Improving quality information flow to medical practitioners: Living Systematic Review

Current and emerging health
knowledge ecosystems

Medical research output is doubling every five to seven years. The great boon of this body of work is its potential for dramatically improving  understanding of disease processes and treatment protocols. The curse is that busy practitioners who need comprehensive overviews of their field, don't have time to read everything. Systematic reviews analyse all the data for a given subject area, but are slow to complete because of the volume of material and rigour required. For the first time, a new process, called a living systematic review (LSR), has been proposed by a group of Monash University clinician-researchers based at the Alfred Hospital.

Yoga @ AMREP, coordinated by BakerIDI

Baker IDI has facilitated yoga classes for staff and students at AMREP at an incredibly good price with some wonderful instructors, and is now in a position to open this up to other AMREP staff and students.  Classes are held in the meeting room on the 7th floor, Baker IDI Tower on:

• Mondays 5.15–6.15pm (Joti) - email joti@naked-shaman.com phone: 0430 813 108
• Wednesdays 5.15–6.15pm (Lilly) - email:  lillianstesin@hotmail.com or phone: 0432 140 590

Perioperative medicine Masters program and short courses in high demand

Source: Cabrini Health

2014 is the second year of running the Master of Medicine (Perioperative Medicine) program through the Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine at the Alfred and Monash University, and Units are in high demand with 3 out of 4 of the core units already full for 2014. It has been very successful with positive feedback received from the first year intake of students. Admissions are currently open. The Perioperative Medicine short course is now in its fifth year, with intake numbers increasing. It has a substantial waitlist. Enrolments open in March. 2014 course dates, structure and fees are now online at www.periopmedicine.org.au

Participants sought: Hay fever treatment with oral tablet

Rye grass is a common
allergen

The Alfred Allergy Clinic is conducting a study of oral tablet treatment for hay fever. This new oral tablet dissolves in the mouth before swallowing, and the study will investigate it as an alternative to “allergy shots”. Researchers are seeking 40 patients of both Chinese and non-Chinese background. This treatment could pave the way to relief for the large number of Chinese people who develop grass pollen hay fever in Australia. See more about the Department of Allergy, Immunology and Respiratory medicine's research.

Michael Cangkrama: What underlies skin diseases?

Michael Cangkrama's research looks at skin development and diseases. His particular topic is "Analysis of the grainyhead-like genes in mammalian development and disease".  Michael is a PhD student in the Department of Medicine, in the Epidermal Development Laboratory and his supervisors are Professor Stephen Jane and Dr Charbel Darido.  To read more, visit: http://www.med.monash.edu.au/cecs/education/profiles/cangkrama.html

Participants sought: Resistant Starch dietary research study

Participants required

Do you have an ileostomy? Would you like to take part in a dietary research study? Volunteers are required for a study investigating the use of a new Resistant Starch product that may be used to help increase levels of Resistant Starch in Australian foods. Resistant Starch is thought to have a wide range of health benefits in humans.

Dr John Morrison: Senior Business Development Manager for the Alfred Precinct

Dr John Morrison is the new Senior Business Development Manager for the Alfred Precinct, assisting both Schools (Central Clinical School and the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine). John will be able to supply valuable advice and be the point of contact for academics and researchers.