to set the scene, panel discussion to spotlight experts in the field, real-world case studies with technology showcases, and breakout workshops encouraging delegates to add their expertise – the congress will result in recommendations to drive the policy and infrastructure of our healthcare system towards much-needed evolution to improve healthcare delivery. 

We invite you to participate in this congress and discussion forum. Together we can focus on meaningful change to drive Australia’s health system forwards. This isn’t just another conference, it’s a mission to get the right test in front of the right patient at the right time. 

Check back regularly as speakers and subject matter experts are added to the agenda.

Plenary Speakers

"The technology revolution - have Australians been left behind?"

Access & Equity:  “Healthcare and the Postcode Lottery - Bridging the Gap for All Australians”

HYPOTHETICAL SCENARIO
To invest or keep the status quo: why do we need diagnostics technology, sovereign capability and resilience?"

Co-ordinated by Sue MacLeman

Panel Speakers

Access & Equity: "Tech-Centric Healthcare - A Cure for Our Health Crisis?"

Chair

Panellists:

Multi-omics and the technology revolution: “From Bench to Bedside: the winding path of Adoption of multi-omic Technology”

Tackling global challenges: "Shifting the paradigm: 'Pathology a cost or a vital investment?' - overcoming the barriers of new technology adoption"

WORKSHOP SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS

Access & Equity:

Solutions for all, including indigenous, rural, and hard to reach communities

Expanding Access to Pathology Services: Embracing Innovations in Healthcare Delivery

Keeping Patients Out of the Hospital: Arresting cascading health conditions

Multi-omics and the technology revolution:

Evolving the System: Funding and Infrastructure for the technology revolution

Up Close & Personal: deep dive into personalised care models

Learning from Our Neighbours: where in the world is best-practice integration of multi-omics into healthcare?

Tackling global challenges:

Patient-centric Technology: Putting Patients at the Heart of Innovation

Addressing Global Priorities: From Defence and Antibiotic Stewardship to Green Economies

Driving Efficiency: Automation and Digital Enablers