Advanced Heart Failure Management With Ventricular Assist Therapy – Evaluating Australian Costs Of Care And Effectiveness From Implant To Transplant Or End Of Life
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$45,668.00
Summary
Ventricular Assist Devices (VADs) are implantable heart pumps that are increasingly being used to slow down the progression of end stage heart failure. This project assesses the costs and effectiveness of VAD therapy and advanced heart failure medical management in an Australian health care setting. The aim is to provide Australian clinicians and health decision makers access to current and relevant, clinical, cost and effectiveness data for advanced heart failure and VAD therapy.
REACH: Researching Effective Approaches To Cleaning In Hospitals
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$657,862.00
Summary
Healthcare associated infections are a major challenge for hospitals. Infections can spread via the patient environment, because colonized patients and staff can contaminate surfaces and equipment with micro-organisms. Cleaning is a vital component of patient care, but is a complex process with little real evidence to inform practice. This project will take a targeted approach to improving hospital cleaning to reduce infection rates; and examine the cost-effectiveness of this approach.
Evaluation Of A Financial Incentive To Improve The Use Of Preventive Medicines By People With Asthma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$137,860.00
Summary
Rising costs are threatening the future viability of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. New approaches are needed to address this challenge, including developing financial incentives for consumers to use effective low cost medicines in preference to higher cost alternatives. This study will develop a consumer incentive for use of low cost asthma preventer medicines, model the economic effects of this and bring together stakeholders to examine the policy and practice changes needed to implement ....Rising costs are threatening the future viability of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. New approaches are needed to address this challenge, including developing financial incentives for consumers to use effective low cost medicines in preference to higher cost alternatives. This study will develop a consumer incentive for use of low cost asthma preventer medicines, model the economic effects of this and bring together stakeholders to examine the policy and practice changes needed to implement the incentive.Read moreRead less
Economic Evaluation Of Alternative Pneumococcal Vaccination Strategies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$242,894.00
Summary
Pneumococcal vaccination is a readily available preventive strategy that can offer substantial protection to the elderly but it is important that we carefully evaluate the different potential strategies to ensure the most (cost-) effective approach to prevention is identified. This grant will explore alternative strategies to control pneumococcal-related disease in elderly Australians using the available vaccines.
Developing An Australian Valuation For The EQ-5D-5L Quality Of Life Instrument
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$348,357.00
Summary
In the assessment of gains resulting from a health technology, it is standard to consider both mortality and quality of life effects. This project explores how Australians value different components of quality of life. To do this, we are running an online survey called a discrete choice experiment, and analysing the data using a range of cutting-edge econometric techniques. This will allow policy-makers to better reflect people's preferences when making decisions about new technologies.
Pregabalin In Addition To Usual Care For Sciatica (PRECISE): A Randomised, Placebo-controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$638,663.00
Summary
Sciatica is a severe and disabling form of back pain that is characterised by radiating pain down the leg. However there is little evidence on how best to treat it conservatively. We propose to investigate the effectiveness of pregabalin, a medication that specifically targets sciatic pain, in addition to usual care in 204 patients with sciatica. We hypothesise that adding pregabalin will be more effective in reducing the severity of leg pain.
Improving Decision Making On Health Interventions: Factoring In The Long Term Economic Impacts Of Informal (unpaid) Care
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$628,963.00
Summary
This project looks at the future health of the Australian population that will keep more informal carers out of employment and diminish their own livings standards, thereby reducing funds available to government and the impact of interventions that could improve the health of the population and increase employment of carers.
Centre Of Research Excellence In Medicines And Ageing
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,601,415.00
Summary
Medicines have an important place in health and are commonly used for long periods, sometimes life-long. Using medicines wisely requires a careful balance between benefits and harmful effects. Currently, there is limited information to guide medicines use over a lifetime. Using large linked datasets, the CRE in Medicines and Ageing will generate much needed evidence about real world medicines use to support clinical and pharmaceutical policy decisions.
Prevention Of Complications In Type 2 Diabetes By Using ICT To Optimise Self-management
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$849,181.00
Summary
The impact of the diabetes epidemic on individuals and society is severe but can be reduced by improving diabetes self-management. Conducted in partnership with Diabetes Australia (Queensland, Victoria, WA) and Roche Diagnostics, this research will evaluate the 'real world' implementation of a telehealth program, already successfully trialled, which has the potential to provide a low cost and effective program to a large number of Australians with type 2 diabetes.
Estimating The Burden Of Group A Streptococcal Diseases In Victoria
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$386,760.00
Summary
Despite the considerable advances in the diagnosis and treatment of group A streptococcal (GAS) diseases made during the last century, the impressive spectrum of infections caused by this organism continues to have a significant impact in developed countries. This spectrum includes diseases that are mild but common (e.g. sore throat, skin sores), rare but very severe (e.g. bloodstream infections, flesh-eating bacteria) and those that are more common in developing countries and the Aboriginal pop ....Despite the considerable advances in the diagnosis and treatment of group A streptococcal (GAS) diseases made during the last century, the impressive spectrum of infections caused by this organism continues to have a significant impact in developed countries. This spectrum includes diseases that are mild but common (e.g. sore throat, skin sores), rare but very severe (e.g. bloodstream infections, flesh-eating bacteria) and those that are more common in developing countries and the Aboriginal population (e.g. rheumatic fever, kidney disease). Streptococcal sore throat remains one of the most common childhood infections, and severe group A streptococcal diseases are thought to be increasing in incidence in Australia. Yet, there are no accurate data on the incidence and costs of these or other GAS diseases in non-Aboriginal Australians, or in most other populations around the world. It is becoming more urgent to collect this data as numerous vaccine candidates are entering human trials, new approaches to the treatment of sore throat are emerging, and new strategies to treat and control the spread of severe disease are being developed. We propose a comprehensive strategy to measure the incidence, prevalence and costs of each group of GAS diseases. We will follow a group of families for 12 months to detect cases of GAS sore throat and skin sores and measure the impact on the family. We will survey children in schools to estimate the prevalence of skin sores. We will check hospital records to calculate the number of cases of rheumatic fever and kidney disease. And we will maintain surveillance for severe diseases by checking hospital and laboratory records. We will also check to see if family members of people with severe disease have the GAS bacterium in their throats. We will then compile these data into a comprehensive estimate of the burden of disease in Victoria, and estimate the cost-effectiveness of different treatment and prevention strategies.Read moreRead less