Awards & Prizes

The HSRAANZ’s awards and prizes program runs annually and recognises individuals, groups or institutions who have made significant contributions to the fields of health services research and health policy in Australia and New Zealand.

Nominations are now open for the HSRAANZ Awards and Prizes Program 2026! Click here to see the awards and prizes available.

You can see the winners of our 2025 Awards here.

You can see the winners of our 2024 Awards here.

You can see the winners of our 2023 Awards here.

To discuss sponsorship of any of the following awards please contact the Executive Officer at admin@hsraanz.org

These awards have replaced the HSRAANZ Professional Award. They recognise investigators who have made significant contributions to the fields of health services research and health policy in Australia and New Zealand through scholarship and teaching, advancement of science and methods, and leadership. Awards will be given in up to three categories:

Lifetime Achievement/Senior Investigator

This category recognises a lifetime of achievement in the fields of health services research and health policy in Australia or New Zealand. The Association is keen to recognise services to the field with respect to research, translation, training, and teaching.

Mid-Career Investigator

This category recognises mid-career researchers who over a shorter career span have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of health services and health policy research through scholarship and teaching, advancement of science and methods, translation and leadership.

New Investigator

This category recognises significant contributions of early-career researchers.

These awards recognise the best scientific published works in the field of health services and policy research. Submission can be a single study or a collection of studies, qualitative or quantitative, or a synthesis of existing data. Awards may be made for the best overall quantitative and qualitative papers; the best paper by an early career researcher; the best paper by a PhD student; and the best implementation science paper.

Best Paper Overall

  • 2025 Best Paper - Dr Mitchell Sarkies. Developing a national implementation strategy for enhancing the detection of familial hypercholesterolemia: An Australian experience. (READ MORE)
  • 2024 Best Paper - Prof Rana S Hinman. Telerehabilitation consultations with a physiotherapist for chronic knee pain versus in-person consultations in Australia: the PEAK non-inferiority randomised controlled trial. (READ MORE).
  • 2023 Best Paper - Denise O'Connor, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University. Effect of an Individualized Audit and Feedback Intervention on Rates of Musculoskeletal Diagnostic Imaging Requests by Australian General Practitioners A Randomized Clinical Trial (READ MORE)
  • 2023 Highly Commended Paper - Pauline Norris, School of Pharmacy, University of Otago. Impact of removing prescription co-payments on the use of costly health services: a pragmatic randomised controlled trial (READ MORE)
  • 2022 Best Paper - Luciana Massi, Molly Wardaguga Research Centre, College of Nursing and Midwifery, Charles Darwin University. Improving interagency service integration of the Australian Nurse-Family Partnership Program for First Nations women and babies: a qualitative study (READ MORE)
  • 2021 Best Paper - Hickey S, Roe Y, Harvey C, Kruske S, Clifford-Motopi A, Fisher I, Bernardino B, Kildea S. Community-Based Sexual and Reproductive Health Promotion and Services for First Nations People in Urban Australia. Int J Womens Health. 2021 May 18;13:467-478. doi: 10.2147/IJWH.S297479. PMID: 34040455; PMCID: PMC8140890 (READ MORE)
  • 2020 Best Paper - Prof Amal Trivedi - Copayment Incentive Increased Medication Use And Reduced Spending Among Indigenous Australians After 2010 (READ MORE)
  • 2019 Quantitative Winner - Sue Kidea, Charles Darwin University, Queensland. Reducing preterm birth amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies: A prospective cohort study, Brisbane, Australia (READ MORE)
  • 2019 Qualitative Winner - Kristie Weir, Wiser Healthcare, Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney. Decision-Making Preferences and Deprescribing: Perspectives of Older Adults and Companions About Their Medicines (READ MORE)
  • 2019 Highly Commended - Katherine Harding, Eastern Health/La Trobe University. A model of access combining triage with initial management reduced waiting time for community outpatient services: a stepped wedge cluster randomised controlled trial (READ MORE)

