Healthcare delivery takes flight

In a world that’s been significantly marred by evolving health crises, the question arises – how do we continue providing quality healthcare by using non-traditional methods?

This was a dilemma team ‘Connection Advisory’ had to help solve when they participated in The Australian National University’s (ANU) Special Industry Project (SIP). Each semester, teams enrolled in SIP provide business solutions to a real-world case.

This semester, SIP’s client Aspen Medical asked them to find solutions to: ‘future disruptors of health service in a global context: emerging markets and partnership opportunities.’

ANU College of Business and Economics (CBE) student and Connection Advisory teammate Lesh Samaranayake emphasised the importance of Aspen Medical’s aims.

“Equitable healthcare access across diverse, challenged, and developing landscapes is essential for establishing a sustainable future,” he says.

A potential answer to accessibility, Lesh explains, is the utilisation of drone technology.

“Our solution promotes medical drone delivery, hoping to elevate Aspen Medical’s mission to create a healthy, unified and compassionate world,” he says.

Our operational model builds an aeromedical supply chain that transcends traditional infrastructure, navigating the challenges of terrain, distance, and time to combat natural disasters, pandemics, conflicts, and region remoteness. Our vision represents an investment where Aspen Medical's commitment to accessibility reaches new heights, ensuring that care reaches everyone with precision.

Connection Advisory also noted the importance of considering climate change in their solution.

“We believe drones can save lives by accelerating medical delivery, while simultaneously protecting the environment through reduced carbon emissions,” says Lesh.

In addition to the creativity of their solution, Connection Advisory’s capacity to align their proposal with existing business operations also greatly impressed the judges, according to Aspen Medical’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Katrina Sanders.

“The team’s ability to link commercials, governance, opportunities and Aspen Medical’s ‘culture’ is a testament to their work as a team,” she says.

Connection Advisory teammate Amy Alexander described the challenges they faced in getting their solution to its final stage.

“We would hit brick walls in our proposal and despite the weeks of research, brainstorming and illustrating, we would have to put it all aside and shift to a completely new idea in a short timeframe. Our team was adaptable and committed, though, so we just persevered – and it paid off,” she says.

Teammate Aadit Doshi shared Amy’s sentiments of the determination required during the semester, which made the win all the sweeter.

“Considering the challenge of competing against some of the most talented and driven students at ANU, it’s truly an achievement to come out on top,” says Aadit.

“Seeing our team’s collective efforts over the last 12 weeks recognised by Aspen Medical’s C-suite executives has been incredibly validating. Our project demanded focus, collaboration, and resilience.”

In addition to the team’s hard work, communication – a skill that is often underestimated – was crucial to Connection Advisory’s success, according to team member Zoe Vogelsang.

“Throughout SIP you are pushed to balance deadlines, meetings, and conflicting schedules within the team, and having regular two-way communication was vital to staying on the same page.”

“Communication meant learning to be fully open about sharing ideas and using your teammates and mentor to bounce feedback off. This helped transform our solution from the initial concept to a final proposal.”

When asked why he applied for SIP, teammate Clinton Lim explains that the course offers something beyond traditional classroom learning.

“I was keen to delve into areas beyond my core studies, especially those that offer practical, interdisciplinary applications. Collaborating with my teammates from various academic backgrounds enhanced my communication and problem-solving abilities,” says Clinton.

I had to adjust my approach to accommodate different perspectives and methodologies. I strengthened my analytical skills and was linked with mentors and professionals who have provided critical guidance.

For teammate Edward Wu, the course expanded his future career prospects.

“I envisioned myself becoming a marketing specialist, focusing on branding and customer engagement. However, my work on Aspen Medical’s drone delivery project gave me a glimpse into the broader impact that strategic thinking can have,” he says.

“It challenged me to go beyond marketing frameworks and think about complex operational and logistical concerns. This experience has sparked a new interest in consulting as a career path and inspired me to broaden my studies and future goals.”