Australia lags in adopting health risk prediction tools, study finds

A review by researchers at Curtin University, published in The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific, finds that a growing suite of predictive health tools developed in Australia is seldom incorporated into routine clinical practice. The analysis identified a range of instruments capable of estimating an individual’s risk of serious outcomes such as heart disease, falls, frailty and complications from diabetes, yet most health services do not employ them as part of standard care pathways.

The study highlights a gap between technological capability and implementation, noting that despite the tools’ potential to enable earlier interventions, their adoption remains limited across the health system. The authors suggest that broader integration of these predictive models could improve preventive strategies, but achieving this will require systematic uptake by clinicians and policymakers.