Chat to us
XOpen navigation

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF THE HCF RESEARCH FOUNDATION

The HCF Research Foundation is Australia’s largest non-government funder of health services research, supporting real-world solutions to improve healthcare delivery, inform policy and benefit HCF members and all Australians. 

HCF Research Foundation 25 animated logo.

WHAT WE'VE ACHIEVED

The HCF Research Foundation funds research that delivers measurable improvements in health outcomes, system efficiencies, staff experience and patient care. Take a look at some of the key areas of impact.

An icon of a chart line pointing upwards.
$36.3m invested

Driving positive change by investing into health services research since 2000.

An icon of a checked list.
167 projects funded

Our projects span a wide spectrum of health areas.

An icon of a trophy.
#1 non-government funder

Australia's largest non-government funder of health services research.

An icon of two hands in a handshake.
+150 partners

Our partners include universities, government bodies and the wider healthcare industry.

A man stands at a lecturn presenting slides to an audience.

25 YEARS OF IMPACT

We've been at the forefront of defining innovative, tangible solutions to the emerging health challenges in this country. Watch HCF's leaders and grant recipients reflect on the work and contributions of the Foundation.

Watch now

OUR MOTIVATION

We’re committed to driving positive change through improved health outcomes and wider access to more affordable, high-quality and convenient healthcare for all Australians.

An illustration of hands holding a phone using an AI app.

Shaping the future of healthcare

We’re exploring new models of care and digital health technologies that create genuine efficiencies and improve the quality of health treatments and services in Australia.

An illustration of a nurse pointing to a heart diagram.

Research for real-world health outcomes

Our projects span health areas where there are opportunities for impactful improvements, including chronic disease, mental health, rural access and hospital performance.

An illustration of a hand holding a magnifying glass analysing a graph

Closing the care gap

We want to create fair funding opportunities for Australian researchers, institutions and organisations to help focus their efforts on addressing significant issues in healthcare.

An illustration of a doctor holding x-rays, talking to a patient in a hospital bed.

Driving positive change through innovation

We’re supporting high-quality, implementation-focused research that can be translated into better patient care and working environments for our healthcare professionals.

RELATED ARTICLES

A pregnant woman walks out of a hospital room with her male partner.

25 ways we've shaped the future of health

The HCF Research Foundation has backed Australia’s leading researchers to improve health outcomes and drive meaningful change in healthcare.

Learn more
Professor Ian Harris sits at a bench with a laptop.

Changing how we treat knee osteoarthritis

Surgery used to be the main treatment for knee osteoarthritis, but research funded by the Foundation is exploring how to keep people out of hospital.

Learn more
A mother holds her infant child while she looks at a laptop.

Digital healthcare for mental health support

Cost and distance can put mental health support out of reach. A grant from the Foundation helped build the evidence for online therapy program, This Way Up.

Learn more
A woman wearing a hat stands outdoors and looks at her phone.

Improving heart health in rural Australia

People living in remote areas are more likely to have undiagnosed heart disease. A Foundation-backed program is now improving rural heart health.

Learn more
An x-ray image of a radial axilla.

Real-world benefits of AI in healthcare

The use of AI in healthcare could transform how we prevent, diagnose and treat illness. Here’s the latest research making that happen.

Learn more
A woman walking with her elderly mother outdoors.

Community-first approach to healthy ageing

It’s no secret healthy ageing boosts wellbeing and quality of life. A new program is helping older Australians stay active and live independently.

Learn more

HEAR FROM OUR RESEARCHERS

Profile photo of Professor Ian Harris.

We found that having self-directed rehab at home was just as effective as having inpatient rehabilitation. It saved people a lot of money, time and being away from home.

Professor Ian Harris, UNSW, orthopaedic surgeon

Profile photo of Associate Professor Gustavo Machado.

Funding from HCF Research Foundation has allowed us to innovate, and with innovation, we can provide better care to our patients and improve health outcomes for all Australians.

Associate Professor Gustavo Machado, University of Sydney

Profile photo of Professor Kate Curtis.

Working with the Foundation has enabled us to generate good-quality local evidence so that it can be upscaled to other hospitals and across Australia.

Professor Kate Curtis, Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District

HCF acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands and water upon which we work and live. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ rich history as traditional healers and scientists, who have taken care of the health of the land and its people for thousands of years. We give thanks to elders past and present, who we have much to learn from on our reconciliation journey. View our Reconciliation Action Plan