There are changes to parking arrangements around the entries to the Austin and Mercy Emergency Departments, including some fences.
Visitors should be assured that both EDs are open and all emergency services are operating as normal.
The changes are to allow for a crane to be put in for the Austin Hospital's ED/ICU Upgrade Project and will be in place until October 2012.
Five-minute parking remains available right outside the entrance to ED.
Additional 15-minute parking has also been made available; to access this carpark, turn right into the carpark as soon as you turn into the ED entrance driveway.
Dr Jennifer Johns, medical director of Austin Health's Specialty Clinical Services Unit (CSU), has received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2011 Public Healthcare Awards. The award recognises an outstanding career in health, achieved over a lifetime of service in the Victorian health system. Over the past 35 years, Dr Johns has made major contributions to the field of cardiology through her commitment to research, medical and public education, support of female cardiologists and her high-level honorary roles with the National Heart Foundation (NHF). Dr Johns' career began in 1976, when she graduated from Melbourne University with honours in Medicine and in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. She became a fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians in 1984. Dr Johns said she initially thought she would become a general physician. "I was torn between cardiology and haematology but six weeks into my first cardiology registrar position, I absolutely knew cardiology was what I wanted to do," she said. Four years later, Dr Johns won a NHF Overseas Clinical and Research Scholarship and spent three years working at Massachusetts General Hospital in the USA, working with world-renowned clinical researchers Dr Herman Gold and Dr Robert Leinbach. The research she undertook while there, on the clot busting drug recombinant tissue-type Plasminogen Activator, rt-PA, led to intravenous thrombolytic therapy being used to treat blocked coronary arteries in acute heart attack. This treatment is still used in heart attack patients if the patient cannot be transferred to a cardiac catheter lab within two hours. Dr Johns says it was an exciting time in cardiology. "Ground-breaking trials were informing the way we managed heart disease. You could see that what you were doing was going to make people better; it was exciting and satisfying," she said. Dr Johns was then appointed as a cardiologist at the Austin and Repatriation Medical Centre and began her administrative leadership role in 1997 as director of Cardiology and the Cardiac and Thoracic Services CSU, which has evolved to become the Specialty Services CSU. Whilst Dr Johns has run a private practice at Epworth Hospital since 1984, the public system is her passion. She says it has given her exposure to a variety of conditions and enabled her to learn from the experiences of colleagues in a range of specialties. "I love public hospital medicine. I love the collegiality and the support. The Austin provided the opportunity to advance," she said. When Dr Johns became a cardiologist it was an unusual career choice for a woman but she persisted to reach the top of her field and has been not only a stellar example to female medical practitioners but she has also actively mentored young women to consider specialising in cardiology. Interestingly, Austin Health now has more female than male trainees in the Specialty Services CSU. Dr Johns says life is a balancing act, particularly for women. "At the end of the every day for many years I had a conflict: was I going to stay at work that bit longer or was I going to go home to my family? For a time, I did go home every day by 5pm. I often had to work at home and in the evenings but I think getting home at the reasonable time was important with a young son," she said. Dr Johns says receiving the award is humbling. "I am extremely grateful. I felt extremely honoured to be nominated by the hospital but to actually win it was beyond all expectation," she said.
An Austin Health Pharmacy-led project that reduced medication administration errors from 20 per cent to two per cent also won a 2011 Victorian Public Healthcare Award. Concerns that patients were facing delays in having their new medications administered after being discharged to residential care facilities (RCFs) led Austin Health pharmacists to create the MedGap Project which won the category of Excellence in Service Provision. The MedGap team introduced a semi-automated system to electronically produce a seven-day interim medication administration chart on discharge. The chart has successfully reduced medication delays and errors, increased communication and cooperation between hospitals and RCFs and reduced pressure on busy GPs.
