Dr Emily Kirkpatrick
Dr. Emily Kirkpatrick is a respected Australian health care leader and non-executive director in both the public and private sectors.
Crisis Management | Government Relations | Health Tech & AI | Clinical Governance
Emily drives digital and transformational change through her consulting company, serving as the Managing Director of the EKology Group, where she advises organisations and boards on risk management amid rapid innovative shifts, including on the intersect between technical and clinical governance. Emily consults across the country, with bases in Melbourne and Adelaide.
Emily has completed fellowships in primary care, public health, clinical governance and medical administration, and she has previously led statewide health reform in South Australia as part of her role during the pandemic. She serves as a senior clinical lecturer at the Australian Institute for Machine Learning focused on AI integration into health systems, leading with a collaborative team the research and implementation of a hospital AI scribe since 2023. Her expertise extends as a Non-Executive Director of Healthdirect Australia, UNE Life, AMA (SA) and the Southern Adelaide Local Health Network, merging her passion for navigating complex ecosystems with her commitment to innovation through machine learning capabilities.
Emily played a critical role in managing South Australia's COVID-19 response, serving as Deputy Chief Public Health Officer and Deputy Chief Medical Officer. She was appointed by the Minister as the COVID Community Commander to support the South Australian health system, in addition to her role as Executive Director of Community and Primary Care Partnerships, leveraging her extensive media, primary care intergovernmental and crisis management experience. She is passionate about wellbeing and restorative just culture within healthcare, presenting nationally on her work in evolving our 'sick' health system.
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Medicine (BMed)
- Master of Public Health (MPH)
- Master of Medicine (Skin Cancer) (MMed)
- Master of Business Administration (MBA (Health Management))
- Master of Health Administration (MHA)
- Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (FRACGP)
- Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health (FRSPH)
- Fellow of ISQua International Society for Safety and Quality in Health Care (FISQua)
- Fellow of Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators (FRACMA)
- Fellow of the Australasian College of Health Service Management (FCHSM)
- Graduate of the Australian Institute of Clinical Governance (AICGG)
- Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD)
- Diploma of Child Health (DCH)
- Graduate Certificate Health Professional Education (GCHPE)
- Certified Health Informatician (CHIA)