Professor Margaret Kelaher Best PhD Paper

  • 2025 Winner - Renee Jones. “If we ask, we must act”: co-designing the implementation of the EQ-5D-Y-5L as a Paediatric Patient Reported Outcome Measure in Routine hospital Outpatient Care for Kids to meaningfully impact clinical visits (P-PROM ROCK Phase 2) (READ MORE).
  • 2024 Joint Winner - Winnie Chen. Cost-Effectiveness of Clinical Decision Support to Improve CKD Outcomes Among First Nations Australians. Kidney International Reports Available online 9 November 2024 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ekir.2024.10.028 (READ MORE)
  • 2024 Joint Winner - Karan K Shah. Cost-effectiveness of Kidney Transplantation From Donors at Increased Risk of Blood-borne Virus Infection Transmission. Transplantation. 2023 Sep 1;107(9):2028-2042. doi: 10.1097/TP.0000000000004632. Epub 2023 Aug 21 (READ MORE).
  • 2023 Joint Winner - Ashfaq Chauhan, Australian Institute of Health Innovation, Macquarie University. Making it Meaningful': Co-designing an intervention to improve medication safety for people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds accessing cancer services. (READ MORE)
  • 2023 Joint Winner - Benjamin Werkmeister, Faculty of Health, Victoria University of Wellington. Global Implications From the Rise and Recession of Telehealth in Aotearoa New Zealand Mental Health Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Mixed Methods Study (READ MORE)
  • 2022 Winner - Dr Karen Waller, School of Public Health, University of Sydney. Residual risk of infection with blood-borne viruses in potential organ donors at increased risk of infection: systematic review and meta-analysis (READ MORE)
  • 2021 Winner - Gorham, G., Howard, K., Cunningham, J. et al. Do remote dialysis services really cost more? An economic analysis of hospital and dialysis modality costs associated with dialysis services in urban, rural and remote settings. BMC Health Serv Res 21, 582 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06612-z (READ MORE)
  • 2020 Winner - Sameera Senanayake - Donor kidney quality and transplant outcome; an economic evaluation of contemporary practice (READ MORE)
  • 2020 Highly Commended - Juliana de Oliveira Costa - Adherence to Antiretroviral Regimens in Australia: A Nationwide Cohort Study (READ MORE)
  • 2020 Highly Commended - Teresa Hall - Are people-centred mental health services acceptable and feasible in Timor-Leste? A qualitative study (READ MORE)
  • 2019 Winner - Jonathan Kaufman, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne. Liquid Gold: the cost-effectiveness of urine sample collection methods for young pre-continent children (READ MORE)
  • 2019 Highly Commended - Jodie Bailie, University Centre for Rural Health, University of Sydney. Comparing and contrasting innovation platforms with other forms of professional networks for strengthening primary healthcare systems for Indigenous Australians (READ MORE)
  • 2019 Highly Commended - Michelle Tew, Centre for Health Policy, Melbourne. Incorporating Future Medical Costs: Impact on Cost-Effectiveness Analysis in Cancer Patients (READ MORE)

Best ECR Paper

  • 2025 Winner - Dr Melanie Lloyd. Implementing an enhanced recovery from surgery pathway to reduce hospital length of stay for primary hip or knee arthroplasty: a budget impact analysis. (READ MORE).
  • 2024 Winner - Frederick A Graham. The impact of a hospital-based special care unit on behavioural and psychological symptoms in older people living with dementia. Age and Ageing, Volume 53, Issue 4, April 2024, afae081, https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afae081
  • 2023 Winner  - Adrian R Walker, Centre for Big Data Research in Health, University of New South Wales. Risk factors for dementia and self-harm: A linkage study (READ MORE)
  • 2022 Winner - Dr Suzi Claflin, Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania. The effect of national disease-modifying therapy subsidy policy on long-term disability outcomes in people with multiple sclerosis (READ MORE)
  • 2021 Winner - Cations, M., Lang, C., Ward, S.A. et al. Using data linkage for national surveillance of clinical quality indicators for dementia care among Australian aged care users.Sci Rep 11, 10674 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-89646-x (READ MORE)
  • 2020 Winner - Jason Ong, Global Epidemiologic Characteristics of Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Individuals Using Preexposure Prophylaxis for the Prevention of HIV Infection A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (READ MORE)
  • 2019 Winner - Sopany Saing, Centre for Health Economics Research & Evaluation, UTS. Real World Cost Effectiveness of Mandatory Folic Acid Fortification of Bread Making Flour in Australia (READ MORE)
  • 2019 Highly Commended - Khic-Houy Prang, Centre for Health Policy, Melbourne. The use of public performance reporting by general practitioners: a study of perceptions and referral behaviours (READ MORE)
  • 2019 Highly Commended - Andrea Schaffer, Centre for Big Data in Health, UNSW. Trajectories of antipsychotic use before and during pregnancy and associated maternal and birth characteristics (READ MORE)