Austin Hospital's director of Paediatrics, Professor Ingrid Scheffer, has been awarded the 2012 Asia-Pacific L'Oreal-UNESCO for Women in Science Laureate for her ground-breaking work in epilepsy. Professor Scheffer has spent her medical career discovering new forms of epilepsy and the genes underlying different epilepsies. Her collaborative research team at The University of Melbourne and The University of Adelaide discovered the first gene for epilepsy in 1995 and subsequently 13 of the 23 genes currently known to cause epilepsy. This research has resulted in a complete reappraisal of the causes of epilepsy and the description of novel epilepsy syndromes. Despite this level of achievement, Prof Scheffer says that she only discovered for herself that she was a scientist about five years ago. "I regarded myself as a clinician. My research was a means of understanding the causes behind my patients' epilepsy, to try to figure out what's wrong and how to help them and their families," Prof Scheffer said. "I have had the privilege of seeing my research translate back to helping my patients and their families - to me that's really valuable and important. I've already seen my work reap a lot of benefit for my patients here at the Austin and also for other people around the world, and that's what's really given me focus as a researcher." Professor Ingrid Scheffer joins the ranks of only four other Australians who have won the award, one of whom went on to win a Nobel Prize. She sees the award not only as a great honour, but as a new role with responsibilities to mentor not only young women, but young clinicians who struggle to find a balance that allows them to work as both clinician and researcher. "Did you know that there are fewer than ten per cent female professors at The University of Melbourne? We need to encourage and grow bright young women into outstanding international scientists, whilst enabling them to have a degree of work-life balance. Women in science face additional challenges juggling a career and family, but if they are passionate about science, life can be incredibly rewarding," she said. "Many medical doctors don't think about science, so it's also important to show young doctors the benefit of being a clinician-researcher, to show that you can balance clinical medicine, research and family. It makes for a very exciting and rewarding career with multiple roles that are intertwined and impact on thinking in each domain. It's a great privilege to be able to train and mentor young people, and to help them to learn to think as a researcher - as well as a clinician." "Of course, I could not have done this without the contributions of my patients and their families, my fabulous research team, my family and my many collaborators around the world," she said.
Austin Health's leadership in delivering world-class health information systems that put patients first is recognised in a front-cover article in Hospital & Aged Care Magazine. (Article by David Hutchins, first appeared in Hospital & AgedCare Magazine, November 2011 edition, published by Yaffa Publishing. All rights reserved. Used with permission.)
In December 2008, the famous Australian arthouse filmmaker, Paul Cox (Man of Flowers 1983, Lonely Hearts 1981, My First Wife 1984, Innocence 2000), received a liver transplant at the Austin Hospital. In On Borrowed Time, prominent documentary maker David Bradbury (Frontline 1980, Jabiluka 1997, A Hard Rain 2007) follows Paul throughout his cancer treatment, his wait for an organ and through his liver transplant surgery. Featuring a who's who of Australian film and intellectual life of the past 30 years - including David Stratton, Phillip Adams, Chris Haywood and Gosia Dobrowski - Bradbury's tribute to the great director delves into Cox's outlook on filmmaking and life, particularly in the wake of his remarkable recent brush with cancer. Find out where the film is being screened or pre-order the DVD now
Austin Health's Benjamin Howden has received the 2011 ICAAC Young Investigator Award from the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), recognizing his research excellence in microbiology and infectious diseases. Dr Howden, an infectious diseases physician and medical microbiologist, has been honoured for his research into antibiotic resistance in the treatment of ‘golden staph'. Dr. Howden's sophisticated clinical and molecular research program is addressing some of the most pressing issues in human infectious diseases medicine.
Dr Howden says developing a prevention strategy for ‘golden staph' is a difficult and challenging research task. "Golden staph seems to be able to outsmart vaccines. By focusing on how the immune system responds to antibiotic resistant ‘staph', we may find better strategies for dealing with it in the future. We are currently doing bacterial genomics which is basically the whole genetic sequencing of resistant and non-resistant bacteria and then finding the difference in order to understand how ‘staph' has become resistant to antibiotics."
Dr Howden says that even subtle changes in resistance levels can impact treatment outcomes. "We need to design new strategies for managing patients that are infected with these resistant strains."
Dr Howden's passion for infectious diseases seemed evident at a young age but it is the constantly evolving nature of infectious diseases that continues to interest him. "I always liked bugs and germs as a kid but what I love about it today is that infectious diseases is always changing. A lot of medicine on a global scale is about infectious diseases," he said.
While the award recognises Dr Howden's work, he is quick to acknowledge the team with whom he works. "This award is recognition of a team approach. I've worked with a lot of people who have contributed to this research," he said. Professor Lindsay Grayson, director of Infectious Diseases says, "Without question, Dr. Howden is one of the rising stars in infectious diseases research-both nationally and internationally."
