Research Impact
We pride ourselves on both academic excellence and the impact that our work has had on improving the health system: Key examples of our research impacts include:
The Closing the Gap (CTG) Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) co-payment measure
The Closing the Gap (CTG) Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) co-payment measure reduced PBS medicine co-payments to eligible Indigenous Australians. The PBS CTG co-payment measure was initially expected to benefit 70,000 people: by 2014 it had benefited 280,885 people, around 40% of the population and increased medicine use by 29%. A 2011 Senate Enquiry reported that this program was introduced in response to 2004 evaluation led by Margaret Kelaher on access to medicines through special arrangements S100 for remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Services.
More information:
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The effectiveness of special arrangements for the supply of Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) medicines to remote area Aboriginal Health Services
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Quality review of national primary care telephone triage and advice lines
Rosemary McKenzie’s evaluation of the quality of primary care help lines for Healthdirect Australia has led to the establishment of a major collaboration between Healthdirect Australia and Standards Australia to develop Australia’s first national Standard for Health Contact Centres. Rosemary was a member of the Drafting Committee for the new Australian Standard, which was published in March 2019 following an extensive period of community and health sector consultation. The Standard establishes quality thresholds for the growing health contact centre sector in Australia.
More information:
Standards Australia
Quality review of national primary care telephone triage and advice lines
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DHHS (North Division) executive population health capacity building program
In 2018 DHHS (North Division) and the University of Melbourne (led by Helen Jordan and Lucio Naccarella and including Rob Moodie) formed a partnership to co-design and deliver a pilot program to build the capacity of the division executive leadership to promote the implementation of the population health approach to planning, implementation and evaluation – with a particular focus on prevention.
More information:
DHHS (North Division) Executive Population Health Capacity Building Program
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Health literacy
Health literacy is a key priority for health care organisations, as 60% of Australian's have less than adequate levels of health literacy. Lucio Naccarella’s consecutive evaluations (2014 - 17) of organisational health literacy initiatives in Melbourne's West have influenced Primary Care Partnerships, Community Health Services and hospitals health literacy organisational policies. Lucio’s roles included leading the planning and conduct of the evaluations and his contributions to health literacy also enabled him to co-lead the 2016 Health Literacy Symposium at University of Melbourne and lead a 2017 Special Issue on Health Literacy for the Australian Health Review.
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Localities Embracing and Accepting Diversity (LEAD)
Racial discrimination has been shown to have profound effects on people’s mental and physical health and their opportunities in life. The evaluation of the Localities Embracing and Accepting Diversity (LEAD) program aimed to assess the strengths and limitations of a place-based model to reduce race-based discrimination. Influenced by LEAD and the evaluation findings, several councils have initiated anti-racism programs based on LEAD strategies. LEAD has also had widespread influence through the uptake of tools in the National Anti-racism Strategy. As the Research Leader, I had a primary role in the development and implementation of the evaluation, including data collection, analysis and dissemination.
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