title: Streamlined research funding using short proposals and accelerated peer review: an observational study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite the widely recognised importance of sustainable health care systems, health services research remains generally underfunded in Australia. The Australian Centre for Health Services Innovation (AusHSI) is funding health services research in the state of Queensland. AusHSI has developed a streamlined protocol for applying and awarding funding using a short proposal and accelerated peer review.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational study of proposals for four health services research funding rounds from May 2012 to November 2013. A short proposal of less than 1,200 words was submitted using a secure web-based portal. The primary outcome measures are: time spent preparing proposals; a simplified scoring of grant proposals (reject, revise or accept for interview) by a scientific review committee; and progressing from submission to funding outcomes within eight weeks. Proposals outside of health services research were deemed ineligible.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 228 eligible proposals across 4 funding rounds: from 29% to 79% were shortlisted and 9% to 32% were accepted for interview. Success rates increased from 6% (in 2012) to 16% (in 2013) of eligible proposals. Applicants were notified of the outcomes within two weeks from the interview; which was a maximum of eight weeks after the submission deadline. Applicants spent 7 days on average preparing their proposal. Applicants with a ranking of reject or revise received written feedback and suggested improvements for their proposals, and resubmissions composed one third of the 2013 rounds.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The AusHSI funding scheme is a streamlined application process that has simplified the process of allocating health services research funding for both applicants and peer reviewers. The AusHSI process has minimised the time from submission to notification of funding outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 60 Musk Ave, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD, 4059, Australia. a.barnett@qut.edu.au.|Australian Centre for Health Services Innovation (AusHSI), 60 Musk Ave, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD, 4059, Australia. a.barnett@qut.edu.au.
authors.forename: Adrian G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Barnett
authors.affiliation: Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 60 Musk Ave, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD, 4059, Australia. dherbert@cerebralpalsy.org.au.|Cerebral Palsy Alliance, 187 Allambie Road, Allambie Heights, Sydney, NSW, 2100, Australia. dherbert@cerebralpalsy.org.au.
authors.forename: Danielle L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Herbert
authors.affiliation: Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 60 Musk Ave, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD, 4059, Australia. megan.campbell@qut.edu.au.|Australian Centre for Health Services Innovation (AusHSI), 60 Musk Ave, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD, 4059, Australia. megan.campbell@qut.edu.au.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.affiliation: Australian Centre for Health Services Innovation (AusHSI), 60 Musk Ave, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD, 4059, Australia. naomi_daly@health.qld.gov.au.|Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH), Herston, Brisbane, QLD, 4029, Australia. naomi_daly@health.qld.gov.au.
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Daly
authors.affiliation: Australian Centre for Health Services Innovation (AusHSI), 60 Musk Ave, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD, 4059, Australia. j.roberts2@uq.edu.au.|Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH), Herston, Brisbane, QLD, 4029, Australia. j.roberts2@uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Jason A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Australian Centre for Health Services Innovation (AusHSI), 60 Musk Ave, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD, 4059, Australia. alison_mudge@health.qld.gov.au.|Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH), Herston, Brisbane, QLD, 4029, Australia. alison_mudge@health.qld.gov.au.
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mudge
authors.affiliation: Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 60 Musk Ave, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD, 4059, Australia. n.graves@qut.edu.au.|Australian Centre for Health Services Innovation (AusHSI), 60 Musk Ave, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, QLD, 4059, Australia. n.graves@qut.edu.au.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Graves
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D005378:Financial Support; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D010380:Peer Review; D011793:Queensland