Austin Health volunteer Joan Gillespie has won a 2011 Veteran Community Award as part of the Victorian Senior of the Year Awards for her exceptional contribution to the veteran community. Ms Gillespie was presented with the award by Victorian Premier, Ted Baillieu, at Government House earlier this month along with twelve other winners.
Ms Gillespie she was "absolutely shocked" to learn she had won the award. "I was very proud; very embarrassed but very honoured too," she said.
Ms Gillespie has been a volunteer at Austin Health for twenty years. She travels about the wards three days a week on a motorised wheelchair with her tiny dog, Charlie, talking to patients. "I try to make patients feel better and feel happy," she said.
It was Ms Gillespie's work with Austin Health's veterans' psychiatry program that led to her nomination. The veterans, who have been touched and inspired by her tireless voluntary efforts to boost morale, were responsible for nominating her. One of the veterans described the effect Ms Gillespie has on the group in the nomination. "Every week I look forward to coming to ‘Repat' to have a chat with a lady who cheers most of the vets of all conflicts. I only know her as Joan, a shining light to all who know her," he said.
Ms Gillespie said she has a special relationship with the veterans. "They've got a lot to give, those vets. They like to talk to someone who is not a medical person," she said.
Ms Gillespie says Austin Health is like a second family to her. She contracted polio as a 5 month old baby and has received treatment at the Austin Hospital since the 1960's. Today, a portable respirator has freed her from thirty years in an iron lung. "I love this place. I love Austin Hospital with an absolute passion. I love all the staff. Everyone's special here in their own way," she said.
Austin Health is one of five sites across Australia participating in a world-wide research trial to prevent the development of Alzheimer's disease.
Associate Professor Michael Woodward, medical director of Aged and Residential Care, says The Scarlet RoAD Study is the first trial of its kind. "We are looking at how to stop the progression of Alzheimer's in people already suffering significant memory problems. It's very exciting because we have conducted research trials with patients who already have Alzheimer's but we've not done any trials with patients who are at this earlier stage of the disease," he said.
Prodromal Alzheimer's is a condition characterised by rates of memory loss exceeding that expected in normal ageing. People with prodromal Alzheimer's are more likely to develop dementia than people with other forms of memory loss or mild cognitive impairment.
"Memory problems will occur most days in people with the disease and it might impact a person's ability to plan or pay attention or recall events from the past," says A/Prof Woodward.
Researchers know that changes occur in the brain many decades before a person develops the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. A/Prof Woodward says that the process starts with a build up of a protein called amyloid in the brain. "We can see with amyloid PET scans that amyloid is building up twenty years before symptoms. This build up is then associated with damage to brain tissue," he said.
Researchers are hoping they will be able to halt this process with a drug called gantenerumab. "We are looking to see if the drug will bind to small aggregates of amyloid, neutralise it and allow it to be cleared from the brain by the body's immune mechanisms, "said A/Prof Woodward.
A/Prof Woodward says that conducting the research at an early stage is crucial. "We know that if we wait too long until the person already has dementia, the damage is already done and benefits may be less. So, if we can remove this amyloid, we've got a very good chance, perhaps our best chance yet, of stopping the progression to dementia," he said.
Patient, Margaret Auld is one of 270,000 Australians currently diagnosed with dementia. Her husband, Edward, has also been diagnosed with the first stages of memory loss. He is hoping to participate in the research. "Finding a cure would mean so much to our family," he said.
More information: www.scarletrdstudy.com or 1800 680 261
Olivia Newton-John flew into Melbourne on Friday 16 September to personally thank a local Melbourne couple, Carlo Montagner and Bozena Zembrzuski, for their extraordinary donation of $1 million - the largest personal contribution to date to the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre.
"I was so excited when I heard the news," said Olivia Newton-John. "This is the first chance I have had to personally see Carlo, Bozena and the family to thank them for sharing our vision and making this inspirational gift." Carlo Montagner and Bozena Zembrzuski say their donation to the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre was inspired by a strong desire to "give back" to their local community.
The couple, joint founders of private pharmaceutical company, Specialised Therapeutics Australia, know that cancer touches many lives, including people close to their family.
"Both Carlo and I grew up in the northern suburbs and the Austin was a part of our lives as the local hospital. We have since used it many times with our children and wider family," said Ms. Zembrzuski.
