HCF research grants support translation of findings into practice

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Six new medical research projects have been funded through the inaugural round of the HCF Research Foundation Translational Research Grants (TRG).

The Foundation’s TRG scheme is focused on responding to health issues identified within provider communities and helping to translate research findings into real practice.

HCF Research Foundation chair, Professor Claire Jackson, said the new scheme would take traditional research into real-world scenarios to make a significant impact.

“Through this scheme, we want to help researchers deliver better patient outcomes and experiences, and more cost-effective health services for both patients and providers,” said Professor Jackson.

“The Foundation exists not only to support and fund incredibly important health and medical research but also to ensure that innovative, evidence-based research is implemented in healthcare settings so that we can work towards ensuring Australians have access to, and receive, better and more affordable healthcare.”

The Foundation has invested more than $24 million in research over the past 21 years. The recipients of the inaugural HCF Research Foundation Translational Grants grants have received more than $1.85 million.

The recipients are:

  • Dr Mitchell Sarkies, Macquarie University Hospital - Implementation of evidence and consensus-based perioperative care pathways to reduce unwarranted clinical variation in a private, academic health sciences centre;
  • Professor Andrea Driscoll, Deakin University - Regional Heart Health, Keeping Australians out of Hospital;
  • Associate Professor Denise O’Connor, Cabrini Health and Monash University - Value In Care, optimising surveillance Colonoscopy (VIC-COL) in Victorian healthcare services: an interrupted time series study;
  • Associate Professor Shaun O’Leary, Royal Brisbane Women’s Hospital - Reducing Inappropriate Medications for low back pain in the emergency department;
  • Professor Jennie Scarvell, University of Canberra - Best practice pathway for knee osteoarthritis, implementing an advanced musculoskeletal pre-surgical triage and assessment clinic; and,
  • Professor Vivienne Chuter, Western Sydney University - Implementation and evaluation of the Australian guidelines for diabetes-related foot disease into hospital-based high-risk foot services.