At Smart Bear Health

We empower people with chronic illness to reclaim their voice and choices in healthcare.

We publish structured, evidence-informed health education programs that are designed to help you understand your physiology, navigate the diagnostic process, evaluate your options and make informed decisions about your recovery plan with your chosen healthcare professionals.

View The Recovery Labs

View The Recovery Labs™

Our Vision

We envision a healthcare system where people living with chronic illness are well-resourced, active participants in their care, and clinicians are supported to deliver truly patient-centred, multi-modal care that reduces diagnostic delays, breaks cycles of chronicity, and improves patient health outcomes.

Official Mission Statement

At Smart Bear Health our mission is to support patient-centred, multi-modal care by publishing evidence-informed health education programs, frameworks, and decision-support resources grounded in research evidence, clinical knowledge and lived experience.

These resources are designed to equip people living with chronic illness or persistent symptoms with the knowledge, skills, and tools they need to actively participate in their healthcare - with the aim of easing pressure on clinicians working within increasingly constrained systems.

We exist to bridge the gap between patient needs and clinical capacity.

Many people navigating chronic illness experience prolonged confusion, fragmented care, delayed diagnosis, stigma and limited access to meaningful education within short medical appointments. At the same time, clinicians face significant time pressure and cognitive load, limiting their ability to deliver the in-depth education needed for a truly patient-centred model of care.

Smart Bear Health addresses this gap by publishing structured, evidence-informed educational programs and tools that help patients:

make sense of their symptoms
understand diagnostic pathways
evaluate a broad range of management options
design a collaborative self-management plan
and prepare relevant information for clinical appointments

The educational programs are designed to support more streamlined, objective-oriented clinical consultations - focused on clinical reasoning, shared decision-making, informed discussions and collaborative implementation.

Our work is grounded in the belief that healthcare functions best when informed patients, skilled clinicians, and evidence-based options come together - each playing a clear and complementary role in patient-centred care.

By improving health literacy, supporting diagnostic navigation, appointment preparedness, and sustainable self-management, we aim to help shift patient trajectories away from chronicity and toward recovery, greater stability, and improved quality of life.

Through the responsible capture of de-identified, real-world data, our research initiatives aim to bridge scientific evidence with lived experience and generate insights that can inform the development of better healthcare resources, clinical practice, and future research priorities.

We believe, the greatest healthcare outcomes are achieved by

Bringing together informed patients, skilled clinicians
and evidence-based management options

Designed for Patients, Clinicians & The Future of Care

Smart Bear Health supports not just individual patients, but the broader healthcare system - aiming to deliver tangible benefits for patients, clinicians, researchers and the future of chronic illness care.

For Patients

Clarity, direction and a structured way forward, without navigating alone

Make sense of your symptoms, diagnosis, or diagnostic pathway through clear, evidence-informed education
Learn how to track and quantify 'invisible' symptoms in ways that can support more productive medical appointments
Explore and compare management options across medical, complementary, and self-management approaches using structured decision-support tools and rating systems
Build your own personalised Recovery Roadmap™ - A sustainable action plan aligned with your capacity, values, and goals

For Clinicians

Better-prepared patients and focused, objective-oriented consultations

Patients arrive organised, informed, and ready for goal-oriented consultations
Foundational education and subjective history notes are developed outside consultation time aiming to preserve consultation time for clinical reasoning, shared decision-making, implementation and ongoing review
Patients can access resources independently, aiming to support the delivery of patient-centred, multi-modal care and informed decisions without relying on increased appointment time or clinician workload

For Research & Future Care

Real-world data and insights that can improve chronic illness care over time

Longitudinal, de-identified patient-reported data captured through real-world use of education and self-management frameworks
Use retrospective cohort analysis and mixed-methods insights to bridge clinical evidence with lived experience
Building understanding of what supports recovery, stability, and effective self-management at scale, across conditions and symptom presentations
Data to inform future research priorities, clinical practice guidelines, and systemic improvements for better patient outcomes

Our Values

Autonomy,
Agency & Dignity

We believe every person deserves the knowledge, support, and freedom to make informed decisions about their own body and healthcare – restoring voice and dignity to those who have felt unheard, stigmatised or dismissed.

Integrity &
Transparency

Our work is grounded clearly in honesty, authenticity, scientific rigor, and clear communication. We demystify complex health concepts and pathways so people can trust both the information they receive and the process they’re part of.

Health Literacy,
Education & Clarity

Health literacy is a necessity - not a luxury. We translate science and research findings into accessible, practical guidance so people can finally understand what’s happening in their bodies and what options are available for consideration.

Evidence-Informed Empowerment

We draw on research evidence, clinical expertise, and collective lived experience to explore management options that are credible and practical - empowering patients to make informed choices and navigate available recovery pathways.

Sustainable
Progress

Progress is built through small, intentional steps that honour your body’s pace, resources and capacity. We support gradual, meaningful change that integrates into real life – not quick fixes that discount the reality of living with chronic illness.

Community,
Connection & Impact

Our communities create space for connection, validation and shared wisdom. Our research initiatives will soon pool your insights and experiences into a growing evidence base that can help shape a better future for chronic illness care - globally.

About The Founder

Sharni Maree

SCIENTIST - EDUCATOR- CHRONIC ILLNESS SURVIVOR

Sharni Maree is the founder of Smart Bear Health, with a background in health sciences, functional medicine, rehabilitation, neuroscience, education, and research.

Her work is informed by both professional training and lived experience navigating her own complex chronic illness, including cancer, endometriosis, and autoimmunity.

Through her personal recovery and clinical training across hospital and rehabilitation settings, she observed a consistent gap in patient education - particularly for people experiencing chronic conditions or persistent symptoms like pain and fatigue - where time constraints often leave patients without the structure or support needed to fully understand their condition, navigate their options and take meaningful action.

Smart Bear Health was created to address this gap by publishing accessible, evidence-informed education programs and patient resources that support informed, patient-centred care and meaningful progress towards recovery.

Contact Us To Find Out More

When you are ready to start moving forward, the conversation starts here.

This site is owned and operated by Smart Bear Consulting Pty Ltd (ACN 678 249 413), trading as Smart Bear Health (ABN 33 678 249 413).
By visiting this Website or engaging with our Content, you agree to the Terms & Conditions, Medical Disclaimer and Privacy Policy.

This Website, Content and Services are provided for educational and informational purposes only. We do not provide medical, psychological or therapeutic advice nor do we offer clinical assessment, diagnosis, counselling or treatment. Use of this Website, Content or Services (including our Programs) does not establish a practitioner–patient relationship, nor should you use it to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your own medical practitioner. All health-related decisions should be made in consultation with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes. All Content, including text, images, videos, frameworks, and educational programs, is proprietary and protected. Unauthorised reproduction, adaptation, or commercial use of any materials is not permitted.

By visiting this Website or engaging with our Content, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

This Website, Content and Services are provided for educational and informational purposes only. We do not provide medical, psychological or therapeutic advice nor do we offer clinical assessment, diagnosis, or treatment. Use of this Website, Content or Services (including our Programs) does not establish a practitioner–patient relationship, nor should you use it to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your own medical practitioner. All health-related decisions should be made in consultation with a qualified healthcare professional. All Content, including text, images, videos, frameworks, and educational programs, is proprietary and protected. Unauthorised reproduction, adaptation, or commercial use of any materials is not permitted.