Ms Zembrzuski explained it was whilst living and working in the United States that they became inspired by numerous philanthropic initiatives. She said the million dollar gift is a personal family donation, not a business contribution, and she hopes the donation will inspire further generosity.
"We encourage all Melburnians to help support the centre," Ms. Zembrzuski said. "We are great believers in giving back to the community when you are able. This is going to be a world class facility with a wonderful medical and holistic focus. We are proud to be contributing and helping to make the centre a reality."
In recognition of their donation, Ms Newton-John announced that the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre's day oncology ward will now be known as Montagner Zembrzuski Day Oncology when it opens in June 2012. "I too hope that this gift inspires others to make a donation to our appeal," said Ms Newton-John. "We are so close to completing the Centre, and have had great support from government and the community. Thanks to Carlo and Bozena we now only have a few million left to raise!" The Austin Hospital is already a world leader in cancer treatment and research. The Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre will bring under one roof the comprehensive cancer services, including world class clinical facilities and care, internationally renowned cancer research (in conjunction with the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research) and of course the Wellness Centre, providing supportive complimentary care in a tranquil and beautiful environment.
Of the $189 million needed to fund the project, $181 million has been raised to date, of which $16 million was raised through the community, foundations and individual donations. The appeal's current fundraising target is to raise a further $8 million through donations from the community and corporate sector.
Please join Olivia and the Montagner Zembrzuski family, and make your donation today. Please call (03) 9496 5753 or donate online www.OliviaAppeal.com
Austin Health will host two symposia on September 20 that will examine how new technologies can improve patient care. At the Nursing Informatics Symposium, keynote speaker David Bloch, owner of VirtuAlameda in the USA, will conduct a workshop on using virtual platforms such as Second Life for patient education. Meanwhile, at the Clinicians IT Leadership Symposium, Austin's ICU Director, Associate Professor Graeme Hart will be participating in a panel discussion on how information technology can improve continuity of care for complex and chronic patients as they move across different care settings, while still maintaining standards of patient privacy and identity.
The two symposia are expected to attract some 120 of the world's leading thinkers in health information technology to the hospital, ahead of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) conference and leadership summit on September 21 and 22.
The symposia will also give the hospital the opportunity to showcas eclinical systems in use during ward tours to view some of the hospital's mobile technology at work, and during demonstrations of leading systems such as Cerner, Kronos, and its Scanned Medical Records system.
The hospital was approached to host the symposia through Janette Gogler, Assistant Director of Nursing Informatics. Ms Gogler said that the combination of the hospital's facilities and its advanced use of clinical information systems were what attracted the organisers.
"The Austin is definitely a leader in clinical informatics," Ms Gogler said.
"We've had Medtrak for nearly 10 years, electronic rostering for 20 years, many specialised clinical systems in use, and we would be one of the few health services with clinical informatics as a professional position. We're probably one of the most advanced health service in Australia in terms of our comprehensive use of clinical systems," she said.
The Nursing Informatics Symposium will be co-chaired by Ms Gogler, officially opened by Austin's CEO, Dr Brendan Murphy, and closed by Director of Nursing, Ann Maree Keenan. The Clinicians IT Leadership is to be opened by Professor Graeme Hart, Director of the ICU. To register for either symposia visit http://www.regonline.com.au/Register/Checkin.aspx?EventID=964339
Austin's Mathis Grossmann has received the prestigious 2011 Mid-Career Research Award from the Endocrine Society of Australia (ESA) in recognition of outstanding research in endocrinology.
Dr Grossmann's work out of the Men's Health Clinic has been prolific. His observational and interventional clinical trials researching the effects of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) on men with prostate cancer have led to the development of national guidelines for the management of the endocrine side effects of ADT. These guidelines have been endorsed by the Australian Endocrine, Urological and Bone Mineral Societies and are now included in the National Health and Medical Research Council Clinical Practice Guidelines portal.
Dr Grossmann says the guidelines are an important step forward in managing potential adverse side effects for patients. "ADT is a type of therapy that reduces the level of male sex hormones called, ‘androgens' in the body. This therapy can bring with it significant side effects such as osteoporatic fractures and type 2 diabetes. The guidelines I developed go some way in helping to define how best to monitor and manage these side effects," he said.
Dr Grossmann also conducted one of the largest cross-sectional studies of men with type 2 diabetes showing that testosterone levels are commonly reduced in these men.
