Australia's top health researchers will share in more than $120 million from the Medical Research Future Fund to deliver 60 innovative projects aimed at transforming prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care for Australians.
Researchers and clinicians are joining forces to help hospital patients move more and recover faster.
The University of South Australia's 'Vital Steps' project is launching Australia's first large-scale trial using wearable activity trackers in rehabilitation services.
Led by Professor Carol Maher, the trial will introduce trackers across seven rehabilitation sites in Southern Adelaide as part of routine care. The aim is to make patient movement a vital sign that's regularly monitored, helping patients regain independence sooner and improving recovery outcomes.
For hospitals, the benefits could be significant, with more active patients likely to mean shorter stays, reduced costs and more efficient services.
The $120.1 million investment will span four critical areas of health research including chronic respiratory conditions, clinical trials to address unmet needs, understanding and treating long COVID, and making better use of patient insights in health technology decisions.
See full details of the Medical Research Future Fund grant recipients.
Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:
"Medical research is critical to tackling the health challenges of today and tomorrow.
"The Albanese Government is driving world-class medical research which improves lives and strengthens our health system.
"This funding will spark innovation and deliver better health outcomes for Australians.
"From improving care for people with chronic lung disease to finding new treatments for rare cancers and helping patients in rehab recover faster, these projects will make a real difference."
Quotes attributable to Professor Carol Maher, Professor of Population and Digital Health UniSA Allied Health & Human Performance:
"A lot of people lose strength and confidence in hospital simply because they're not moving enough. The Vital Steps project treats mobility as a vital sign for better hospital care.
"In the same way we routinely track heart rate and blood pressure, wearable technology - like watches or sensors - can show clinicians a clear view of a patient's movement and whether they are actually up and about.
"Even small increases in activity can help patients speed up recovery, which means shorter stays, fewer complications, and more beds available."