Best Implementation Science Paper

  • 2025 Winner - Dr Mitchell Sarkies. Developing a national implementation strategy for enhancing the detection of familial hypercholesterolemia: An Australian experience. (READ MORE)
  • 2024 Winner - Tae Won Yi. Identifying Barriers and Facilitators for Increasing Uptake of SGLT2 Inhibitors in British Columbia, Canada, using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. Can J Kidney Health Dis. 2023 Dec 29:11:20543581231217857. doi: 10.1177/20543581231217857. eCollection 2024.
  • 2023 Winner (also Best Overall Paper) - Denise O'Connor, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University. Effect of an Individualized Audit and Feedback Intervention on Rates of Musculoskeletal Diagnostic Imaging Requests by Australian General Practitioners A Randomized Clinical Trial (READ MORE)
  • 2022 Winners - Dr Joanna C Moullin, enAble Institute, Curtin University & Dr Isabel Zbukvic, Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne. Developing a tailored implementation action plan for a suicide prevention clinical intervention in an Australian mental health service: A qualitative study using the EPIS framework (READ MORE)
  • 2021 Winner - Haskell L, Tavender EJ, Wilson CL, O'Brien S, Babl FE, Borland ML, Cotterell E, Schembri R, Orsini F, Sheridan N, Johnson DW, Oakley E, Dalziel SR; PREDICT Network. Effectiveness of Targeted Interventions on Treatment of Infants With Bronchiolitis: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Pediatr. 2021 Aug 1;175(8):797-806. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.0295. PMID: 33843971; PMCID: PMC8042564 (READ MORE)

Best Methods Paper (introduced in 2025)

  • 2025 Winner - Dr Aidin Cashin. Transparent Reporting of Observational Studies Emulating a Target Trial—The TARGET Statement. (READ MORE).

This biennial award recognises health services research that has had a significant impact through translation into health policy, management, or clinical practice.

This award aims to recognise First Nations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia, and Māori, tangata whenua of Aotearoa-New Zealand) researchers or First Nations-led projects whose work contributes to improving health inequities for First Nations people through engaging principles of social justice, self-determination and empowerment. Specifically, the work will demonstrate scholarly leadership in First Nations health services research.

Awarded: Annually

Who can apply?: All HSRAANZ awards are open to First Nations health services researchers.

Applicants for this award should be First Nations researchers, and the research must relate to health services research undertaken in the last five years in Australia or New Zealand.

The award is open to an individual, group or institution.

Self-nomination is acceptable.

