When Kalyn Ponga suffered a string of concussions last year, he was sent to Canada to use a new technology that measures brain activity.
Dr Chris Levi, a neurologist with Lake Macquarie Private Hospital, consulted on Ponga's case.
Dr Levi now co-owns a company, CXDX Connected Diagnostics, which aims to distribute the technology - called the NeuroCatch platform - in Australia.
The company recently secured approval from the TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) to use the medical device in Australia.
Lake Macquarie Private's emergency department [ED] is the first place in Australia to use it.
Patients who suffer a suspected concussion can be tested at the hospital, after paying the ED's gap fee of $400.
A separate fee - about $20 to $35 - for the use of NeuroCatch will be rebated to the patient under Medicare, in line with other diagnostic tests that require an ECG [electrocardiogram].
The device measures brain waves, tests cognitive function and helps determine treatment options.
The Newcastle Brain Centre, which has five neurologists including Dr Levi, is based at the hospital.
Dr Levi said there was research underpinning the device's approval by the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and "more recently the TGA".
"It's solid enough for the regulator to be happy enough with its validity. In other words, what it says it can do, it can do," he said.
"There's still research needed, but it fills an important gap. It is a useful decision aid. It's not a panacea, it's a diagnostic test that's objective and valid.
"At the moment we only have these pretty subjective scales and scores to use for concussion. They're fine but they have limitations."
Dr Levi said NeuroCatch "used to be a big machine".
"Because of advances in engineering and AI (artificial intelligence), it has moved from a lab to a laptop and a cap to put on someone's head.
"It's moved from a big clunky machine to point-of-care technology."
Dr Levi said the Newcastle-based CXDX had secured a distribution agreement with NeuroCatch for Australia.
"It's a little start-up with three part-owners," he said.
This includes Dr Levi, along with chief technical officer Andrew Sargeant and chief executive Michael DiRienzo.
Mr DiRienzo resigned as Hunter New England Health chief executive in February last year.
It followed the results of an earlier poll of 256 surgeons, anaesthetists, obstetricians and gynaecologists at John Hunter Hospital found 93 per cent of 169 respondents had no confidence in the then management of the health district, including its chief executive, Michael DiRienzo.
More than 80 per cent of surgeons and proceduralists polled at the time said they had been asked by hospital staff to change the clinical urgency categories of patients on surgery waitlists to meet Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) set by the Ministry of Health.
This prompted an audit to investigate the claims.
"He [Mr DiRienzo] was not found to have been involved in any wrongdoing or implicated in any issues for disciplinary action," Dr Levi said.
Dr Levi said CXDX "needed someone who understands the medical and business worlds".
"He excelled as a financial manager and maintained the district on budget for about 12 years," Dr Levi said.
Mr DiRienzo would not comment on his resignation from the health district.
However, in a recent statement, he said "bringing NeuroCatch to Australia is not just a milestone for CXDX, but a significant advancement in healthcare, especially in brain health".
"Our mission is to ensure that cutting-edge healthcare technology is accessible to all Australians."
Dr Levi is also a professor at the University of Newcastle and director of the John Hunter Health and Innovation Precinct in the public health system.
He also runs a sports concussion clinic at John Hunter Hospital.
Asked why NeuroCatch could not be made available in the public system, Dr Levi said "trying to get innovation moving promptly through the public sector is very challenging".
"In the private sector, you can be more nimble and move things forward at a faster rate."
