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Impact and Evaluation

Impact and Evaluation

Driving real-world impact through evaluation

impact

At Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI), delivering meaningful research impact isn't just part of what we do - it's part of who we are.

Our Research Impact and Evaluation team are global leaders in enabling and evaluating health and medical research benefits and impacts. Our team of impact and evaluation specialists working at the cutting edge of impact science is facilitating more evidence-based research to be translated into policy, practice or to be commercialised – all with the goal of delivering better health benefits for our communities. 

We collaborate with researchers, partner organisations, government, funders, and policymakers to build a more impactful research ecosystem — one that’s driven by evidence, guided by strategy, and focused on outcomes for our community.

Our team is experienced in evaluating the impact of state-wide and national funding schemes, influencing national policy and optimising the returns from government investments in research. From discovery science to clinical trials, health services research, and public health, we also support researchers across the entire translation spectrum. Our expertise in impact planning, enablement, and assessment helps maximise the value of research and ensures it makes a difference where it matters most.

Expanding Evaluation for Greater Impact

At HMRI, we’re leveraging our deep expertise in research impact to offer a broader suite of evaluation services that help governments, organisations, and individuals make smarter, evidence-informed decisions.

Our team delivers process evaluations, economic evaluations, and network evaluations — each designed to uncover insights, guide investments, and shape priorities. These evaluations support policy and practice change, ensuring that programs and research deliver meaningful outcomes.

evaluation

Our evaluation support services include:

Fit-for-purpose evaluation planning and design

Tailored approaches that align with your goals and context.

Logic models and theories of change

Clear frameworks to guide evaluation and demonstrate pathways to impact.

Data collection and analysis

Rigorous methods to generate actionable insights.

Impact reporting and storytelling

Communicating results in compelling, audience-friendly formats.

Recommendations for continuous improvement

Practical strategies to enhance effectiveness and sustainability.

Business cases for change or investment

Evidence-backed cases to support funding, scaling, or policy reform.

Whether you’re evaluating a health initiative, a research program, or a system-wide intervention, our team brings the expertise, tools, and strategic thinking to help you measure what matters — and act on it.

Our work in research impact enables:

  • More effective and integrated research translation embedded from the start.

  • Increased involvement of policymakers, clinicians and lived experience experts in research teams.

  • Funders to make informed decisions about medical research funding.

  • Optimisation of research impact potentially improving healthcare practices and patient outcomes.
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HMRI: Home of FAIT

Our Research Impact team has developed a world-leading framework for undertaking research impact assessments: The Framework to Assess the Impact from Translational health research (FAIT).  

FAIT was created to encourage research translation and assess research impact in a multi-dimensional way. It combines three proven methodologies to address limitations of existing tools and frameworks. We use impact metrics, qualitative narratives and economic methods to assess impact.

Researchers, universities, health organisations, and other medical research institutes across Australia and the world are applying FAIT to their health research projects, highlighting HMRI’s trusted reputation in the field.  

Contact the team

Dr Shanthi Ramanathan

Dr Shanthi Ramanathan

Head of Impact and Evaluation
Dr Vanessa Shrewsbury

Dr Vanessa Shewsbury

Impact and Evaluation Coordinator
Dr Kurtis Budden

Dr Kurtis Budden

Postdoctoral Research Impact Officer
Dr Priscilla Viana Da Silva

Dr Priscilla Priscilla Viana Da Silva

Postdoctoral Research Impact Officer
Dr Simon Deeming | HMRI

Dr Simon Deeming

Senior Health Economist

Partner with our experts

Partner with the HMRI Research Impact team

Partner with our experts

Partner with the HMRI Research Impact team

Contact the HMRI Research Impact team

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