Our research
Transformative research and evaluation to improve health outcomes for all
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Our high-quality research aims to support and enhance health policy, health economics, big data analysis, and health services.
We take a population approach to investigate burden of disease, sociodemographic and clinical risk factors and the impact of treatment and interventions on health outcomes, wellbeing, development and health service use and costs.
This involves the analysis of linked clinical, cohort and administrative health datasets to establish population-based ‘data cohorts’ that enable longitudinal follow-up of individuals’ over time.
Specific datasets used include state and Commonwealth administrative perinatal (maternal and infant health), hospital admission, emergency department, Medicare, PBS medication and deaths data collections; as well as novel linkage of pathology, NAPLAN education, clinical trials and registries; and analysis of established linked cohort studies (e.g. 45 and Up study, UK Biobank).
Health economics
We analyse how value, and values are determined and integrated into decision making. We answer questions around the efficient provision of health services in different contexts, explore the application of distributional efficiency approaches, and answer broader questions around the notion of ‘value’ from a decision maker, community, and patient perspective.
We apply quantitative economic methods to understand community preferences for how health services and systems are delivered and how health outcomes are valued. Our aim is to achieve sustainable health care systems and delivery that prioritise outcomes of value for the community.
Health funding and financing
Health systems are complex, and funded by many different actors including Federal and state governments, private insurers and from out-of-pocket expenses from individuals. There is a similar complexity for how providers are financed. We analyse and describe how health systems are funded and health service providers are paid. We also investigate how these functions of the health system impact patients welfare.
We apply both quantitative and qualitative methods to understand who pays, who benefits and what might be done to improve the outcomes for patients and society. Our aim is to produce evidence that aids the health system to produce high-quality integrated care and avoid funding and financing policies that result in fragmented low-quality care.
Health technologies
We're developing and analysing how information is gathered and flows throughout health systems and in health policy making processes. We incorporate novel methods for data collection and analysis, and the development of new systems to hold, regulate and govern health knowledge. We also investigate how knowledge is found, interpreted and utilised in health systems and policy.
Our aim is to achieve intelligent systems of knowledge generation and utilisation in health policy that incorporate the complex mix of factors that need to be understood to make wise decisions.
Health services and systems
We use qualitative and quantitive tools to help health services achieve their goals, improving patient and societal outcomes. This can involve helping design and plan services, or aiding the evaluation and monitoring of service delivery. We work with patients, providers and payers to ensure that the planning for services is evidence-based and the results are relevant to those who use and deliver services.
We also analyse how health services are constructed and delivered within broader health and social systems. We explore how health goals can be achieved by analysing models of care at a system level, and investigating how their success or failure can be explained. Our aim is to develop comprehensive system-level models of health care that increase access, equity and quality.
Work within this theme includes the analysis of how health services are constructed and delivered within the broader health and social systems. We analyse how and why key health goals such as access, equity, and experience can be achieved by analysing models of care at a system level.
This theme includes evaluative research of novel models of care and new health technologies, and how their success, or failure, can be explained. Our aim is to develop comprehensive system-level models of health care that increase access, equity and quality.
Mailing address
Level 5
1 King Street
Newtown, NSW, 2042
