Victorian Heart Hospital to forge new era in heart health

The opening of the Southern Hemisphere's only hospital dedicated to heart health, based at Monash University in the heart of the Monash Technology Precinct, will forge a new era in heart research and clinical expertise, enabling patients to access world-class cardiac care and ground-breaking research under one roof. Victorian Premier the Hon Daniel Andrews MP and Minister for Health and Ambulance Services the Hon Mary-Anne Thomas MP toured the state-of-the-art facilities on Saturday 29 October at the Victorian Heart Hospital (VHH) at Monash's Clayton campus. The hospital, operated by Monash Health, is due to welcome its first patients in February 2023. The VHH will integrate clinical cardiology services, research and education to create a centre of excellence, enhancing the practice of cardiology, treatment and training. The hospital will also be the home of the Monash Victorian Heart Institute (VHI) enabling the co-location of research, education and patient care. Monash University President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Margaret Gardner AC said the location of the hospital within the Monash Technology Precinct provided an exciting opportunity for an end-to-end pipeline of capability from research discovery to clinic. "Monash brings together world-leading experts to explore new ways to solve cardiovascular challenges by collaborating with a diverse research and innovation community of excellence, beyond the boundaries of health and medicine, which will deliver improved health outcomes for the community and save lives," Professor Gardner said. "It will also enable the creation of further student placements and job opportunities, contributing to the local and broader Victorian economies." Professor Christina Mitchell, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, said Monash University's cardiovascular undergraduate and postgraduate training courses in medicine, nursing and allied health, will be located in the VHI to enable the training of the next generation of cardiac health care professionals. "The VHI's cardiac research program will be embedded in the clinical practice of the Victorian Heart Hospital to create evidence-based solutions for cardiac conditions that will enhance patient outcomes and experience," Professor Mitchell said. Professor Steve Nicholls, Director of the Monash Victorian Heart Institute, and Program Director of the Victorian Heart Hospital, Monash Heart and Intensive Care, said that everyone benefits from the co-location of research, education and the delivery of clinical care. "Having the Victorian Heart Hospital on the University campus will significantly improve our ability to tackle the major challenges of heart disease," Professor Nicholls said. "The evidence is clear – patient outcomes are improved when integrated with research and teaching." "By having our state-of-the-art institute embedded in the hospital, we can collaborate with clinical teams to create patient-driven solutions, deliver clinical trials and grow the cardiac workforce of the future all under one roof."