Tag: 2017

Pre-Budget submission urges investment for the future

Research Australia’s submission to the Treasurer has urged him to use next year’s budget to invest in the implementation of the many forward looking policy initiatives the Government has undertaken in the past two years. From increasing access to data, developing a research infrastructure investment Plan and fully capitalising the MRFF, there are plenty of opportunities to lay the foundations for the knowledge based economy Australia needs to prosper in the future.

Our submission also emphasises how further investment in health and  medical research and innovation is central to this plan for a healthier and more productive population, a more efficient healthcare system and a more prosperous Australia.

Research Australia’s Pre-Budget submission 

Why online health records help us all

Friday 1 September 2017

In an era of big data, the opportunity to harness the masses of information, including personal health records, through better collection, linkage and access, has the potential to transform our health systems and the way we deliver healthcare.

The more a doctor who is treating you knows about your medical history (and the quicker that history can be accessed) the better chance you have of it saving your life. If you are in an accident, unconscious and seriously hurt, then you really want those taking care of you to be able to access all your information about allergies, illnesses and medical history. It could make the difference between life and death.

You might assume doctors in various parts of the health system can already access your information, when the reality is that in most cases they cannot.The Australian health system is fragmented and information is not easily shared between the various GPs, medical specialists, private clinics and hospitals you visit over a lifetime. This means the data a medical professional looks at might not be complete or you may have to recall your own history repeatedly. This can lead to poor diagnoses and increased cost to the health system, with every repeat test and scan that might otherwise have been avoided.

Continue reading “Why online health records help us all”

Medical Researcher becomes Australian of the Year

Congratulations to the 2017 Australian of the Year recipient Emeritus Professor Alan Mackay-Sim. Research Australia is thrilled that a medical researcher has been chosen for this honour.

Professor Mackay-Sim has spent over 20 years making discoveries on the human sense of smell and the biology of nasal cells. He and his team proved it was safe to transplant nasal cells to the spinal cord.[1]

In Prof Mackay-Sim’s acceptance speech, he highlighted the importance of investing in research for the future.  Continue reading “Medical Researcher becomes Australian of the Year”