Working within the discipline of system thinking and system dynamics, Dr Sue McAvoy is engaged in multidisciplinary research through the UQBS. One of Sue's roles is to introduce systems science (predictive analytics) to the Mater healthcare businesses. System Dynamics simulation models can provide a valuable role in probing healthcare systems and strengthening them. They provide a rigorous, data driven, systematic way to use evidence based learning to inform strategy development and implementation. The modelling methodology and architecture encourages the adoption of a systemic view of the interactions involved in patient flows and offers a strategic perspective on how best to optimise the management of the system's resources. Predictive dashboards can assist policy makers, clinicians and business managers to respondoptimally to uncertainty.
Sue also lectures the newly introduced Business Dynamics subject into the UQBS Master’s Program. Building on existing business strategy concepts, Business Dynamics uses the tools and principles of System Dynamics to analyse and understand a firm’s performance and design robust strategies to improve its performance through time.
Sue is currently leading a project within the UQBS investigating how potentially disruptive red meat grown from stem cell technology may be to the traditional industry. This work is funded by a Meat and Livestock Association Research Grant.
Sue has a first class honours degree in Econometrics, a full two year MBA and completed a PhD in 2015 investigating the impact of the carbon tax on Australia’s Red Meat Industry using system dynamics. Sue’s interest in the topic was born of working for 25 years in the red meat processing sector. She entered the industry in 1984, accepting the newly formed role of Group Treasurer, Australia Meat Holdings, to steer Australia's major processing companies through an industry wide rationalisation. In later years, Sue undertook the role of Risk Manager and Co-Treasurer for JBS Australia’s operations, a $3 billion dollar enterprise nationally. Responsibilities included currency management, cash flow management and loan negotiation. Prior to 1984, Sue was second in charge of the Queensland Government Treasury Department with responsibility for management of Queensland Government debt and foreign currency exposures under the leadership of Sir Leo Hielscher.
Current wider business and community roles include being Board Chair at St Joseph’s Nudgee College, Brisbane with prior roles including Deputy Chair and Chair of the Finance and Risk Committee. In earlier years, Sue was Chair of the Sts Peter and Pauls School Board and on the Finance Committee of Greening Australia.
Based on communication of my current research, The Mater Hospital Data and Analytics team have prioritised predictive analytics as a strategic priority. Embedment of my predictive modelling tool could provide invaluable insights which improve patient outcomes by improving access to and reducing time spent in the Emergency Department. Research has shown that some 30% of patients within an Emergency Deaprtment environment feel unsafe, so tools to improve decisions which impact flow are beneficial. Critical decisions are frequently based on mental models, which by the nature of the complexity involved, ignore important feedback loops so a systems approach can close this gap.
Attracting the MLA research grant positions UQBS to be a leader in the knowledge economy of cellular meat. Meat grown from stems cells and plant based meat alternatives are gaining momentum as research into their technologies is attracting funding from philanthropy (Bill Gates) as well as industry. As population growth and the demand for protein sources tests the supply capabilities of the traditional protein supplies, UQBS will be well positioned to bring a research perspective to the development of this technology in Australia helping inform the policy and regulation that will be required.
My Board leadership roles enable me to actively encourage and promote the embedment of research into organisational strategy in a learning environment. Tomorrow's leaders are in high schools today so bringing a research mindset to decision-making in school environment embeds a direct social impact of research beyond academia.
