Australian Centre for Heart Health

What Australian Centre for Heart Health does

Australian Centre for Heart Health (ACHH) is an independent not-for-profit medical research institute headquartered in North Melbourne, Victoria, and is the only Australian organisation dedicated exclusively to the psychological aspects of heart disease. The institute operates through three pillars — research, patient services, and health professional training — and serves two primary customer groups: cardiac-event survivors (including adult post-event patients and adolescents with congenital heart disease) seeking psychological recovery support, and multidisciplinary cardiac-rehabilitation practitioners seeking evidence-based training and CPD-credentialed education.

ACHH's research output comprises 350+ peer-reviewed publications since 1989, including the development and validation of proprietary psychometric instruments (Cardiac Distress Inventory, CDI-SF, SCAD Distress Inventory, and the in-development Fear-CHD Scale). Patient services are delivered via telehealth through the Cardiac Psychology Clinic (operated in conjunction with NeuroCentrix), the free Teleheart telephone counselling program, and paid Cardiac Blues resources (brochure A$15, ONTRACK guide A$2). The training pillar centres on a 4-day live online Cardiac Disease, Rehabilitation and Secondary Prevention Training Program (26 CPD hours, A$1,100-$1,250) endorsed by Royal College of Nursing, ACRA, and other professional bodies.

The organisation is funded through a diversified mix of tax-deductible donations and bequests, NHMRC-administered research grants (ACHH is an NHMRC administering organisation), training-program fees, and small resource sales. It operates as a company limited by guarantee under the Companies (Victoria) Code with DGR-endorsed public benevolent institution status. Most recent strategic activity centres on the Heartsore graphic novel and LLM-based AI conversational companion for adolescents with congenital heart disease, developed with RMIT and the Royal Children's Hospital, signalling early-stage entry into AI-assisted patient engagement.

Name

Australian Centre for Heart Health

Legal name

Australian Centre for Heart Health

Website

https://australianhearthealth.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Australian Centre for Heart Health is an Australian not-for-profit medical research institute that conducts psychocardiology research, delivers telehealth psychological services to cardiac patients, and provides CPD-accredited training to cardiac-rehabilitation health professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cardiac Psychology and Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (62134), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Cardiac Rehabilitation & Secondary Prevention (HLAKABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cardiology Telemedicine Platforms (HLALAGAB), Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation (Cardiac & Pulmonary Rehab) (HSADAIAK)

Keywords

• Cardiac psychology services
• Cardiac rehabilitation training
• Psychocardiology research
• Cardiac distress assessment
• Heart disease counselling

Headquarters

HQ city

North Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: ACHH is a not-for-profit organization registered as a public benevolent institution with deductible gift recipient status. Donations over $2.00 are tax deductible. Regular giving programs allow monthly, quarterly or annual donations.
2. Training Program Fees: The Cardiac Disease, Rehabilitation and Secondary Prevention Training Program costs $1,100 (early bird) or $1,250 (regular). Programs qualify for CPD hours (26 hours for flagship program).
3. Research Grants and NHMRC Funding: ACHH is a National Health & Medical Research Council (NH&MRC) administering organisation. Research is funded through grants and institutional funding.
4. Bequests: Bequests in Wills support the organization's mission. Past bequests have funded studies such as the Cardiac Emotions Study.
5. Resource Sales: Sale of educational resources including Cardiac Blues Brochure (A$15.00), ONTRACK Guide (A$2.00), and free downloadable Cardiac Distress Inventory materials.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Australian Centre for Heart Health is a not-for-profit independent Medical Research Institute delivering psychological support for people affected by heart disease. Its three pillars comprise psycho-cardiology research (350+ publications), patient services (Cardiac Psychology Clinic via telehealth, Teleheart telephone program, Cardiac Blues resources), and accredited health professional training (4-day Cardiac Disease, Rehabilitation and Secondary Prevention Training Program providing 26 CPD hours). The organisation also develops and disseminates proprietary cardiac distress assessment instruments used by clinicians and researchers globally.

