How our research enhances regional health outcomes

Western Alliance is Australia’s first academic health science centre dedicated to improving rural and regional health. In partnership with Deakin, it brings together 11 organisations across the Barwon South West and Grampians regions, collectively addressing the health needs of over 700,000 residents facing significant health disparities.

Our mission is to improve community health through evidence-based solutions that address regional challenges, such as access to care and socio-economic barriers. Through training, education, funding and advocacy, we drive impactful research that fosters healthier rural and regional communities.

Learn more about Western Alliance

Our research areas

At Western Alliance, we focus on collaborative research and evidence-based solutions to improve health outcomes in rural and regional Victoria. Our work targets three key areas:

Population and public health

We address critical health issues such as ageing, child health, mental health and chronic diseases, aiming to reduce health inequities between regional and metropolitan areas.

Clinical care

Our research explores innovative care models like telehealth and antimicrobial resistance to enhance healthcare access and quality for rural populations.

Health systems

We strengthen regional healthcare systems by applying health economics, comparative effectiveness research and implementation science to improve infrastructure and policy.

Advance health outcomes in regional Victoria

Join us in supporting healthier rural communities. Connect to learn more about impactful research, funding opportunities

By fostering strong connections between researchers, health organisations and the wider community, we support our member organisations within Western Victoria to drive high quality health research process, practice and translation’

Mr Drew Aras

Western Alliance Chief Operating Officer

Our researchers

Our team brings together leading experts across universities and health disciplines, working to solve pressing health issues unique to regional Victoria.

Learn more about our researchers

Featured projects

Western Alliance spearheads initiatives that tackle critical health challenges in rural and regional communities, improving care through targeted research projects.

DELIVER: Improving healthcare for older Australians

DELIVER: Improving healthcare for older Australians

DELIVER is a $9M project improving health outcomes for older Australians in rural and regional areas. It focuses on reducing avoidable hospitalisations and enhancing care through in-home healthcare initiatives, including cancer care at home.

I-HEART: Enhancing cardiac care in rural areas

I-HEART: Enhancing cardiac care in rural areas

I-HEART addresses gaps in post-discharge care for cardiac patients in rural areas. Using telehealth and regional collaboration, it improves access to heart failure care and reduces hospitalisations in the South West and Grampians regions.

Our partners

In addition to Deakin, Western Alliance partners with organisations such as Barwon Health, Grampians Health and Federation University Australia, all working together to drive research and improve health outcomes in regional Victoria.

Contact us

If you’re interested in research, funding opportunities or collaboration, get in touch with the Western Alliance.

Phone 0450 921 324

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Visit the Western Alliance Academic Health Science Centre website.