Medibank Better Health Research Hub grant recipients for 2026

Congratulations to the recipients of the latest Medibank Better Health Research Hub funding round.

These six new partnerships, valued at nearly $695,000, cover three research areas:

• Community mental health and wellbeing
• Prevention strategies in primary care
• Care models for the future

Community mental health and wellbeing

Organisation: Orygen

Lead researcher: Dr Lee Valentine

Project: To understand the impact of a digital youth mental health platform, including whether it improves mental health service access, efficiency and continuity of care.

Grant amount: $100,000

Organisation: Murdoch Children's Research Institute

Lead researcher: A/Prof Simone Darling

Project: To determine whether early involvement in the Mental Health in Primary Schools (MHiPS) initiative leads to lasting improvements in adolescent mental health and wellbeing, decreases the need for mental health services, and contributes to better and sustainable long‑term health outcomes.

Grant amount: $200,000 over two years

Prevention strategies in primary care

Organisation: Women’s Health Victoria & Monash Centre for Health and Research Implementation

Lead researcher: Prof Cassandra Szoeke

Project: To develop, implement and evaluate Australia’s first cardiovascular education module focused specifically on women’s heart health. Designed for health professionals, the module aims to strengthen clinicians’ knowledge and capability, supporting more accurate diagnosis and improved care for women with, or at risk of, heart disease.

Grant amount: $100,000

Organisation: Macquarie University

Lead researcher: Dr Tash Pocovi

Project: To assess the impact, cost‑effectiveness, uptake and safety of WalkBack Online, a digital health program designed to prevent low back pain from returning and support better long‑term health.

Grant amount: $100,000

Care models for the future

Organisation: La Trobe University

Lead researcher: Dr Tshepo Rasekaba

Project: To assess whether a Virtual Diabetes Clinic can meaningfully improve access to high‑quality Type 2 diabetes care for people in rural and regional communities by offering flexible online appointments and streamlined referral pathways, and to determine whether the model is practical to deliver and easy for people to use.

Grant amount: $100,000

Organisation: ANZCA Foundation & Adelaide University

Lead researcher: Prof Guy Ludbrook

Project: This research targets improved postoperative outcomes for patients undergoing surgery and anaesthesia by expanding the implementation of the anaesthesia‑led Advanced Recovery Room Care (ARRC) model and continue building the evidence that it delivers higher‑quality early care for patients needing closer monitoring, including improved detection of complications, smoother recovery, and better use of hospital resources.

Grant amount: $95,000

In addition to these projects, the Medibank Better Health Research Hub is pleased to have collaborated with Australia General Practice Research Foundation and Diabetes Australia by co-funding two grants to support research into prevention strategies in primary care.

As a health company, our vision is to support better health outcomes for our customers by ensuring care remains truly patient centred. That’s why research matters to Medibank. Through the Better Health Research Hub and our partnerships with leading researchers, we are building the evidence and insight needed to improve how care is delivered, so customers receive care that is grounded in high quality evidence and centred on their needs and experience.

The Medibank Better Health Research Hub research pillars for 2026-28 are currently under development. As part of an evidence‑informed process, we are seeking input from consumers, researchers and policy experts. The final pillars will be released in July 2026.

About the Medibank Better Health Research Hub

We prioritise research in areas that address the quintuple aims of healthcare: improving health outcomes, affordability, patient experience, health equity, and the wellbeing of healthcare workers.

With a focus on collaboration and real-world impact, we partner with researchers, health services and organisations across the health sector. Our research pillars seek to address health and health system need, and to support Medibank’s 2030 vision to create the best health and wellbeing for Australia.

Find out more