Explaining Social Preferences For Priority Setting In The Health Sector
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$235,218.00
Summary
This project looks at whether the views of the public regarding the allocation of society's limited health care resources are well-informed and carefully considered. A series of focus groups will be conducted where members of the public can think about the ethical issues involved, discuss them with others, and ask questions. This approach has the potential to improve the legitimacy of health policy decisions by contributing to a better understanding of the values of the public.
Social And Decision Maker Preferences For Priority Setting In Health Care Resource Allocation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$273,051.00
Summary
All countries face the question of how best to allocate scarce health care resources. This leads to questions such as do we value health gains to different people (e.g. young versus old) differently, or different types of health gain (improved quality of life or life extension) differently? Survey methods will be used to investigate how members of society and “decision makers” prioritise different types of health gain. Results will help Australia to make informed resource allocation decisions.
Empirical Ethics: Quantification Of Social Preferences For Economic Evaluation In The Health Sector
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$329,450.00
Summary
Recent studies indicate that there are significant differences between the social 'preferences'-priorities of the population and the priorities implied by health policy and embodied in health economic evaluations of the health sector. For example, members of the public give higher priority to the severely ill even when little can be done for them. The studies suggest that the public would also take into account, inter alia, a number of other factors, including prognosis, health potential and the ....Recent studies indicate that there are significant differences between the social 'preferences'-priorities of the population and the priorities implied by health policy and embodied in health economic evaluations of the health sector. For example, members of the public give higher priority to the severely ill even when little can be done for them. The studies suggest that the public would also take into account, inter alia, a number of other factors, including prognosis, health potential and the social context of the problem. They would not treat program costs in the way economic theory and practice recommends. These issues have been dramatised in the WHO's Evaluation of Health Systems (World Health Report 2000). This assigns a weight of only 0.25 to health improvement and 0.75 to issues of fairness. The proposed study will carry out three tasks. The first is to measure the importance of Australian health-related social preferences which should, potentially, be included in economic evaluation studies. Key values - parameters - including the rate of time preference and the social willingness to pay for an additional year of life will be measured precisely for immediate use. Secondly, the importance of other issues including illness severity, adaptation and prognosis will be tested to determine how these factors should be included in the economic evaluation of health programs. Finally, some general issues related to public versus private funding, egalitarianism and choice will be investigated. Results from interviews and surveys will be integrated in the Assessment of Quality of Life (AQoL) instrument and its user manual.Read moreRead less
Consumer Directed Care In Residential Aged Care: Transforming Practice Through The Resident At The Centre Of Care (RCC) Program
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$836,087.00
Summary
The impending introduction of Consumer Directed Care (CDC) into Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs) will require organisations to respond rapidly in both ‘mindset’ and service delivery to radically change the nature of their current care practices. This project will allow our industry partners to implement and evaluate a CDC model of care that, if successful, will lead to a sustainable site specific implementation plan of CDC for RACFs across Australia with better outcomes for residents.
Defining And Optimising The Economic And Social Return On Investment Of Telephone Cancer Information And Support Services For All Australians
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$936,787.00
Summary
The economic and social value of telephone cancer information and support services (CISS) for Australia is undefined thus hindering decisions about the future direction of services and levels of funding. This research will identify and compare the broad monetised, social benefits of CISS with the costs of providing the service. We will identify different strategies to deliver, promote and target services to improve cancer outcomes for all Australians and maximise the return on investment.
Towards Evidence-based Adoption And Scale-up Of Cost-saving Primary Health Care Innovations
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$408,768.00
Summary
What innovations like service integration, care coordination and information technology (e.g. text message reminders, remote video consultations, remote monitoring) have in common is that they alter the patient-provider interface, more reliably and consistently than improving clinical outcomes. So, to determine their true costs and benefits, how to select among them and how to scale them up, this research program will assess them based on measures of how they alter patient-provider transactions.
Investigating Stakeholder Experiences In Implementing And Adopting Genome Sequencing In Paediatric Clinical Practice
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$91,538.00
Summary
Medicare funding became available for genome sequencing in 2020. Paediatricians can now order this test to help diagnose childhood syndromes. Expanding testing beyond genetics services is vital for patients to benefit broadly, but paediatricians and other medical specialists are known to feel ill-prepared to assume a greater role. My PhD project will investigate what we can learn from paediatric stakeholder experiences in delivering genome sequencing to aid future adoption in other settings.
Building On Our Strengths (BOOSt): Developing And Evaluating Birthing On Country Primary Maternity Units
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,090,701.00
Summary
Optimal healthcare during the year before and after birth can provide benefits for a lifetime. Our project will deliver this optimal care by implementing and evaluating Birthing on Country Service Delivery Models in urban, regional and remote sites. Birthing on Country combines Indigenous knowledge and governance, culturally safe care, continuity of midwifery carer, birth in an Indigenous birth centre and development of the Indigenous maternal and infant workforce.
Overcoming Barriers To Protected Mealtimes Implementation To Prevent And Treat Malnutrition
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$176,250.00
Summary
Protected mealtimes, where patient meals are protected from negative interruptions, is a systems approach to address the vast problem of in-hospital malnutrition. It aims to positively improve food intake at mealtimes, treating and preventing malnutrition. Observational studies have previously shown promising clinical outcomes, limited due to reports of barriers to implementation of the strategy. This is the first study internationally to implement protected mealtimes in subacute care.
Improving Detection And Management Of DEmentia In Older Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islanders Attending Primary Care (IDEA-PC)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,172,422.00
Summary
This project will co-design, implement and evaluate a nationwide culturally responsive model of care for primary care professionals to optimise the detection and management of dementia and cognitive impairment in older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. Rates of dementia are triple those of other communities and this research aims to optimise the well- being for older people with dementia, their families and communities throughout their journey of care.