Product overview

The Australian Centre for Heart Health offers a suite of patient services, professional training programs, and research tools focused on the psychological aspects of heart disease. The core offerings include the Cardiac Psychology Clinic (delivered via telehealth through NeuroCentrix), Teleheart telephone counselling program, and Cardiac Blues resources (brochure and ONTRACK guide). The centre provides the Cardiac Disease, Rehabilitation and Secondary Prevention Training Program for health professionals. Research tools include the Cardiac Distress Inventory and its Short Form for screening cardiac patients. The centre is also developing an AI-powered conversational companion as part of a graphic medicine resource suite (Heartsore graphic novel) for young people with congenital heart disease transitioning to adult care.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cardiac Psychology Clinic Psychological and behavioural counselling service for people who have had an acute cardiac event and their families, addressing anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, cardiac blues, and lifestyle change struggles. Delivered via telehealth Australia-wide through NeuroCentrix.
• Teleheart Program
• Cardiac Disease, Rehabilitation and Secondary Prevention Training Program Comprehensive 4-day live online training program for health professionals working in cardiac rehabilitation, providing evidence-based knowledge and skills to develop, conduct and evaluate CR programs. Provides 26 CPD hours.
• Cardiac Distress Inventory (CDI) Proprietary 33-item clinical instrument measuring psychological, emotional and social distress after a cardiac event, including a scoring protocol. Developed and validated by ACHH researchers; free download for healthcare professionals.
• Cardiac Distress Inventory Short Form (CDI-SF) Shortened version of the CDI used in outpatient clinics and cardiac rehabilitation settings to screen patients for referral to counselling.
• SCAD Distress Inventory 33-item measure developed to assess four key domains of SCAD-related distress in spontaneous coronary artery dissection survivors, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association in 2026.
• Cardiac Blues Resources (Brochure and ONTRACK Guide) Patient brochure 'Getting back on track after heart attack or surgery' (A$15 per pack of 25) and the ONTRACK guide for health professionals (A$2) supporting emotional recovery after cardiac events.
• Heartsore Graphic Novel Coming-of-age graphic novel following a young woman with congenital heart disease transitioning from paediatric to adult healthcare, part of the graphic medicine resource suite for young people with chronic heart conditions.
• AI Conversational Companion AI-powered application of Large Language Model technology in adolescent health education, enabling young people to articulate thoughts, fears, and questions in their own words through guided reflective dialogue.

