In May 2026, nearly 100 clinicians from across Victoria converged at the Royal Melbourne Hospital for VMIA’s Hospital Acquired Complications (HACs) Innovation Fund Showcase.
The event spotlighted the outstanding work of 10 public health services that were awarded grants from VMIA’s inaugural innovation fund to tackle HACs head-on.
Common HACs include pressure injuries, healthcare-associated infections, delirium, and neonatal birth trauma. Attendees heard firsthand from these health services as they presented their successful projects and shared insights into how these initiatives have improved patient safety.
Grants for HACs projects
Over the past decade, health services have made progress in reducing HACs, thanks to better clinical documentation, electronic medical records, and more teamwork among clinicians.
Despite these advances, HACs remain a major source of avoidable harm, affecting around 2% of hospitalisations. Ongoing efforts are needed to keep patients safer.
In mid-2025, VMIA launched the HACs Innovation Fund to help Victorian health services design and implement evidence-based, locally led projects to reduce preventable harm and medical indemnity claim risk.
Malia Griffin, VMIA’s Head of Health Sector Practice (left), with Royal Melbourne Hospital representatives, recipients of the HACs Innovation Fund
Through the inaugural innovation fund, grants were awarded to 10 health services, including Royal Melbourne Hospital, to support HACs reduction projects focused on education, training, and risk assessment improvements. Many of these projects targeted multiple HACs, with a strong focus on hospital-acquired infections, which are among the most common complications in VMIA’s claims.
Creating sustainable outcomes
Sustaining these outcomes doesn’t require big changes. Real progress comes from making small, steady improvements, like sharing best practice and putting new care pathways in place. When local teams work together and have support from senior leaders, these changes are more likely to last.
By each health service sharing what they’ve learned, and building communities of practice and peer networks, we’re building momentum to continue working towards reducing HACs and improving patient safety.
Continuing the journey
Following the success of the HACs Innovation Fund last year, VMIA has rolled out another funding round for 2026–27. This new round will continue to support health services in designing and implementing locally led, evidence-based projects to reduce preventable harm and medical indemnity claim risk.
VMIA remains committed to supporting Victorian health services as they work to reduce HACs and improve patient safety.
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