HCF funds new health research projects

HCF, one of Australia's top 10 private health insurance (PHI) providers in 2022, has funded its first round of new health research projects via its foundation, HCF Research Foundation.

The six new health research projects, which aim to make significant impacts on delivering quality healthcare, will receive funding from the HCF Research Foundation Translational Research Grants (TRG) scheme. The recipients of the first round of grants who have received more than $1.58 million in combined funding 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;
• Prof Andrea Driscoll, Deakin University: Regional heart health: Keeping Australians out of hospital;
• A/Prof Denise O'Connor, Cabrini Health/Monash University: Value in care – optimising surveillance colonoscopy (VIC-COL) in Victorian healthcare services: An interrupted time series study;
• A/Prof Shaun O'Leary, Royal Brisbane Women's Hospital: Reducing inappropriate medications for low back pain in the emergency department;
• Prof Jennie Scarvell, University of Canberra: Best practice pathway for knee osteoarthritis – implementing an advanced musculoskeletal pre-surgical triage and assessment clinic; and
• Prof Vivienne Chuter, Western Sydney University: Implementation and evaluation of the Australian guidelines for diabetes-related foot disease into hospital-based high-risk foot services.

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The HCF Research Foundation's TRG scheme focuses on addressing health issues identified within healthcare provider communities and translating research findings into real practice by providers. Prof Claire Jackson, chair of the HCF Research Foundation, said the TRG scheme will 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,” Prof Jackson said. “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.”