"Low testosterone levels have been related to poor health outcomes in diabetic men but whether testosterone treatment is helpful or harmful is not known. To help answer this important question, we are now conducting a clinical trial of testosterone therapy," said Dr Grossmann.
In August, Dr Grossmann travelled to Perth to deliver a plenary lecture about his research at the Endocrine Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting, where he also received his award.
Two Austin trainees are being hailed as "superwomen" after passing Fellow of the Royal Australian College of Physicians (FRACP) clinical exams six weeks after giving birth.
Dr Anita Singh and Dr Katie Landy are amongst a group of 26 Austin/Northern candidates who have successfully passed their exams contributing to Austin Health's ninety three per cent pass rate compared with a nation-wide pass rate of seventy per cent. Co-director of Physician Education, Dr Scott Patterson says the two doctors deserve a special mention for what they put themselves through. "I call them both superwomen. I don't know why they had to make life that hard for themselves but they were amazing!"
The FRACP clinical exam occurs in the final year of basic physician training. It is the culmination of three years of study following a junior doctor's internship. Both written and clinical components must be passed in order to enter advanced training in an area of interest.
Preparation for the exam is gruelling. Trainees work as hard as they did for their final year medical school exams. Dr Patterson says trainees have almost no spare time in the lead up to the exams. "It's always been regarded as a bit of a monster. They are studying for 18 months and working 50-60 hours a week, so basically every waking minute, they are preparing," says Dr Patterson.
The exam requires candidates to travel interstate for a rigorous assessment. "Examiners assess whether you are someone who can practice independently in general medicine without supervision and know when to ask for help," says Dr Patterson. "How well can you get information from the patient; formulate a list of issues; and prioritise them?"
Approximately 60 Austin Health senior medical staff and advanced trainees support the trainees. Dr Doug Johnson, also co-director of Physician Education says the results are a reflection of Austin's excellent training program. "There's a great culture of teaching and supporting our junior staff in their area of interest. The trainees do practice exams and cases with staff from different specialities to increase their exposure to patients and learn from the experts. We hope these results encourage our medical students and interns who are considering physician training to stay at the Austin or come to the Austin because we provide a really comprehensive training program," he says.
Dr Singh agrees that support from Austin staff and her family helped her get through her exam just weeks after the birth of her first child. "It was one of the toughest things I've done in my life: going through all those sleepless nights and then getting up in the morning and studying for the exams. The support at Austin was absolutely amazing. I don't think I could have passed without it," she says.
Austin Health is preparing to say a sad farewell to the Diamond Creek Opportunity Shop in Main Hurstbridge Road, after 30 years of support from local volunteers.
The Diamond Creek Opportunity Shop in Main Hurstbridge Road has been under a cloud since Austin Health management became aware of its deteriorating condition and increasingly poor state of maintenance. "The risk of a volunteer staff member or customer getting hurt was increasingly of concern," said John Heselev, Austin Health's Communications director.
"The health service is legally bound to provide a healthy and safe environment for its staff and the community and the current state of the shop is poor," he said. "We had the property inspected by numerous builders and we commissioned two major independent reviews in an effort to find a way to continue to support this important volunteer-run enterprise. We have been working with the committee for over a year to try to find ways to either relocate the business or renovate the property, but in the final analysis, renovating or re-building the property was beyond our funding capacity", Mr Heselev said.
Mr Heselev said he hoped that the community accepted that Austin Health had acted in good faith throughout the process. "Our primary business is health care, and we do that extremely well. The community expects us to exercise caution before spending their money and in the end, we couldn't justify it," said Mr Heselev.
Mr Heselev thanked volunteers and the Diamond Creek community for their years of support and hard work. "Since 1981, over $2 million has been raised to support the work of the Austin by the good people of Diamond Creek and we sincerely thank them for all their efforts", he said.
Three years ago, Angus Stewart was an 18 year old commencing a pre-apprenticeship in woodwork. He stepped outside for a run with one of his best mates and his heart stopped for 26 minutes, leaving him with an acquired brain injury.
Today, Mr Stewart hopes to use his woodwork skills to make and sell disability aides for a new social enterprise, River Enterprises, based at the Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre.
A group of participants with acquired brain injuries (ABI) and volunteers will design and produce the aides and also market and administer the business.
Armed with a $5,000 grant from the City of Booroondara and business plans completed by the Faculty of Business at Swinburne University, River Enterprises kicked off in June.
