Navigating the changing AI landscape in healthcare at the 2026 AHSPO conference

HSV’s Clinical Product Advisor and Procurement teams once again had the opportunity to attend the annual Association of Healthcare Supply and Procurement Officers (AHSPO) conference in 2026.

The AHSPO conference brings together more than 185 delegates, including procurement leaders, purchasing managers and Clinical Product Advisors (CPAs) to network with other industry leaders and discover the latest products and services in healthcare procurement.

This conference theme this year was ‘AI in healthcare and procurement’ and addressed the challenges and opportunities AI presents in the healthcare industry, while emphasising the continued importance of human-led care.

Throughout the 3-day conference, attendees heard from several leading figures in the healthcare procurement space, including keynote speaker and AI educator Mark Cameron, Pathology Technology Australia CEO Dean Whiting, and GS1’s Michel Hulzebos among others.

A dedicated CPA session on day one included a lunch where CPAs from Victoria and other states came together to compare insights on procurement models and share clinical experiences from their respective health services.

HSV’s Head of Clinical Product Advice Diana Skratulja and Clinical Product Advisors Steve Anderson, Nicole Whiting, Mel Jewell and Michelle McKibbin attended the CPA session, gaining early access to the trade show.

“Being able to attend the trade show before the official start of the event provides CPAs with an opportunity to have deeper conversations with suppliers and be able to see, touch and evaluate the products we procure for health services,” Diana says.

This year also marked the first Biomedical Engineering Advisory Group (BEAG) meeting hosted at the AHSPO conference.

“The AHSPO conference was an excellent forum for BEAG members to attend,” HSV Senior Biomedical Advisor Gordon Szegi says.

“It was a valuable opportunity to meet other biomedical engineering managers and engage directly with medical device equipment suppliers, as well as identify potential new products to include in existing HSV equipment agreements.”

HSV looks forward to continuing our engagement with AHSPO and exploring further opportunities to connect with healthcare procurement professionals and suppliers.