Following the discovery of a cluster of avoidable perinatal deaths, the Minister for Health commissioned a review of hospital safety and quality assurance in Victoria. The result of that review was published in Targeting zero: supporting the Victorian hospital system to eliminate avoidable harm and strengthen quality of care in October 2016. 

The review found that while Victorian hospitals deliver some of the best care in the world, there was not adequate oversight of quality and safety across health services. It also found that essential data was often not collected, used, or made accessible to hospitals and clinicians so they could identify opportunities for improvement. The review recommended the creation of a reporting agency to improve the flow of information in the health system. 

In July 2017 the Victorian Agency for Health Information was established as an Administrative Office in relation to the Department of Health and Human Services (the Department). The agency worked to provide meaningful, relevant and timely information and reporting to health services, government and the Victorian community. 

In February 2021, VAHI was integrated into the new Victorian Department of Health as a division to play a larger role in supporting the Department’s ambitious system reform agenda. The move joined data development and collection, and the Centre for Victorian Data Linkage into VAHI’s existing reporting and analytics functions to improve care for Victorian consumers. This move brings together a critical mass of expertise behind our efforts to achieve our mission of delivering trusted information to inform better decisions that improve the health and wellbeing of Victorians.