  • 2024 Joint 3MT Competition Winner - Ms Elena Gerstman, Austin Health Heidelberg, Exploring the characteristics, outcomes and clinician perspectives of general medicine patients with complex allied health needs in the digital age - an observational cohort and cross-sectional survey
  • 2024 Joint 3MT Competition Winner - Aleysha Martin, Mater Research Institute University of Queensland, Why should we integrate allied health stroke assessment?
  • 2024 Joint Best Poster Winner - Dr Deonna Ackermann,  Sydney School of Public Health, Using the Behaviour Change Wheel to develop strategies to improve adherence in randomised clinical trials: the example of MEL-SELF trial of patient-led surveillance for melanoma
  • 2024 Joint Best Poster Winner - Hannah Olufson, Surgical Treatment and Rehabilitation Service Brisbane, The Dietitian First Gastroenterology Clinic in the digital age - a virtual service model providing timely care closer to home
  • 2024 Highly Commended Poster - Ms Siti Saleha, School of Pharmacy, University of Sydney, Addressing Challenges and Opportunities of Indonesia's Pharmacy Digital Health Services: Lessons from Australia
  • 2024 Highly Commended Poster - Nirmali Sivapragasam, Queensland University of Technology, Differences in health-related quality of life among adults with and without behavioural risk factors for chronic disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis
  • 2024 Highly Commended Poster - Dr Sharon Brennan-Olsen, The Granted Group, Lean times but we still need the wins: Innovation in developing funding-readiness of researchers
  • 2024 People's Choice Poster Winner - Miss Danyang Dai, The University of Queensland, Omicron Surge Impact on Acute Kidney Injury in ICU Patients: A Study Using the ISARIC COVID-19 Database
  • 2022 3MT Competition Winner - Ria Hopkins, University of New South Wales, Identifying and addressing issues in access to health services among people using opiods for chronic pain.
  • 2022 3MT Competition People's Choice Award - Thomasina Donovan, Queensland University of Technology, The marriage of implementation science and health economics.
  • 2022 3MT Competition People's Choice Award - Shayma Mohammed Selim, Queensland University of Technology, Digital health solutions for improving outpatient care utilisation.
  • 2022 Best Poster, Day 1 - Megan Passey, University of Sydney, Introducing VOICE - Validating Outcomes by Including Consumer Experience: Developing a patient reported experience measure for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people accessing primary health care - protocol for the VOICE study.
  • 2022 Best Poster, Day 2 - Cloe Benz, Curtin University, Co-designed Telepractice service model implementation in the Australian Disability Sector.
  • 2022 Best Poster, Day 3 - Denise Azar, Gippsland Primary Health Network, Tell Gippsland PHN about dementia.
  • 2022 Meritorious Abstracts
    • Anagha Killedar, Methods for equity-informative economic evaluation of childhood obesity interventions: A demonstration
    • Anna Adcock, Beverley Lawton & Ngaire Sparkes, He Tapu Te Whare Tangata (the sacred house of humanity): Learning from Indigenous Māori women to inform Human Papillomavirus self-test based cervical screening services
    • Claire Vajdic, Update of team care arrangement plans for people with cancer
    • Denise O'Connor, Audit and feedback reduces musculoskeletal diagnostic imaging by high-requesting Australian general practitioners: A nation-wide cluster randomised factorial trial
    • Jessica Roydhouse, Ethical considerations for the inclusion of patient-reported outcomes in clinical research: The PRO ethics guidelines
    • Kiri Parata & Lynley Cvitanovic, Using Data to get better health outcomes for Māori
    • Mitchell Sarkies,  Knowledge brokering versus recommendation dissemination for healthcare resource allocation decisions: A cluster randomised controlled implementation trial
    • Mitchell Sarkies, Implementing large-system value-based healthcare programs: a realist study for seven natural experiments
    • Pushkar Silwal, Is enrolment with a primary care provider associated with amenable mortality? Evidence from Aotearoa New Zealand, 2008-2017
    • Shannon Nott, The Virtual Rural Generalist Service: An innovative medical model supporting the provision of healthcare in rural and remote communities
    • Wanda Phillips-Beck, A Decolonizing approach for conducting population health research with First Nation (FN) and Indigenous people.
  • 2019 Best Abstract - Cervante Wild, Liggins Inst, Uni Auckland. Understanding barriers and facilitators to engagement in a multi-disciplinary service for childhood obesity (READ MORE)
  • 2019 Best Abstract Highly Commended - Philippa Dalach, Centre for Health Policy, Melbourne. Improving Genetic Health Services for Aboriginal and Torre Strait Islander people in three Australian States: Using Consumer and Practitioner Experiences to Design Culturally Safe Policy (READ MORE)
  • 2019 Best Poster - Jing Jing He
  • 2019 3MT Competition Winner - Amy Brown
  • 2019 3MT Competition People's Choice - Jonathan Kaufman