Professor Marion Eckert

Professor Marion Eckert is the Inaugural Professor of Cancer Nursing in South Australia and the Inaugural Director, Rosemary Bryant AO Research Centre. 

The Rosemary Bryant AO Research Centre is a partnership between the University of South Australia and the Rosemary Bryant Foundation, which aims to strengthen the nursing & midwifery workforce across the health system through the support and development of evidence-based healthcare, fostering partnerships and building research capacity. The RBRC has developed a comprehensive research program focused on advancing the discipline of nursing & midwifery and patient care related to population and public health, workforce reform, safety and quality, clinical practice, patient outcomes, and integration into education. Its objective is to enhance innovative partnerships for healthcare research, to inform strategies for: 1) Extending the capacity and capabilities of nurses and midwives to build a resilient, sustainable and collaborative workforce, 2) health system planning, evaluation and resourcing, 3) clinical care outcomes, and 4) translation of evidence into practice.

Marion brings over 25 years’ experience in health care and has a strong clinical academic background. Her background is in implementation science,health service evaluations, population health and health policy.  Her research is focused on:

1) fostering and building translational health research that improves efficiency, effectiveness and quality care outcomes

2) prevention and reducing the burden of chronic disease and in particular cancer on the community through the development of systems to inform quality of life, health service provisions, supportive care of people and ensuring effective partnerships to improve clinical care.  

As part of this research Professor Eckert continues to work with a highly skilled multi-disciplinary team to progress health service research that has a real-world impact on peoples lives. Particularly those living with chronic disease and in particular disadvantaged communities and minority groups.  

Professor Eckert has worked in executive and research roles in both the public and private sector, informed health care planning, research and policy through strategic partnership, professional development and effective governance to inform strategy.  She is acknowledged as a prominent leader in health nationally and internationally in research, consultancy, development of consumer-centred care and evidence-based translational research, policies, academic scholarship and nurse leadership. Marion has a non-traditional academic career, but one that has been grounded in direct health service delivery, enabling her to bring clinical, practical and health service knowledge and skills to the health service research she leads. 

Snapshot of current research activities:

1. Health workforce capacity (burnout, fatigue, intentions to leave) particularly now as we are faced with the challenge of long covid. 

2. Discruptive technology and digital health applications in health care - particularly Predictive Risk Models.

3. Health Service Evaluations with the Commonwealth of Australia and the Local Health Networks.

4. Evidence based care and how we can make a real difference through focusing on quality health care - removing waste and targeting clinical practice improvement. 

4. Consumer centred care with an established consumer centred design lab to have a genuine impact of the most vulnerable in our health system.

Professor Eckert was a finalist in the 2020 Telstra Business Womens Awards South Australia. Won peer reviewed excellence awards for clinical leadership and was the recipient of the 2015 - Winston Churchill Fellowship and Leslie Fleming Fellowship, awarded for her dedication and passion towards survivorship research at a population level. 2017 - South Australian Nursing and Midwifery Excellence Awards Finalist, 2010 - Winner SA Health Excellence Awards, Non-Clinical Services - The Health Journey of e-learning programs for all staff and 2009 - Winner SA Health Future Leader Award.

The Rosemary Bryant AO Research Centre is located at the University of South Australia, Clinical and Health Sciences Unit.  City East, Playford Building, North Terrace, Adelaide.

Qualifications

• Doctor of Nursing University of Adelaide

• Masters of Public Health University of Adelaide

• Masters of Nursing Science University of Adelaide