We are constantly working on ways to improve eating disorder care by measuring what matters, generating new evidence, and supporting continuous learning across the health system. Here are some of the current projects keeping our team busy…
TrEAT Registry Co-Redesign
Aims and methods
Led by our registry and digitech sub-teams of researchers, clinicians and client and carer representatives, this project involves the review of the TrEAT model, identification of preferences and needs among diverse registry end-users, leading ultimately to the redesign of the TrEAT Registry. An overall implementation science approach will be adopted, with several studies and activities conducted, including focus groups, a community survey, co-design of digital technology solution through workshops, and mixed methods evaluation of implementation success.
Key outcomes
- A list of preferred features of a clinical quality registry (CQR) among diverse members of the eating disorders community
- A measurement framework for the TrEAT Registry that aligns with the needs of the eating disorders community
- A feedback framework for the registry that supports the work of clients, clinicians, researchers, organisations, and government agencies
- Implementation of a purpose-built clinician-facing digital platform for the TrEAT Registry that is engaging and makes clinical assessment and decision-making easier
- Implementation of a purpose-built client-facing digital platform for the TrEAT Registry that is engaging and supports individuals’ treatment journeys
- Expanded reach of the TrEAT Registry to support specialist eating disorder clinics across Australia and Aotearoa
Research partnership team
Deb Mitchison (lead), Louise Carpenter, Kris Rogers, Katie Page, Gabbi Heruc, Scott Fatt, Jack Tame, Raj Calisa, Kat Mattick, Marion Roberts, Tracey Wade, Sloane Madden, Kyra Bennett, Sue Byrne, Phillipa Hay, Siân McLean, Katarina Prnjak, Valerie Gay, Mandy Goldstein, Megan Bray
Funding
Medical Research Future Fund Research Data Infrastructure Grant (2025 – 2029; grant no. MRFRDIIV000025)
Medicare and Credentialing Evaluation
Aims and methods
Using a data linkage approach, TrEAT Registry data will be linked with health systems data to evaluate the outcomes of the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items for eating disorders, including cost-effectiveness and equity of access. The ANZAED Credentialing System will also be evaluated to determine clinical outcomes of this initiative.
Key outcomes
- Policy advice on the economic value of the Medicare items for eating disorders
- Policy advice on the clinical value of the ANZAED Credentialing scheme
Research partnership team
Gabbi Heruc (co-lead), Katie Page (co-lead), Deb Mitchison, Siân McLean, Matthew Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, Kris Rogers, Niamh Taggart, Jade Gooding, Mandy Goldstein, Scott Fatt
Funding
Medical Research Future Fund Research Data Infrastructure Grant (2025 – 2029; grant no. MRFRDIIV000025)
Personalised Care through Prediction Modelling
Aims and methods
Using established prediction modelling methodology, development of world-first clinical prediction models to guide personalised treatment selection for young people with eating disorders.
Key outcomes
- Models that accurately predict what treatment will work best for new clients based on their unique set of individual and clinical characteristics
- Protocol ready for validating models in new cohorts, prior to the building of data driven decision-aid tools to support clinicians and clients to make personalised decisions with confidence
Research partnership team
Kris Rogers (co-lead), Matthew Fuller-Tyszkiewicz (co-lead), Deb Mitchison, Louise Carpenter, Katie Page, Katarina Prnjak, Kyra Bennett, Tracey Wade, Marion Roberts
Funding
Medical Research Future Fund Research Data Infrastructure Grant (2025 – 2029; grant no. MRFRDIIV000025)
STEPs-ED: Supporting Tailored Evidence-based Pathways for Eating Disorders
Aims and methods
Supporting Tailored Evidence-based Pathways for Eating Disorders (STEPs-ED) is a research collective of eating disorder inpatient, residential, and intensive outpatient services committed to improving treatment of eating disorders in higher levels of care. It currently includes 10 eating disorder services across 6 states and territories.
Key outcomes
- Consensus on the definition of residential treatment of eating disorders, including core defining features
- Validation of residential treatment as a model of eating disorder care across Australian States and Territories
- Community of practice of higher levels of care for eating disorders
- Regular benchmarking of outcomes at higher levels of eating disorder care to support quality improvement
Research partnership team
Sinead Day (lead; UTS), Deb Mitchison (UTS), Danielle Dougherty (Wandi Nerida), Phillipa Hay (WSU), Emma Gallagher (Hunter New England LHD), Katherine McGill (Hunter New England LHD), Matthew Elton (Hunter New England LHD), Sarah Gardiner (Ngamai Wilam), Patrick Russell (SA Health), Julie Mavay (Hunter New England LHD), Georgie Gibson (Next Steps), Rachel Mcgloin (Hunter New England LHD), Jessica Hedley (Ngamai Wilam), Andrew McGregor (SA Health), Lisa McKeon (Ngamai Wilam), Grace Collinson (Next Steps), Ertimiss Eshkevari (SA Health), Brigette Lupton (Hunter New England LHD), Janey Barrow (SAHMRI), Julie Grant (ACT Residential), Jennifer Babb (Ngamai Wilam), Natalie Spicer (Next Steps), Natalie McCall (Hunter New England LHD), Jack Tame (UTS), Natalie Valentine (Wandi Nerida), Katherine Gill (Foundations For Success), Kirsty Prior (SA Health), Kris Rogers (UTS), Agatha Conrad (Hunter New England LHD)
Funding
National Health and Medical Research Council Investigator Grant (2026 – 2030; grant no. 2041048)
Clinical Quality Indicator Delphi Study
Aims and methods
Using a Delphi concensus generation approach, this study aims to create a nationally agreed set of Clinical Quality Indicators (CQIs) for eating disorder treatment in Australia and New Zealand. CQIs are measurable aspects of care that help services understand whether treatment is accessible, evidence-based, person-centred and achieving meaningful outcomes. They are core to what clinical quality registries report back to clinics on. A shared set of indicators will help identify strengths, variation and opportunities to improve care across services. Phase 1 involves consultation with people with lived experience, carers, clinicians, researchers and service leaders to identify the aspects of eating disorder treatment that matter most. Phase 2 will involve a multi-round Delphi consensus study in which experts will rate the importance and feasibility of proposed indicators across inpatient, residential, day program and outpatient services for children, adolescents and adults.
Key Outcomes
- Development of a practical core set of CQIs that can be incorporated into the TrEAT Registry and used to support benchmarking, service improvement, research and policy.
Research partnership team
Jack Tame (lead), Deb Mitchison, Niamh Taggart, Gabbi Heruc, Marion Roberts, Scott Fatt, Katarina Prnjak, Sinead Day
Funding
National Health and Medical Research Council Investigator Grant (2026 – 2030; grant no. 2041048)
Psychometric Hub
The TrEAT Psychometric Hub will be a central resource for finding commonly used eating disorder surveys and questionnaires, along with guidance on their scoring and interpretation. It will also bring together Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand normative data, where available, to support the meaningful use of measures in clinical practice and research.
Research partnership team
Katarina Prnjak (lead), Jack Tame, Deb Mitchison