Novartis, Monash University partner to improve heart health in Australia

Monash University, Monash Health, and Swiss firm Novartis have joined forces in a unique Australian partnership aimed at combating cardiovascular disease, which accounts for 1 in 4 deaths in the country. This strategic collaboration brings together academia, the public health network, and industry to address this pressing health challenge through education, innovation, and clinical trials tailored to sector needs.

Initially focusing on digital health infrastructure, the partnership will establish the Coronary Heart Disease and Heart Failure analytics-driven 'Living Lab' through grant funding. This initiative aims to leverage clinical data to develop tools such as visual dashboards to aid in identifying care and risk management opportunities, particularly for lipid (cholesterol) management and heart failure, enabling clinicians to make real-time decisions.

Professor Stephen Nicholls, Programme Director of Monash Health’s Victorian Heart Hospital and Director of Monash University’s Victorian Heart Institute, highlighted the increasing complexity and cost of managing heart conditions despite advances in therapies. Professor Derek Chew, Service Director of Monash Health’s Victorian Heart Hospital and Director of Health Informatics Research at Monash University’s Victorian Heart Institute, underscored the potential to enhance patient outcomes through data-driven care insights.