About

Hi, I’m Em

I’m the Managing Director of Autonomic Health.

I’m a born-and-raised country Victorian and have spent the past 14 years working across Australia as a physiotherapist, healthcare redesign leader and transformation practitioner.

My work has always centred on helping people navigate complex health systems and improving the way care is designed, delivered and experienced.

Why Autonomic Health exists

Autonomic Health was established in response to a clear and growing gap in care for people living with dysautonomia, persistent pain, fatigue and related complex chronic health conditions.

Many people in this community experience unclear diagnostic pathways, long waitlists, fragmented care, limited access to clinicians who understand their condition, and the ongoing challenge of translating complex medical information into practical day-to-day management.

What we heard repeatedly from patients, families and health professionals was that people needed care that was more accessible, more coordinated, more validating and more grounded in real patient experience.

In 2024, I established Autonomic Health with the generous co-design support of dozens of community members who recognised these same gaps and wanted to help shape a better model of care.

Our mission

Our mission is to provide compassionate, evidence-informed healthcare for Australians living with dysautonomia, persistent pain, and fatigue - or any combination of these.

We aim to:

Empower people to better understand and manage their condition
Foster connection in what can often be an isolating experience
Contribute to meaningful innovation, advocacy, and system change in lockstep with our community (nothing about us, without us)

Our commitment to improvement

We recognise that many of our patients have been unwell for a long time, often without clear answers or consistent progress before they reach us.

We use a combination of clinical data, patient-reported outcomes, your feedback, and emerging research to guide care and continuously improve how we support you.

Our focus is on helping you achieve meaningful improvements in symptoms and day-to-day function, while also reducing the risk of flare-ups, setbacks, or harm through careful pacing, monitoring, and individualised planning.

Based on what we’re seeing in clinic and feedback from our community, we’re currently focused on three key areas for 2026/27:

Safe, high-quality care

We know many of our patients have been unwell for a long time, often without clear answers or consistent progress. We use our clinical data, your feedback, and emerging research to help you achieve meaningful improvements in your symptoms and day-to-day function - while reducing the risk of flare-ups or setbacks.

Easier access to the right care

We hear that finding the right care can be difficult - whether due to finding health professionals who understand your conditions, difficulty attending appointments, cost, location, or long delays in diagnosis and treatment.
We’re continuing to expand and refine our telehealth model, remove barriers to access, and work more closely with other healthcare providers in your local community to make your care more connected and easier to navigate.

Clear communication and feeling supported

We hear how frustrating it is to feel confused, unheard, or left out of decisions about your health. We are committed to ensuring you are at the center of your care. This includes:
- Providing clear, accessible information about your condition and treatment options
- Advocating for medical care thar meets your needs
- Creating a safe and supportive environment, particularly for people who have had negative or invalidating healthcare experiences
We actively seek and use your feedback to improve how we communicate and support you, so you feel informed, heard, and confident in your care.

We review these priorities regularly based on patient outcomes and feedback and continue to adapt our service to better meet the needs of our community.

If you'd like to share ideas, feedback or share you story to assist us with this improvement please reach out to us at info@autonomichealth.com.au

Emma Newton
Managing Director & Physiotherapist
AHPRA Registered Practitioner (PHY0001788060)
Professional Indemnity Insurance: Guild Insurance

Qualifications

Bachelor of Health Science & Master of Physiotherapy Practice (2012), La Trobe University
Professional Certificate in Pain Sciences (currently enrolled), University of South Australia