Project update: CREATE Partnership: Advancing socially accountable research for health access

CREATE is a seven-year international partnership examining how socially accountable research can be applied in primary care. The partnership brings together organisations in Canada, the United States and Australia, including Northern Ontario School of Medicine University, Lakehead University, Laurentian University, Université de Sherbrooke, Memorial University, the University of New Mexico, Central Queensland University, Australian Centre for Health Access and RDN. Through ACHA, RDN hosts the Australian CREATE Global Site.

ACHA completed an Expression of Interest process to select the project and Research Assistants for the Australian CREATE Global Site. Eye Hear You: Development and Validation of an Aboriginal-Led Patient Reported Experience Measure for Eye Care Pathways, and Mapping of Referral-to-Treatment Journeys was selected as the Australian project. Jessica Dunworth and Tori Towney continue as Research Assistants on the study.

Eye Hear You will develop and test an Aboriginal-led patient-reported experience measure for rural eye care. It will also map where delays, missed appointments, travel requirements and incomplete care occur between referral and treatment. 

The study has received approval from the Greater Western Human Research Ethics Committee. The team is awaiting approval from the Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council Human Research Ethics Committee and is continuing site-specific requirements for participating non-Aboriginal sites. The team has also prepared a protocol paper describing the study and the workplace-based research training included in its delivery.

Learn more about the international CREATE Partnership on the CREATE Project website.