News

Welcome to the NHMRC Partnership Centre for Health System Sustainability’s (PCHSS’s) Autumn newsletter! As winter approaches in the southern hemisphere, we pause to reflect on the latest research findings by PCHSS investigators on developing and implementing more resilient and robust health systems.

WHAT IS THE PCHSS?

The PCHSS is a $10.75M, five-year collaboration involving 17 lead investigators, 20 expert advisors, and over 40 system implementation partners from around Australia. Our vision is that our research findings significantly influence the development of a more resilient health care system – one that is affordable, cost effective, and delivers improved health outcomes for all Australians.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Webinar: How do we improve the uptake of research evidence in healthcare?

July 27^th, 2022, 4pm AEST

Health system sustainability centres around the ability of our health system to address the health needs of our population both now, and in the future. A critical part of health system sustainability is the utilisation and translation of research: an ongoing challenge that faces clinicians, policy makers, researchers, and funding bodies.

Research translation therefore requires novel strategies that can be applied to improve the implementation of research findings into best practice. One such strategy is the Research Translation Project (RTP) program, which is funded by the Western Australian Department of Health. The program aims to improve healthcare practice through funding short-term research projects that focus on translating research outcomes into healthcare policy.

In this webinar, Associate Professor Delia Hendrie and Ms Abby Mosedale (Curtin University) will discuss their evaluation of the RTP program using a realist evaluation framework.

For more information and for free registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-do-we-improve-the-uptake-of-research-evidence-in-healthcare-tickets-348494455297

All of our webinars are posted on our YouTube channel after the event.

NEW PUBLICATIONS

Since our Summer newsletter, PCHSS investigators published over 50 papers, abstracts, reports, and other research works. These and all our papers are available on the Our Publications page on our website.

Notable recent examples of our publications include:

• A review exploring economic evaluations that have been conducted for non-invasive remote patient monitoring (RPM) in patients with chronic diseases. The authors found that the cost effectiveness of RPM was dependent on several factors, including clinical context, but has the potential to be highly cost effective compared to usual care for some conditions. (De Guzman KR, Snoswell CL, Taylor ML, Gray LC, Caffery LJ. Economic evaluations of remote patient monitoring for chronic disease: a systematic review. Value in Health)

• A new paper wherein the authors discuss the broad and differing diagnostic criteria for gestational diabetes around the world. They highlight the need for a review of the diagnostic criteria that is currently used in Australia. (Doust JA, Glasziou PP, d’Emden MC. A large trial of screening for gestational diabetes mellitus in the United States highlights the need to revisit the Australian diagnostic criteria. Medical Journal of Australia)
• A report evaluating the effects of the Australian Medicare Benefits Schedule review by analysing data from the Medicine in Australia: Balancing Employment and Life (MABEL) survey. The authors found there was no significant effect on medical expenditure, volume of care, or average fees charged following the MBS review. (Jun D, Scott A. The impact of value-based payment reform on medical expenditures, fees and volume of services. Early evidence from a large-scale fee schedule reform in Australia. Melbourne Institute Applied Economic & Social Research)
• Our new study assessing the impact of the Western Australian research translation program (RTP), a program that funds small research projects with the aim of improving healthcare practice. They found that the RTP program has been successful in building research capacity, advancing knowledge, and contributing to policy changes and practice. (Mosedale A, Geelhoed E, Zurynski Y, Robinson S, Chai K, Hendrie D. An impact review of a Western Australian research translation program. PLoS One)
• A report summarising the findings of the 2021 Australian Health Consumer Sentiment Survey. In this population-based study, the authors found that overall, Australians view the healthcare they receive favourably, and satisfaction with the healthcare system has increased throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the report does identify areas in need of improve, such as the affordability of healthcare. (Zurynski Y, Ellis, L A, Dammery G, Smith CL, Halim N, Ansell J, Gillespie J, Caffery L, Vitangcol K, Wells L, Braithwaite J. The voice of Australian health consumers: The 2021 Australian health consumer sentiment survey. Report prepared for the Consumers Health Forum of Australia, 2022)

• A scoping review of learning health systems (LHSs), which found that although the number of empirical applications has grown in recent years, there are very few high-quality evaluations of, or reports on, the implementation of LHSs. (Ellis LA, Sarkies M, Churruca K, Dammery G, Meulenbroeks I, Smith CL, Pomare C, Mahmoud Z, Zurynski Y, Braithwaite J. The science of learning health systems: scoping review of empirical research. JMIR Medical Informatics)

MEDIA ENGAGEMENTS

Since our last newsletter, there have been more than 140 popular press stories covering PCHSS research.

Here is a sampling of news stories from the past few months:

•  Free rapid antigen tests makes economic sense for governments, our analysis shows (Karnon J, The Conversation, 07 January 2022)
• Why HANDI resource is underutilised (Glasziou P, NewsGP, 17 January 2022)
• Pointless surgery, dodgy diagnoses: The problem with modern medicine (Buchbinder R, NZ Herald, 25 March 2022)
• Many struggle to meet health costs: survey (Wells L, The Canberra Times, 28 March 2022)
• The health system through the eyes of 5100 health consumers (Braithwaite J, Deeble Institute, 29 March 2022)
• COVID pandemic hits women and young people hardest (Ellis LA, Braithwaite J, Zurynski Y, MJA Insight+, 9 May 2022)

OTHER NEWS

NEW LEVERAGED FUNDING

PCHSS’ researchers won nearly $7 million in new funding and contracts in the past quarter. Below is a brief description of some of the new projects:

• Professor Rachelle Buchbinder and colleagues received four years of funding to establish new ways to reduce the burden of juvenile arthritis. This research will explore using biomarkers and machine learning to reduce disease burden, as well as finding ways to wean children off medications. 
• Another grant awarded to Professor Rachelle Buchbinder and colleagues aims to improve the care provided to children and adolescents with chronic musculoskeletal conditions in Australia by reshaping the management of lower back pain in emergency departments.
• An NHMRC Clinical Trial-Cohort grant was awarded to Professor Rachelle Buchbinder and colleagues to trial behavioural nudge interventions with the goal of reducing unnecessary care for low back pain in emergency departments. A successful trial of this nudge intervention has previously been completed and is being scaled up in this new grant.

Observatory on Health System Sustainability researchers are CIs on the following new grants:

• Professor Braithwaite and colleagues received funding for a project to build population-based databases from adults with hearing loss who use hearing aids or cochlear implants. The research will evaluate the cost effectiveness of early interventions for hearing loss, evaluate the impact of hearing loss on overall health, and more.

PAST EVENTS

On 28 March, PCHSS and Consumer Health Forum of Australia (CHF) hosted the launch of the Voice of the Australian Health Consumer report. The event included presentations by the Honourable Greg Hunt and the Honourable Mark Butler, followed by a panel discussion featuring Professor Ian Hickie AM, Laila Hallam, Professor Rosemary Calder AM, and Associate Professor Annette Schmiede. The event was attended by over 250 people, and a recording of the event is on our YouTube channel.

Professor Jeffrey Braithwaite, Associate Professor Yvonne Zurynski (Australian Institute of Health Innovation and PCHSS) and Ms Leanne Wells (CHF) published an analysis of the preliminary findings in the MJA Insight + to coincide with the launch of the report.

Videos of all our events are available on our YouTube channel.

Follow us on Twitter @PCHSS_AIHI for notifications of upcoming events and registration links.