Matthew Fels, Active’s Director of Hospitals & Connected Care, is highly regarded for his ability to provide clear, calm, and practical instruction to both patients and team members. Having also served as Active’s Hospitals Manager, Matthew brings exceptional leadership and expertise to overseeing physiotherapy services across multiple hospital locations in Brisbane and Springfield.

In his current role, Matthew leads Active’s Connected Care Approach, which ensures patients receive seamless physiotherapy support throughout their healthcare journey—from prehabilitation to hospitalisation and onward to outpatient care. He oversees the processes and infrastructure necessary to deliver continuous care, including the development of clinical guidelines, standardised assessment tools, patient handover protocols, and clinician strategies to maintain continuity of care.

Matthew also coordinates Active’s hospital physiotherapy mentoring program, drawing on his significant discernment and clinical expertise to support the professional growth of the team. His commitment to education extends to Active’s Clinical Education team, where he mentors final-year physiotherapy students from the University of Queensland (UQ), contributing to the development of future physiotherapists.

With many years of clinical experience, Matthew specialises in pre- and post-operative orthopaedic rehabilitation. His colleagues describe him as supportive, hard-working, and conscientious, exemplifying his high standard of patient-centered and collaborative care. Matthew’s leadership extends to the broader physiotherapy profession, where he contributes through his role with the Queensland Orthopaedic Group.

Matthew has worked in various private and public healthcare settings in Australia and the UK, holding senior physiotherapy positions in orthopaedics, intensive care, geriatrics, and cardiorespiratory rehabilitation. He has also been involved with the Active Rehabilitation Research Foundation, partnering with UQ to provide clinical placements for students in Timor-Leste, supporting sustainable and long-term healthcare outcomes for patients and communities.

With a firm focus on strategic operations, business systems, and clinical mentoring, Matt ensures that Active continues to deliver the highest standard of care and support for patients and team members alike.

Matthew’s favourite quote is:  

“Not all those who wander are lost.” – J.R.R Tolkien