594 - Building Frictionless Healthcare: Updoc’s Journey to Improving Healthcare Access

Mar 16, 2026

Cliffe Hodgkinson, co-founder of Updoc and builder of an on-demand telehealth platform, talks about making primary care more accessible. He discusses refining patient intake to cut friction. He explains integrating clinical data, building a patient management stack, and attracting clinicians with hyper-flexible work models. He also covers clinical governance, rural outreach, and visions for hybrid digital/in-person care.

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INSIGHT

Translation Layer Converts Disparate Clinical Data Into Usable Records

Updoc built translation layers to ingest pathology and disparate clinical data into structured patient records.
That eliminates faxes and inconsistent formats by normalising feeds so doctors get rich, usable data in-platform.

ADVICE

Recruit Clinicians With Hyper Flexible Work Arrangements

Offer doctors hyper-flexible, on-demand work to attract part-time, returning-to-work and mixed-role clinicians.
Updoc lets doctors log in anytime with no shifts, balancing supply across 168 hours to create attractive earnings and flexibility.

ADVICE

Build A Safety First Clinical Governance Framework

Prioritise safety-first clinical governance with medical directors, credentialing and incident reporting.
Updoc built a framework covering escalations, prescription monitoring and automated policies, plus legal oversight to run telehealth safely.

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In this episode of Talking HealthTech, guest host and clinician Dr Max Mollenkopf is joined by Cliffe Hodgkinson, co-founder of Updoc, to explore the rapidly evolving world of telehealth and digital healthcare in Australia.

The discussion dives deep into how Updoc is reshaping access to primary care, using technology to streamline patient intake, triage, and workflow management while maintaining robust clinical governance.

The episode also examines the challenges and opportunities of building a digital health business, from recruiting and engaging clinicians with flexible work models to navigating economic pressures and policy changes.

The conversation explores patient expectations in the digital age, the practical realities of delivering online consultations, and the ways digital platforms can complement traditional GP services.

Cliffe and Max explore what drives patient adoption, how friction points in traditional clinics are being addressed, and what the future may hold for hybrid models of care that blend online and in-person consultations.

Key Takeaways

🩺 Updoc offers flexible, on-demand telehealth for routine and urgent care across Australia, focusing on accessibility for rural and time-poor patients.

🔗 Incremental innovation and listening to user feedback drive continuous improvements in patient intake flows, data integration and care delivery.

👨‍⚕️ Doctors are attracted by hyper-flexible work arrangements, supporting clinicians returning to work and those balancing multiple roles.

⚖️ Updoc prioritises clinical governance, developing frameworks for patient safety, credentialing, and collaborating with Patients Australia on digital health standards.

💡 Telehealth complements, but doesn’t replace, in-person care, offering new pathways for multimodal, hybrid healthcare delivery in Australia.

Timestamps

00:00 – Updoc introduction & mission

00:05 – Updoc's formative experiences

06:47 – Incremental innovation at UpDoc

14:30 – Clinician engagement & workforce

16:49 – Clinical governance approach

22:02 – Accessibility focus: rural/time-poor

29:30 – The future of telehealth vs. traditional care

38:53 – Potential for hybrid & triage models

44:03 – Patient impact story

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