SMHS awarded more than $3 million in innovation grants
Future Health Research and Innovation Fund of Western Australia grant recipients
South Metropolitan Health Service (SMHS) was successful in securing $3,323,939.22 through the Future Health Research and Innovation (FHRI) Fund of Western Australia which has been awarded to seven separate innovation grants.
The grants were made possible by a range of different initiatives including the Research and Innovation Capacity and Capability Building Program 2025, Innovation Challenge: Sustainable Health Priorities 2023 grant program, and Innovative Solutions: Digital Health 2024 grant program.
SMHS was awarded the following innovation grants:
- $1,197,175 towards the ‘HealthReady: From vision to reality’ pipeline designed to strengthen the WA health and medical innovation ecosystem
- $496,599 to expand the Virtual Immunology Clinic for infants and young children
- $483,411 to develop Artificial Intelligence health companion platform ‘Orva’
- $450,000 to deliver virtual auditory rehabilitation for older cochlear implant users
- $98,924.55 to develop a prototype digital tool with the focus on early detection and prevention of PIVC-related complications
- $98,909.67 to explore a Blockchain-Based solution for clinical trial recruitment.
From children to older adults, the different grants focus on helping patients through the development of new technologies, enhancing digital systems, and ensuring patients receive modernised and tailored treatments.
SMHS Director of Innovation, Deepti Shukla, said SMHS was fortunate to have a number of talented and innovative clinicians who are constantly looking for new possibilities to improve patient care and enhance patient lives
“Innovation has always been central to change and here at SMHS we’re always looking for new ways to turn some of our best ideas into standard practice,” Deepti said.
“Through the FHRI fund we’ve seen significant investment in areas that represent the needs of our broad patient community.
“It’s also exciting to see SMHS at the forefront of WA health innovation as we help lead the charge to deliver tangible benefits to patients and the community.”
SMHS is committed to fostering an organisation-wide innovation culture where people are empowered to be pioneering and collaborative problem-solvers and take risks in designing, rapidly testing, evolving and implementing solutions.
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