Journal Article: Responding to COVID‐19: How group model building can assist the health and well‐being of urban Indigenous communities in Australia
Fredericks, Bronwyn, Bradfield, Abraham, McAvoy, Sue, Ward, James, Spierings, Shea, Combo, Troy and Toth‐Peter, Agnes (2023). Responding to COVID‐19: How group model building can assist the health and well‐being of urban Indigenous communities in Australia. Australian Journal of Social Issues. doi: 10.1002/ajs4.303
Journal Article: Mapping pandemic responses in urban Indigenous Australia: Reflections on systems thinking and pandemic preparedness
Fredericks, Bronwyn, Bradfield, Abraham, Ward, James, McAvoy, Sue, Spierings, Shea, Toth-Peter, Agnes and Combo, Troy (2023). Mapping pandemic responses in urban Indigenous Australia: Reflections on systems thinking and pandemic preparedness. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 47 (5) 100084, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.anzjph.2023.100084
Other Outputs: Tackling conspiracies and misinformation within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
Fredericks, Bronwyn , Bradfield, Abraham , Ward, James , McAvoy, Sue , Spierings, Shea , Combo, Troy and Toth-Peter Agnes (2022, 03 30). Tackling conspiracies and misinformation within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities Croakey
(2023) Metro North Hospital and Health Service
(2021–2023) University of Melbourne
Comparison of the traditional and artificial red meat production systems
(2018–2021) Meat & Livestock Australia
Fredericks, Bronwyn, Bradfield, Abraham, McAvoy, Sue, Ward, James, Spierings, Shea, Combo, Troy and Toth‐Peter, Agnes (2023). Responding to COVID‐19: How group model building can assist the health and well‐being of urban Indigenous communities in Australia. Australian Journal of Social Issues. doi: 10.1002/ajs4.303
Fredericks, Bronwyn, Bradfield, Abraham, Ward, James, McAvoy, Sue, Spierings, Shea, Toth-Peter, Agnes and Combo, Troy (2023). Mapping pandemic responses in urban Indigenous Australia: Reflections on systems thinking and pandemic preparedness. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 47 (5) 100084, 1-9. doi: 10.1016/j.anzjph.2023.100084
Fredericks, Bronwyn, Bradfield, Abraham, McAvoy, Sue, Ward, James, Spierings, Shea, Combo, Troy and Toth-Peter, Agnes (2022). Burden of the Beast : countering conspiracies and misinformation within Indigenous Communities in Australia. M/C Journal, 25 (1). doi: 10.5204/mcj.2862
McAvoy, S., Grant, T., Smith, C. and Bontinck, P. (2021). Combining life cycle assessment and system dynamics to improve impact assessment: a systematic review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 315 128060, 128060. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.128060
McAvoy, Sue, Staib, Andrew and Treston, Gregory (2020). Can a system dynamics model of the emergency department show which levers reduce bottlenecks and delays to improve access to care?. Systems Research ad Behavioural Science, 38 (1), 61-79. doi: 10.1002/sres.2663
Models of evaluation under ceteris imparibus: System dynamics and the example of emergency care
McAvoy, Susan, Staib, Andrew and Birch, Stephen (2019). Models of evaluation under ceteris imparibus: System dynamics and the example of emergency care. Systems Research and Behavioral Science, 37 (2), 211-222. doi: 10.1002/sres.2615
The new frontier for improving access to emergency care
McAvoy, S., Staib, A. and Birch, S. (2019). The new frontier for improving access to emergency care. Australasian College for Emergency Medicine Conference, Perth, WA Australia, 18-22 November 2018. Richmond, VIC Australia: Wiley-Blackwell.
Tackling conspiracies and misinformation within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
Fredericks, Bronwyn , Bradfield, Abraham , Ward, James , McAvoy, Sue , Spierings, Shea , Combo, Troy and Toth-Peter Agnes (2022, 03 30). Tackling conspiracies and misinformation within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities Croakey
Understanding health responses to COVID-19 in urban Indigenous communities in Brisbane
Fredericks, Bronwyn, Ward, James, Bradfield, Abraham, McAvoy, Sue, Spierings, Shea, Combo, Troy and Toth-Peter, Agnes (2021, 12 22). Understanding health responses to COVID-19 in urban Indigenous communities in Brisbane Croakey
McAvoy, Susan (2015). The impact of Australia’s carbon tax on a non-qualifying emissions intensive trade exposed manufacturing industry: demonstrating the utility of systems dynamics and life cycle assessment for policy analysis. PhD Thesis, School of Business, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/uql.2015.606
An econometric investigation of regional economic co-operation : a case study of Australia and Fiji
McAvoy, Susan Elizabeth (1983). An econometric investigation of regional economic co-operation : a case study of Australia and Fiji. Honours Thesis, School of Economics, The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/222069
(2023) Metro North Hospital and Health Service
(2021–2023) University of Melbourne
Comparison of the traditional and artificial red meat production systems
(2018–2021) Meat & Livestock Australia