Quantifiable outcome

• 75% of people experience the 'Cardiac Blues' after a heart event
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Heart Support AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing peer support programs Australia-wide for those affected by heart disease. Patients can be referred for peer support through this partnership.
• Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of MelbournecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity affiliation providing academic credibility and research collaboration. Professor Alun Jackson holds honorary professorial fellowship at the school.
• University of Melbourne, Department of PsychiatrymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration in cardiac psychology and mental health aspects of heart disease.
• CardihabsupportingTechnology or IntegrationDigital health partner for cardiac rehabilitation technology solutions.
• Monash University, Department of Cardiothoracic SurgerymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration in cardiothoracic surgery and cardiac care.
• Australian Cardiovascular Health and Rehabilitation Association (ACRA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProfessional association for cardiac rehabilitation in Australia. ACHH training programs are endorsed by ACRA. Dr Alan Goble was first recipient of ACRA's Distinguished Service Award.
• Victor Chang Cardiac Research InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on SCAD research with Professor Bob Graham, Dr Stephanie Hesselson, and Dr Siiri Iismaa. Partners in SCAD Distress Inventory development.
• SCAD Research AustraliamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with lived experience SCAD survivors including Jodi Brown, Alex Wynd, Dr Donita Baird, and Trudi Musgrave-Edwards for SCAD research.
• Barwon HealthsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional health service collaboration for Cardiac Distress study research.
• Stanford, Division of Cardiovascular MedicinemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational collaboration with Stanford Women's Heart Health Clinic, California, USA for cardiac research.
• Queen's University BelfastmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research collaboration in cardiac nursing and cardiovascular health. Professor David Thompson and A/Prof Chantal Ski hold honorary positions.
• University of BolognasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational collaboration in cardiac psychology research.
• Centre on Behavioural Health, Hong Kong SARmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research collaboration. Professor Alun Jackson holds honorary professorship at Hong Kong University Centre on Behavioural Health.
• Baker Heart and Diabetes InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr Andre La Gerche is Head of Clinical Research Department and Head of Sports Cardiology. Collaboration on cardiac research.
• St Vincent's Hospital MelbournemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical collaboration with Dr Andre La Gerche working as cardiologist. Pamela Cohen is Senior Clinical Fellow at St Vincent's Clinic.
• Royal Children's Hospital (RCH)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeasibility study site for graphic medicine resource (Heartsore) evaluation for young people transitioning from paediatric to adult cardiac care.
• RMIT University Centre for Digital EcosystemsmajorTechnology or IntegrationProfessor Stefan Greuter collaboration on AI-powered graphic medicine project for congenital heart disease patients.
• University of Sydney and Westmead HospitalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCAD research collaboration with Professor Sarah Zaman, Dr Quan Dang, and team on quality-of-care and SCAD patient outcomes.
• Deakin UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSleep research collaboration with A/Prof Debra Kerr and Prof Andrea Driscoll. A/Prof Rosemary Higgins holds honorary position.
• Monash UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSleep research and health literacy collaboration with A/Prof Alison Beauchamp. Dr Alison Beauchamp holds senior positions at both Monash and University of Melbourne.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Australian Cardiovascular Health and Rehabilitation Association (ACRA): The peak professional body for cardiac rehabilitation in Australia, which formally endorses ACHH's training program. ACRA is the natural convening point for the same practitioner audience ACHH trains.
• Heart Support Australia: National peer-support organisation for people affected by heart disease. ACHH refers patients directly to Heart Support Australia, and the partnership addresses adjacent parts of the same cardiac psychosocial recovery pathway.
• Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute: Major Australian medical research institute in Melbourne focused on cardiovascular and metabolic disease. ACHH collaborates with Baker's Head of Clinical Research (Dr Andre La Gerche) and shares board representation, operating in the same cardiology research ecosystem.
• Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute: Australia's leading cardiac genetics and molecular cardiology research institute. ACHH partners with Victor Chang on SCAD research (CDI development), making it a directly comparable mission-aligned cardiac research peer.

Emerging players

• Cardihab: Australian digital cardiac rehabilitation technology partner. ACHH collaborates with Cardihab on cardiac rehab tech solutions, sitting at the intersection of digital health and the same practitioner audience.
• NeuroCentrix: Telehealth neurology and psychology clinic partner that now operates ACHH's Cardiac Psychology Clinic. Shares ACHH's psychology/telehealth delivery model and is its clinical services channel.

Broad incumbents

• American Heart Association: The dominant US heart-health nonprofit, funding research, professional training, and patient resources. ACHH's international research links (Stanford) and CR training format parallel AHA's professional education programs.
• Heart Foundation (National Heart Foundation of Australia): Australia's largest heart-health charity, funding research and running public awareness campaigns. ACHH itself was originally the Social and Preventive Cardiology Research Centre of the Heart Foundation, and the two remain closely linked through grants and a shared mission.
• Heart Research Institute: Australian cardiovascular research institute (Sydney). Shares the cardiac research mission and donor-pool competition with ACHH, and is a credible analogous peer for funding and research scale.
• British Heart Foundation: Largest UK heart charity funding research and patient support. Comparable in mission and donor-dependent model to ACHH at vastly greater scale, and a peer through Queen's University Belfast research ties.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/aushearthealth

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Australian Centre for Heart Health