Digital Health CRC and The University of Sydney

Digital Health CRC and The University of Sydney | May 2020

Update provided by: Dr Anna Janssen

Since the Digital Health CRC launched in 2018 the University of Sydney has been a lead partner in the centre. The Digital Health CRC’s mission is to improve the health of Australians and advance the economy through a unique partnership of industry and academic partners. The centre has over 70 participants spanning the health system including universities, hospitals, health districts, state governments, Primary Health Networks, peak bodies and technology companies making it a unique place to foster innovation around health technology.

The Digital Health CRCs CEO Dr Victor Pantano said his vision for the centre is to have an impact on the health sector in key areas.

“By the end of the DHCRC, I believe we will have collectively made a significant impact on the health sector in Australia through the advancement of new digital technologies or approaches. This impact will include profound changes to the way the health system operates in four or five key areas. When fully implemented, these changes will produce both significant cost and efficiency benefits – and will also bring changes to the health and wellbeing of all Australians. We cannot implement profound change unless we have the capability within our health system to make and sustain these changes, so our Education and Capacity Building Program will play an important role in the future of our health system. Ultimately, I hope that the DHCRC would have created a lasting platform for collaboration which goes above and beyond some of the fragmentation we see now; I believe this is ultimately the biggest barrier to the advancement of health in Australia”. – Victor Pantano, CEO Digital Health CRC.

The University of Sydney is an emerging leader in digital health research and education. Partnering with the Digital Health CRC will further enable the University to grow in this space, by providing opportunities to participate in a range of exciting projects and events with Digital Health CRC partners. For researchers in the Faculty of Medicine and Health the Digital Health CRC also provides opportunities to further strengthen partnerships between researchers and clinical collaborators.

Professor Tim Shaw, the Digital Health CRC’s Director of Research and Capacity Building, said the centre provides the University a unique opportunity to take a leadership role in digital health.

“I believe the Digital Health CRC provides a unique opportunity for the University to play a lead role in digital health nationally, especially in the post COVID-19 environment where we have seen a massive explosion in the application of digital technologies globally.” – Tim Shaw.

Associate Professor Adam Dunn, University of Sydney Liaison to the Digital Health CRC, said the Digital Health CRC partnership would be a support a new generation of digital health researchers and educators.

“The University of Sydney is a major partner for the Digital Health CRC and should be a key source of academic engagement in both education and research. In parallel, the Digital Health CRC offers an unprecedented opportunity for academics to connect with industry partners in digital health innovation and leverage additional funding that would not otherwise exist. I expect the Digital Health CRC is also going to help us train a new generation of health informatics experts who will end up being our future industry partners and friends. My hope is that we will not only produce some major research translations with the support of the Digital Health CRC but that we will see major long term benefits through a much closer partnership between the university and the healthcare industry.” – Adam Dunn.

Over the last two years the University of Sydney has been working with the Digital Health CRC to develop a substantial research program. The program leverages and strengthens existing partnerships the University of Sydney has in the digital health space but is also facilitating a range of new collaborations. The current project line up for Sydney University is built around a number of major projects, which will be featured on the DHIN in the coming months. Signed agreements include:

• The Pandemic Imperative: Clinical Data and Analytics Platform to improve clinical outcomes through point-of-care decision support
  • Project Lead: Tom Snelling
  • Project Partners: The University of Sydney, NSW Health, Queensland Health, Commonwealth Department of Health, QUT and Monash.

• Understanding the value of electronic health data among health sector stakeholders
  • Project Lead: Professor Tim Shaw
  • Project Partners: The University of Sydney and Lorica Healthcare

• Engagement and Behavior modification of patients with Atrial Fibrillation for improved health outcomes
  • Project Lead: Professor Clara Chow
  • Project Partners: The University of Sydney and HMS

• Using practice analytics to understand variation and support reflective practice
  • Project Lead: Professor Tim Shaw
  • Project Partners: The University of Sydney, Cabrini HealthCare, Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Adventist Health Care, St John of God and Monash University

A range of additional projects are in the planning phase that involve the University of Sydney in the areas of clinical decision support and Aboriginal Health. These projects will support the growth of digital health research at The University of Sydney by providing funding for PhD Candidates and Industry Research Fellows. In addition to directly funding a number of unique industry scholarships, the University of Sydney also has opportunities to participate in events, networking and other unique opportunities through the Digital Health CRC partnership.

“The Digital Health CRC creates a pathway for the viable translation of digital health technologies invented inside the university. As researchers many of us hope to make a real difference to human health but we often end up producing research that only has impact inside the research community. Here we have a unique opportunity to form real connections between academia and industry, which means there is a lot more potential for the co-design and rapid translation of new ideas that will have a tangible and more immediate impact on health outcomes.” – Adam Dunn

Key Contacts

Professor Tim Shaw is the inaugural Professor of eHealth within the Faculty of Medicine and Health and Director of Research and Capacity Building at the Digital Health CRC. In his role at the Digital Health CRC Tim directs the centre’s research program and is responsible for its strategic direction.

Associate Professor Adam Dunn is the inaugural Head of Discipline, Biomedical Informatics and Digital Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health.  He is also the University of Sydney Liaison to the Digital Health CRC. In this role he is available to help University of Sydney researchers interested in developing a project with the Digital Health CRC navigate the project pipeline. Researchers interested in running a project through the Digital Health CRC are encouraged to reach out to Adam.