Singapore: An extensive study commissioned by Polycom, a global service provider, highlighted that lack of funding and government policies are seen as the greatest inhibitor impacting the introduction of technology in the healthcare sector in Australia.

Nearly 43 percent of healthcare professionals in the country raised concerns over adequate funding and advancement of technology, with many agreeing that government policy was not adequately keeping up with healthcare innovation.

The full report, scheduled to be released later this year, revealed that only 5 per cent of Australian healthcare professionals believed the government was keeping pace with innovation, while the global outlook was slightly more positive at 13 per cent.

Mr Ron Emerson, Polycom's global director of healthcare, said that across the world one of the biggest concerns was the increasing cost of healthcare.

Respondents to the survey also mentioned that the country's ageing population and demand on health services infrastructure will present the greatest healthcare challenge in 2025, at 38 percent and 23 percent respectively. Global findings also identified these two areas as the greatest challenges to the future of healthcare.

"Understanding the key challenges facing the healthcare industry is the first step toward a more positive future. It's abundantly clear that the industry needs to transform and evolve, so we are better positioned to deliver the types of healthcare services needed to provide improved patient outcomes," concluded, Mr Emerson.