Media releases

A $3.62 million research grant announced today by the Federal Government will help fund a project to transform chronic health outcomes through digital innovation.

Federation University Australia will lead the development of a ‘patient first’ digital platform for patients to self-manage their chronic illness and provide data about their progress to clinicians. 

In Australia, half the population have a chronic illness, a quarter of the population have multiple chronic illnesses and 90 per cent of the population will die of a chronic illness - with rates in regional areas around 40 per cent higher than metropolitan areas.

The project will help to improve the early diagnosis and treatment of chronic disease, increase clinician productivity, support the pipeline of talent into regional clinician roles, and commercialise products at scale across Australia and the world.

The project funded under the Federal Government’s Regional Research Collaboration Program will:

• Establish six demonstration sites in regional Victoria where researchers will work with partners, clinicians and patients.
• Develop the ‘patient-centred, patient first’ digital platform.
• Support patients to partner in the self-management of their chronic illness, by reporting their symptoms and management progress which is actively monitored by their clinician.
• Train clinicians on the digital platform and the intervention model, shifting much of their monitoring of chronic illness from in-person to digital.
• Generate world-leading research into preventative and clinical management of chronic illness.
• Develop commercial products that can be utilised in Australia and sold overseas.

The project involves partnerships with the University of Melbourne, IBM, WellAware, Silverchain, East Grampians Health Service, Ballarat Community Health and Latrobe Community Health Service. These partners will co-design and support the research, support establishment of the demonstration sites, support development of the digital platform, support clinician training and facilitate student placements.

The Federation team is led by: Professor Shane Thomas, Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor; Professor Fadi Charchar, Robert HT Smith Chair in Cardiovascular Genomics; Professor Colette Browning, Professor of Health Research; and Professor Britt Klein, Robert HT Smith Professor in Digital Health and Psychology.

Quotes attributable to Federation University Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research and Innovation, Professor Chris Hutchison
“We welcome the Federal Government’s support for this exciting new project that will improve people's lives by using digital innovation to transform chronic health outcomes.”
“This project ticks so many boxes – it helps chronic disease sufferers, it improves productivity for clinicians, it supports collaboration between private and public partners, it facilitates student placements and it backs commercialisation.”
“This funding is recognition of Federation as a leader in harnessing the power of big data and technological innovation to solve real-world problems and make a difference in people's lives.”