BN Health Forum Melbourne: Navigating Health - Innovation, Access and the Patient Journey

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Thursday, 20 August 2026
Keynote presentation: 4:00pm | Panel session: 5:15pm | Networking & drinks: 6:30pm
Hyatt Centric Melbourne, 25 Downie Street, Melbourne

As workforce pressures, an ageing population and the rise of multimorbidities intersect with changing patient expectations and rapid technological advancement, new challenges are emerging across regulation, claims and frontline clinical service delivery.

This year’s Health Forum will explore key issues impacting the healthcare and life sciences sectors and what they mean for patients navigating the system.

In a standout keynote, one of Australia’s most recognised sporting figures and passionate health advocates will share their experience navigating the health system with a complex and chronic condition, offering a deeply personal perspective. Building on this, our expert panel will explore the trends shaping complex care in today’s landscape. Through practical discussion and shared insights, our speakers will unpack the legal and operational implications for life sciences organisations, healthcare providers and insurers.

Together, they will offer a clear and practical view of what’s working, where pressure points are emerging, and what the future may hold.

BN’s Health Forum is a must-attend event for professionals working in or alongside healthcare and life sciences who want to stay up to date on the trends and issues affecting the sector.

Following the final session, attendees are invited to join us for drinks and canapés to continue the conversation with colleagues across the industry.

Program

  • Session 1: From Podium to Patient: Living Through Diagnosis and Ongoing Care

    Keynote session presented by Michael Klim OAM – one of Australia’s most recognised sporting figures and passionate health advocates.

    Serious illness is rarely just a medical issue. It brings questions of access, timing and advocacy, often at a point when people are already vulnerable.

    After retiring from elite sport, Michael Klim’s life shifted dramatically following his diagnosis of Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP), a rare autoimmune condition affecting the peripheral nervous system. His experience of delayed diagnosis, treatment access and ongoing care provides a grounded insight into the realities faced by people living with complex and chronic illness.

    In this session, Michael will share his personal journey of adapting to profound physical uncertainty following a career built on performance and control. He will speak candidly about the emotional and practical challenges of navigating healthcare systems, and how delays or gaps in care can directly affect independence, recovery and quality of life.

    Drawing on lived experience, Michael offers a human lens on the importance of early intervention, coordinated care and patient advocacy, and how healthcare delivery, insurance decision-making and system design intersect in patient journeys.

Meet our speakers

  • Michael Klim OAM

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    Michael Klim is one of Australia’s most recognised athletes, having competed at the highest level of international swimming for more than a decade.

    A four-time Olympian, he built his career on discipline, routine and performance. He won multiple Olympic and World Championship medals, including gold as part of Australia’s 4x100m freestyle relay at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. He also set world records during his career.

    Things look very different for Michael now.

    In recent years, he has been living with Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP), a rare autoimmune condition affecting the peripheral nervous system. His experience navigating a complex path to diagnosis, treatment and ongoing care has given him a deep understanding of what people can face when something serious affects their health.

    Alongside managing these changes in his own life, Michael has stepped into a much bigger role in the health space. He is a founder of the Klim Foundation, which focuses on raising awareness of CIDP in Australia and supporting others living with the condition. He continues to advocate for earlier diagnosis, better coordination of care and a system that works more effectively for patients.

    Michael brings a candid and deeply personal perspective on what happens when the system does not always work as it should, and why getting it right matters.

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