"The idea grew out of Victoria's only specialist woodwork class for people with ABI which runs at the Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre. There is high demand for an extension beyond therapy programs such as these . The beauty of this program is that it is a self-sustaining model. It is run by volunteers and its profits are reinvested back into the business," says Alec Babos, linking leisure specialist in Community Integration and Leisure.
The fact that River Enterprises is run by volunteers makes it more affordable but it also brings its challenges. "Volunteers are the backbone of the venture but it also means our growth potential hinges on their recruitment. Without them, we can't take on more participants. We can't grow," says Mr Babos.
A recent article in the Sunday Herald Sun attracted potential volunteers and donations from the community. "We've got responses from people who are potential volunteers and we've also had offers of donations of wood but we need more people to spread the word," he says.
For Mr Stewart, River Enterprises allows him to return to a passion he had before his accident. "They have everything that I could want for woodworking in the shop; all the machinery and all the hand tools all there in the one place," says Mr Stewart. "I think the enterprise is a good idea; being a little more responsible for what happens in the workroom can only be a good thing," says Mr Stewart.
Contact Alec Babos on 9490 7558 if you would like more information.
Thanks to Eltham Timber and Hardware and AA Timber in Eltham who regularly donate hardware supplies and timer.
The Health and Rehabilitation Centre pumped with energy last Tuesday, as patients and staff gave demonstration classes to the Minister for Health, David Davis, before he officially opened the facility. The Minister toured three key areas including the Community Rehabilitation Centre treatment gym, the Kokoda Gym and the hydrotherapy pool and chatted with patients along the way. Maureen Peters, who suffered a stroke last year which affected her balance and co-ordination, says the gym and pool in the Centre, have helped improve her health. "The doctor suggested I do it. He's such a wonderful doctor I'd do anything he told me. The whole thing is really wonderful; more than you can imagine - that we'd be looked after that way. I couldn't speak more highly of the physiotherapists. The equipment and the pool is everything you could want," she says. Irene Heymig, who is 86 years old and uses the Centre twice a week, says the Centre is a social place. "We are all talkative. I try not to talk too much because after all, you are there to do your exercise but I love it and I would be most upset if I couldn't do it anymore so it must help me! At my age, you are pleased, if things stay the same. You don't expect to get better as long as you stay the way you are. Using the Centre, it definitely doesn't get worse! Cathy Nall, director of Physiotherapy, says the hydrotherapy pool is a marvellous asset. "At 34 degrees, it is much warmer than a normal pool. The pool is also finely tuned for its chemistry and pH levels. Interestingly, the pool is fully automated. Our physiotherapists will be able to look at the pool chemistry remotely, from their own computers," she says. Patients might use the pool for therapy following a range of joint replacement surgery; an episode of acute back pain or conservative management of osteoarthritis. Ms Nall says patients will work in the pool to improve their muscle strength and range of movement. "The resistance you get from the water helps build strength. Also, where you might feel pain walking on land, you are partially supported in water so it may not be as painful. Also, the warmth means that people can be more flexible in the water and exercising in water is not so hard on joints," she says.
Surgeons at the Austin Hospital performed life-saving liver transplant surgery on prominent radio broadcaster Derryn Hinch in the early hours of Wednesday July 6.
Nearly 200 clinicians, researchers and collaborators gathered with local, state and federal politicians, people with an interest in brain disorders and community members to formally open the Melbourne Brain Centre on Friday 24 June.
Inside the centre, one piece of research will use specialised imaging to investigate the possible expansion of the use of the clot-busting drug tPA (tissue plasminogen activator) when treating stroke patients. Currently, the drug can only be used to treat patients within four and a half hours from the onset of stroke. Researchers will be investigating how to expand this time frame to ensure more patients can receive treatment into the future.
Professor Geoffrey Donnan, director of the Florey Neuroscience Institutes says the new facility is a great development for Australian neuroscience. "This is the perfect place to do, what we say, bench to bedside research. We make discoveries in laboratories and we translate the results into clinical outcomes.
Our particular expertise here at the Austin Hospital at this facility is stroke and epilepsy. The facility is embedded right on the hospital campus. We already had research that was of absolutely world class standard and what this does is enable researchers; it brings them all together into one fantastic space, and enables them to take another step to produce work that is of even better quality. So it's an ideal opportunity," he said.
