DHF 2026: PH health tech SMEs impress Australian business community

Targeting growth in a rising market, Philippine health tech enterprises pitched their growth-driving services in the Digital Health Festival 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. The Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) spearheaded the Philippine delegation, leading eight companies to showcase the nation’s capabilities in healthcare information technology (IT) and artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled solutions, among other key areas.

ADEC Innovation Healthcare, Advanced World Solutions Inc., Genfinity, iQor, ISSI Corp, Kreatex Digital, Inc., Pointwest Technologies, and Visayas KPO were featured in the global trade event’s Philippine Pavilion. The space promoted the country’s strengths in healthcare information management services (HIMS), healthcare IT, digital engineering, AI-enabled services, customer experience, clinical support services, revenue cycle management, and other support solutions relevant to the digital health ecosystem.

Across the two-day event, nearly 200 visitors to the Philippine Pavilion participated in discussions and heard presentations about the companies’ services. The engagements generated leads for potential engagements in healthcare IT-enabled services, digital health support, and outsourcing solutions.

After its promising DHF debut, the Philippine delegation recommended a continued presence in the event’s succeeding editions.

CITEM Executive Director Leah Pulido Ocampo was gratified by the delegation’s strong performance. “CITEM has long believed Filipino enterprises can benefit global digital health players. To spotlight one key trait, our companies possess exceptional adaptability. They are willing to embrace change in this complex landscape, recognizing that, in order to remain vital, businesses must upskill and integrate new technologies into their workflows.”

“With confidence in their competitiveness, CITEM will continue supporting our health tech SMEs with the same degree of commitment,” Ocampo added.

The eight Philippine  companies in DHF 2026 were presented under PARTNERPhilippines, a CITEM-led program that positions the Philippines as a global business hub. In supporting the Philippine delegation, CITEM collaborated with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), the Philippine Trade and Investment Center-Sydney,  the Department of Trade and Industry-Export Management Bureau (DTI-EMB), Healthcare Information Management Association of the Philippines, and the IT-Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP).

DHF is Australia’s largest digital-health innovation event, gathering more than 6,000 global healthcare professionals, including clinicians, health administrators, innovators, and technology leaders. Over 8,000 healthcare leaders attended last year’s edition, with 400 speakers and 200 exhibitors elevating the experience within the trade show.

Engagements focus on growth strategies, knowledge-gathering

The Philippine delegation also delivered a presentation entitled “Digital Health in Action: Cost-Effective Models for Scaling Workforce, Innovation and Better Care,” featuring PEZA Director General Tereso O. Panga, IBPAP President Jack Madrid, and HIMAP Vice President Julian Valenzuela. The session discussed measures to promote Philippine healthcare IT-BPM capabilities, healthcare workforce strengths, investment readiness, and digital health solutions to conference participants and stakeholders. The session was well attended, drawing an estimated 100–120 participants at the Cosmo Theatre.

On 22 May 2026, following the conclusion of DHF 2026, participating companies and delegates conducted facility benchmarking visits to the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre (“Peter Mac”) in Melbourne to gain exposure to globally advanced healthcare and research environments. The visits provided exhibitors with insights into healthcare digitization, operational systems, and advanced service ecosystems supported by global health institutions, research collaborations, and philanthropic networks.

CITEM is building on the momentum of previous initiatives for Filipino digital health enterprises. In March 2025, the agency supported the HIMAP-led Philippine Healthcare US Roadshow, an engagement featuring a business mission and exhibitor participation in the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society’s Annual Global Health Conference and Exhibition 2025. CITEM focused on the business mission, co-organizing facility visits in the Nevada area, as well as a business and investment forum.

In October of the same year, CITEM representatives joined the Healthcare Information Management Services Conference (HIMSCON) 2026, where HIMS industry leaders discussed strategies for adaptation and business growth.