e-Health partnership between CSIRO, Qld Health
A five-year agreement has been established between Queensland Health and the CSIRO, which will extend the Australian e-Health Research Centre (AEHRC).
The $25 million joint venture agreement will see the AEHRC continue to develop and deliver evidence-based digital innovations.
“With increasing digital disruption, Queensland’s Advancing Health 2026 strategy expects that the majority of clinical systems in our health service will be digital by 2026,” said Health and Ambulance Services Minister Cameron Dick.
“This partnership will continue to support that transition through scientifically validated digital solutions and supporting our aim of embedding innovation and research at the core of the Queensland Health system.”
Since its inception in 2003, the AEHRC has developed into a full health and biomedical informatics research program with expertise across electronic health data capture and processing, health data analytics, biomedical imaging, genomics, mobile and tele-health research.
From conducting Australia’s largest tele-health trial of home monitoring in aged care to developing smartphone apps and technology for cardiac patients, scientists at the Australian e-Health Research Centre have worked on improving health outcomes and saving lives.
“As part of our Strategy 2020, we created a new Health Business Unit dedicated to delivering excellent science that helps Australia navigate major health challenges such as an ageing population, diabetes and obesity,” said CSIRO Chief Executive Larry Marshall.
The AEHRC team has doubled in size since 2012, growing to 80 engineers and scientists, with 50 staff based in Brisbane and a further 30 staff across Perth, Sydney and Melbourne.
“The adoption of digital technologies in health care coupled with the increasing digital connectedness of Australians means we can really start the transition from a reactive to a preventative health system,” said AEHRC CEO David Hansen.
“The continued reduction in cost of genomics is another piece of the puzzle. The AEHRC has a unique set of capabilities and expertise, which makes us well placed to be a core partner in managing disruption to the way health care is currently provided.”