The Melbourne Brain Centre at the Austin Hospital is a powerful partnership between Florey Neuroscience Institutes; The University of Melbourne; the Mental Health Research Institute; and Austin Health. In collaboration, the partners will work and think together in this new state-of-the-art facility; sharing skills and techniques and transferring knowledge in order to advance our understanding of brain disorders.
Dr Brendan Murphy, CEO of Austin Health says it is exciting to be a part of this important work. "We are really looking forward to working closely with, and indeed as part of, this centre to provide a unique clinical interface to neuroscience research. Clinically based research into epilepsy and stroke and many other conditions will be made so powerful by the location of this facility within our health service," he said.
Minister for Resources and Energy, Martin Ferguson and Minister for Community Services, Jenny Macklin formally opened the building with special guest, Minister for Health, David Davis also speaking formally to the gathered crowd about the importance of the new facility.
The Coral-Balmoral building at the Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital was officially opened on Tuesday 21 June by the Minister for Mental Health, Mary Wooldridge and Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Hugh Delahunty.
The new $15.5 million facility brings together the Veterans' Psychiatry Unit and Post Trauma Victoria under one roof in a purpose-built facility.
Associate Professor Mal Hopwood, clinical director of the Psychological Trauma Recovery Service says the opening, which was attended by nearly 100 people, was imbued with an appreciation of the service's place in history. "The Ministers spoke of the importance of the Repatriation Hospital to Victorian veterans and in particular, the trusted role of the mental health unit," A/Prof Hopwood said.
Professor Hopwood says the building enables seamless transition between the different components of the service. "We've got spaces in the new facility which are really good for teaching and research activity now; improving how we diagnose and how we trial new interventions, be they medications or psychological treatment. Many people are telling us that they welcome the quality of the new facility; the nice external spaces in the building and the general improvement in fabric compared to the old building," said A/Prof Hopwood.
The name of the building commemorates those Australians who fought in the Vietnam War. The battle of Coral-Balmoral began on 12 May 1968 and was the largest military engagement by Australian forces during this war.
As a logistician in the Vietnam war, David Catterall's role was to support tanks when they needed repair. Mr Catterall recalls the surprise of being caught up in the engagement. "We became involved in the rocket and mortar fire applied to fire support base Coral on the night of 22nd and 23rd May. I hadn't expected to be involved in battle but because the tanks had to operate a considerable distance away from the taskforce base, an element of the store section needed to go with the tanks. We had to go much further forward with the tanks than we ever thought we would. We were surprised to be involved in the combat area and therefore came across things for which we had been trained but which we ultimately never really thought in our own minds would happen. " he said.
Olivia Newton-John will perform live at a special Melbourne-Carlton AFL charity match on May 27 to help raise money for the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre.
"I'm incredibly excited at the opportunity to perform in front of a big crowd in my home town of Melbourne and urge all footy fans to come along and give generously so we can now help complete the O," she said.
Those attending the match are encouraged to fill their pockets with spare change and make a donation via one of the collectors patrolling the MCG on the day. Alternatively, donations can be made via www.oliviaappeal.com or via telephone on 1800 220 210.
For those unable to attend the match, the host broadcast network Channel 7 will provide special fundraising support through their telecast, including Olivia's live performance.
A VIP package for the match is available, with all proceeds going to the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre. The package includes entry and a reserved seat for the match, a pre-match cocktail party, access to an exclusive viewing area for Olivia's pre-match concert, a VIP gift pack and a photo with Olivia on the MCG. Tickets are $500 and bookings can be made by calling (03) 9496 5753.
The first stage of the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre is due to open in 2012, with final stages in 2013.
An Austin Health nurse, Zena Coffey, has been named Graduate Nurse of the Year in the 2011 HESTA Australian Nursing Awards.
Ms Coffey was presented with the award on Thursday 12 May at a gala ceremony at Melbourne's Crown Entertainment Complex.
Ms Coffey says she still remembers her first day in the emergency department at the Austin Hospital.
"About 15 minutes into my shift, a patient had a cardiac arrest. I thought, ‘Oh my goodness! What have I got myself into?' But it proved to be a wonderful supportive environment in which to learn," she said.
Judges were impressed by Ms Coffey's ability to excel in emotionally charged environments such as emergency, palliative care and oncology along with her dedication to good communication.
