Access Health and Community (AccessHC) partnership

Access Health and Community supports innovation in clinical placements by providing education and training to Swinburne’s growing numbers of allied health and nursing students, within its primary health and community-based support settings. 

Access Health and Community supports innovation through student placements, internships or projects across a range of relevant disciplines. Student projects have included developing health communication materials, supporting information systems and developing healthy meal plans for clients of Access Health and Community. 

The Kickstart Innovation Program was launched in 2016 to generate new ideas in promoting health and wellbeing. Each year, staff in both organisations are encouraged to submit their innovation ideas, or alternatively, a challenge they may be facing to which they are seeking an innovative solution. In 2019, there were 19 new projects generated (11 led by Swinburne, 8 led by AccessHC). These included funded joint research, student projects and internships. 

Swinburne Design and Access Health and Community have worked together to design the waiting room of the future, incorporating design thinking and innovation. In doing so, they have created a supportive environment to assist both the clinician and the patient in achieving quality care, particularly for chronic conditions. 

Access Health and Community hopes to implement the new waiting room in their Hawthorn clinic.

This data analysis and visualisation project uses big data generated by social media applications to identify #terms associated with drinking culture. This research will hopefully lead to effective interventions targeted specifically at the social worlds of people involved in risky drinking behaviours.