Dr Michael Falster
- PhD, UNSW Sydney, 2017
- Masters of Biostatistics, University of Sydney, 2011
- Bachelor of Psychology (Hons), UNSW Sydney, 2005
My research uses population-level data and advanced analytics to measure quality, use and outcomes of care across the Australian health system.
I am an Associate Professor and Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellow in the Medicines Intelligence Research Program at the School of Population Health, UNSW. I am also Deputy Director of Research, School of Population Health. I lead research on NHMRC and Heart Foundation funded grants, using population-level linked hospital, pharmaceutical, Medicare and mortality data. My work has shaped national reporting of leading health performance indicators, informed new national models of primary care, and supported development of enduring national linked data assets that bridge hospital and community care.
I partner with academics, clinicians and policymakers to identify evidence-practice gaps across the continuum of hospital and community care. I have high-level technical expertise in ‘big data’ analytics, (pharmaco-)epidemiology and biostatistics, I have specialised capabilities in translating complex real-world evidence to policy and practice. My aim is to improve access to quality care for all Australians.
Examples of my research interests include:
- improving uptake of best-practice cardiovascular medicines within high-risk populations
- identifying disparities in care between public and privately funded patients
- comparing outcomes between people receiving different health interventions in real-world settings
- evaluating models of chronic disease care to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions.
- Publications
- Media
- Grants
- Awards
- Research Activities
- Engagement
- Teaching and Supervision
- Heart Foundation 45 and Up Study Award 2022. Novel antidiabetic medicines in NSW adults with Type II Diabetes: disparities in the uptake, guideline adherence and treatment persistence. (Chief Investigator B)
- Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellowship 2021. Using big data to inform post-hospital treatment decisions with cardiovascular medicines: variation, adherence and outcomes of care. (Chief investigator A)
- NHMRC Ideas Grant 2021. Hospital trajectories for 15 million Australians. (Associate Investigator)
- NHMRC Ideas Grant 2020. Disentangling the interrelationship between multimordibity, multimedicine use, and cardiovascular health. (Acting Chief Investigator A)
- NHMRC Ideas Grant 2019. Same patient, same care: is our funding of hospitals promoting inequities in care and outcomes?. (Chief Investigator A)
- NHMRC Project Grant 2018. Post-surgery care fragmentation: impacts and implications. (Chief Investigator D)
- NHMRC Early Career Fellowship 2017. Using big data to reduce inappropriate medication use. (Chief Investigator A)
- Internal Medicine Journal. Top Cited Article 2021-2022. 2023
- Medical Journal of Australia. Top 10% most read research paper 2018-2019. 2020
- NSW Cardiovascular Research Network. Professional Development Award. 2020
- UNSW Faculty of Medicine. Dean’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to Research by a Higher Degree Research Student, 2017
- Health Services Research Association of Australia and New Zealand. Best PhD Student Prize. 2016
- National Health and Medical Research Council. "10 of the Best" Research Projects, Indigenous Health outcomes Patient Evaluation (IHOPE) Study. 2015 (Team member)
- UNSW Graduate Research School. Travel Scholarship, C9-Go8 Forum - Big Data: Graduate Perspectives from China and Australia, Nanjing University. 2015
- UNSW Faculty of Medicine. Top ranked oral presentation, Postgraduate Research Symposium. 2015
I have a body of research exploring variation in quality care across the health system, particularly using linked administrative health data. Current programs of research include: variation in best-practice cardiovascular medicine (e.g. between patients, sectors of the health system); disparities in hospital care between public and privately funded hospital inpatients (e.g. receipt of innovative procedures, length of stay and low value care); and long-term patient outcomes following a variety of surgical procedures.
I have a track record of research which engages with health policy. My prior research in the National Data Linkage Demonstration Project was the first research in Australia to use whole-of-population linked hospital, pharmaceutical dispensing and Medicare claims data - finding significant evidence-practice gaps in the use of critical cardiovascular medicines following hospital admission for a myocardial infarction. My PhD research exploring sources of variation in 'potentially preventable hospitalisations' reshaped the way we conceptualise this national health performance indicator. I have drafted interpretive guidelines for it's national reporting, and have been on multiple advisory groups and Committees including the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare ("Australia's Health 2020), the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care ("Australian Atlas of Healthcare Variation") and the National Health Performance Authority.
My Research Supervision
I currently supervise:
- One Masters of Health Data Science student (primary supervisor)
I have previously supervised to completion:
- Two PhD students (joint-supervisor)
- Two Masters of Health Data Science students (co-supervisor)
- One Masters of Applied Statistics (Ecole Polytechnique, France) student (primary supervisor)
- Six Masters of Biostatistics students (biostatistical supervisor)
- Four Medical Honours / Independent Learning Project students (primary and co-supervisor)
My Teaching
I currently teach in the following subjects:
- HDAT9100 - Context of Health Data Science (Chapter instructor, 2018 - present)
I have previously taught in the following subjects, short courses and workshops:
- HDAT9400 - Management and Curation of Health Data (Guest lecturer, 2018-2020)
- Advanced Analysis of Linked Data (Tutor, 2017)
- Managing Big Data in Health Research (Lecturer, 2015-2016)
- Health in Context: A Course in Multilevel Modelling in Public Health and Health Services Research (Guest lecturer and tutor, 2013)