Articles
New Fellowship Scheme to Support Dementia Research
A new fellowship scheme to support dementia research is seeking Australia's leading up-and-coming researchers to apply. [ + ]
Professor Graeme Clark Wins Prestigious US Bioengineering award
Professor Graeme Clark AC from the University of Melbourne is the first Australian to receive the US Russ Prize for an outstanding achievement in bioengineering innovation that is in widespread use to improve health and well-being: the cochlear implant. The US National Academy of Engineering and Ohio University announced the winners of the biennial prize of US $500,000 today and recognised Professor Clark’s pioneering role in the development of the multi-channel cochlear implant for people with severe-to-profound deafness. Professors Clark, Ingeborg and Irwin Hochmair from Austria and Michael Merzenich and Blake Wilson from the US are the pioneers in developing the multi-channel cochlear implant for giving speech understanding to severely-profoundly deaf adults and children. Professor Clark, Honorary Professor, Electrical Engineering in the Melbourne School of Engineering who is a lead researcher at the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Neural Engineering, worked with a multi-disciplinary team at the University of Melbourne after he commenced cochlear implant research at the University of Sydney in 1967. In the late 1970s, Professors Clark and Hochmair created prostheses that deployed multiple electrodes and routed particular sounds to different parts of the cochlear. These devices improved the ability of deaf people to understand speech. Professor Clark also helped to create Cochlear Limited, the company that has dominated world markets for the last 30 years with over 250,000 patients implanted with the Australian device. “I am honoured to have been given this award by the US National Academy of Engineering as it represents work that was developed through true multi-disciplinary teams in engineering and medicine to solve a major health issue.” Professor Clark said. Professor Iven Mareels, Dean of the Melbourne School of Engineering said Professor Clark has made a significant difference to the lives of the severely and profoundly deaf. “His work has inspired a whole generation of engineers to work in the development of new technologies to improve health,” he said. [ + ]
GPRA Announces its New Patron, Professor Michael Kidd
Professor Kidd said it’s an honour to follow Professor John Murtagh in this role, and praised Professor Murtagh’s substantial contribution to Australian general practice, and to GPRA. [ + ]
First Patients Released from Australian-funded Ebola Clinic in Sierra Leone
The first patient successfully treated at the Australian-funded Ebola clinic in Sierra Leone has been discharged with a clean bill of health. [ + ]
Dietitians Reveal their Own Mindful Eating Resolutions
A survey involving 175 accredited Practising Dietitians found almost 60 percent are planing to fine tune their eating habits be being more mindful in 2015. [ + ]
Indigenous Australians Suffer Twice as Commonly from Serious Heart Rhythm Disorder
Research from the University of Adelaide shows Indigenous Australians suffer from a serious heart rhythm disorder twice as commonly as non-Indigenous people. [ + ]
Australian Mental Health Care Classification Consultation Paper Released
The Independent Hospital Pricing Authority (IHPA) has released the first public consultation paper on the Development of the Australian Mental Health Care Classification. [ + ]
Simulation Training Could Address Shortfall in Surgery Educators
Stimulation training in basic surgical procedures could address the future shortfall in educators, according to an article in the latest issue of the ANZ Journal of Surgery. [ + ]
Care Opinion Launches New Website
Care Opinion, an independent site where stories about care experiences are shared anonymously, has recently launched with Multicap, Cerebral palsy Qld and Health Options Australia. [ + ]
Medical Leadership and Management
Effective medical leadership is recognised as essential for improving the performance of health services and enhancing the well being of patients and the quality of outcomes. A growing body of literature has also argued that medical leadership plays an integral part in the success and effectiveness of organisational change in the health sector (Ham, 2003). [ + ]
Designing A Hospital That's Out Of The Box
When the first sod of soil was turned at the site of Box Hill Hospital in Melbourne in November 2011, it marked the beginning of a $447.5 million redevelopment project to replace and expand the existing 1950’s facility to ensure it would meet the current and future needs of the local community. [ + ]
The Pain Management Challenge of Residential Aged Care
When someone is considering residential aged care, either for themselves or a family member, access to quality health care is usually high on the agenda. However, even with the best of care, chronic pain – which is usually complex and occurs in one in three people aged over 651 – is often not well managed in residential care, and in some cases may be overlooked completely. [ + ]
