Closing The Evidence-practice Gap In Total Knee Replacement: Optimising Evidence-based Decision-making Through A Multi-dimensional Surgeon Feedback Intervention
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,091,926.00
Summary
Total knee replacement (TKR) is one of the most successful surgeries for treating knee arthritis. With an ageing population demand for TKR will increase dramatically, placing burden on our health system. It is estimated that 25% of TKRs are performed in inappropriate candidates according to evidence-based guidelines. This project evaluates a program for surgeons that will improve adherence to using guidelines, which will improve efficiencies & equitability of this important surgical procedure.
Whiplash injury incurs a huge health burden on Australia as many people do not recover well. This project aims to implement and evaluate a Clinical Pathway of Care for whiplash injury that guides primary care providers in their assessment and treatment of people with acute whiplash. This will improve health ouctomes and recovery following the injury.
Who Decides And At What Cost? Comparing Patient, Surrogate And Oncologist Perspectives On End Of Life Care
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$260,564.00
Summary
This project will directly compare the preferences for end of life care and involvement in decision making among cancer patients, surrogate decision makers and oncologists; and explore how these preferences change over time. Findings will inform novel strategies to improve the adherence of surrogate decision makers and providers to patient preferences when patients lose the capacity to make these decisions themselves.
Prioritising Responses Of Nurses To Deteriorating Patient Observations (PRONTO)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$459,688.00
Summary
Vital signs are the most common assessment technique employed in healthcare. If vital signs of deterioration are missed, misinterpreted or mismanaged, then patient harm and death may result. Early detection requires frequent and accurate measurement of vital signs by nurses, intervention and escalation to appropriate clinicians. This study will measure the effectiveness of an intervention to improve nurses vital sign measurement, treatment and escalation of patients with abnormal vital signs.
Universal Surveillance And Early Identification Of Developmental Disorders
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$704,928.00
Summary
Does existing developmental surveillance of children reach those who need it and accurately identify those wtih problems that could benefit from early intervention? Given that developmental problems affect 10 to 15% of children and many are receiving services too late for early intervention, we need answers to these questions. This study will examine whether developmental surveillance helps individual children and improves public health.
The purpose of this partnership project is to assess the impact of the four-hour rule policy in reducing access block and its effects of Emergency Department (ED) overcrowding on patients before and after its implementation. We will examine the trends and characteristics of patients under the policy in WA hospitals and compare them with similar patients not under the policy. This is a unique opportunity due to a natural experiment occurring in Australia with implications at the national and inte ....The purpose of this partnership project is to assess the impact of the four-hour rule policy in reducing access block and its effects of Emergency Department (ED) overcrowding on patients before and after its implementation. We will examine the trends and characteristics of patients under the policy in WA hospitals and compare them with similar patients not under the policy. This is a unique opportunity due to a natural experiment occurring in Australia with implications at the national and international levels.Read moreRead less
Investigating The Inclusion Of Vulnerable Populations In Advance Care Planning: Developing Complex And Sensitive Public Policy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$379,368.00
Summary
People from Indigenous, and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse communities, and those living with chronic disease, tell us that current Advance Care Planning (ACP) policy and practice doesn’t meet their needs. This Partnership Project will work with these communities to develop inclusive, sensitive policy and practice for ACP— so all Australians get the care they deserve. It will also establish how to include vulnerable populations in developing health policy on complex and sensitive issues.
Improving Ambulance Dispatch To Time-critical Emergencies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$493,872.00
Summary
Ambulance Services in Australia use the same emergency medical dispatch system to prioritise ambulance dispatch, based on information provided during the '000' emergency phone call. The optimum method of handling calls and dispatching ambulances remains largely unknown. This partnership project brings together an interdisciplinary team to work collaboratively with St John Ambulance Service Western Australia to investigate strategies to improve the accuracy of emergency medical dispatch.
Optimising Computerised Decision Support To Transform Medication Safety And Reduce Prescriber Burden
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$325,546.00
Summary
As medication management in Australian hospitals shifts from paper to electronic formats, organisations are faced with a difficult decision: should drug-drug interaction (DDI) alerts be turned on and if so, which alerts? In this study, we propose a highly innovative approach to assess DDI alerts, which combines a robust evaluation of error rates with a human factors evaluation of alerts.
Patient-centred EHealth Approach To Improving Outcomes For Gout Sufferers
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$688,354.00
Summary
Gout, caused by excessive urate, can be controlled by prescribing medication and patients adhering to them. We will conduct a 2-year controlled trial in primary care to test an eHealth tool to significantly improve gout patient outcomes. This tool tracks patients plasma urate, medication adherence, gout attacks and provides education, interaction with gout experts and reminders of medical visits. Nationwide rollout of this gout management tool will occur after improved outcomes are proven.