Telehealth goes under the spotlight

Telehealth has become a valuable tool in delivering health care.
Image: Shutterstock

by Anne Crawford

Before COVID, telehealth was gaining traction as a new way of delivering health care; in the midst of the pandemic, it became a necessity. A Monash University study set out to find what healthcare providers thought of the implementation of the model of care given its rapid acceleration in their field.

The researchers conducted a 12-month service-wide survey of the attitudes to telehealth held by clinicians, managers and administrative staff in Peninsula Health in June-July 2021. 

Study investigates gout medication for improving outcomes after heart attacks

Professor Jamie Layland

by Jessica Mills, Peninsula Health

Research investigating the impact of common gout medication Colchicine, in patients with acute coronary syndrome, led by Peninsula Health and Monash University cardiologist Professor Jamie Layland, has been published in premier cardiology journal Circulation.

The COPS Trial (COlchicine in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes) is a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial to assess the impact of low-dose colchicine on long-term cardiovascular outcomes in patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes. This is the first Australian multi-centered clinical trial to be led by Peninsula Health.

Monash study reveals insights into brain injury, blood carbon dioxide levels and hospital deaths

Professor Ravi Tiruvoipati

by Anne Crawford

A large multi-centre study has made an important finding about the relationship between hypercapnia (high carbon dioxide or CO2) in the blood of patients with acute brain injury and hospital mortality. CO2 makes your blood more acidic which, if not adjusted, can affect your outcomes for the worse.
 
Professor Ravindranath Tiruvoipati, Adjunct Clinical Professor at the Peninsula Clinical School, Monash University and Intensive Care Specialist at Frankston Hospital, Peninsula Health, was first author on the paper, published in JAMA Neurology.  

Central Clinical School hospitals achieve top results in FRACP examination

Recent successful FRACP examinees celebrate their pass

Congratulations to our Basic Physician trainees from Central Clinical School hospitals, who achieved an exceptional pass rate in the recent (delayed) FRACP examination! 

Alfred Health trainees achieved a 100% (31/31) pass rate and Peninsula Health trainees achieved an 86% (18/21) pass rate.   We would like to congratulate all the trainees for such an outstanding achievement. We would also like to congratulate all our education staff at Peninsula and Alfred Health who co-ordinate the teaching programs from undergraduate through to postgraduate medical education.

This is a testament to the outstanding education leadership and support for trainees at both sites.

Photo of the week: Peninsula Clinical School academic unit

Welcome to our new Academic Unit in Medicine at Peninsula Clinical School! L-R: Professor Velandai Srikanth (Group head), Dr Chris Karayiannis (geriatrician and PhD student), Dr Chris Moran (Geriatrician, NHMRC & ARC Dementia Early Career Research Fellow, and senior lecturer), Associate Professor Richard Beare (Bioinformatics and Imaging), Ms Afton Nido (the group's Executive Assistant), Dr Wei Wang (Biostatistician and senior lecturer. Absent: Dr Nadine Andrew (NHMRC Early Career Fellow, Health Services Research and senior lecturer).

Brains of people with diabetes have to work harder

Professor Velandai Srikanth is a clinician-
researcher based at Frankston Hospital in 
the south of Melbourne

by Anne Crawford

It was exactly the sort of investigation – and findings – that excites Professor Velandai Srikanth: Twenty-two sets of twins, all aged about sixty, controlled for factors including age, sex, genes and early shared environment. One twin in each pair had type 2 diabetes.

Comprehensive measures of brain structure and function were obtained. The twins in the study, funded by the Diabetes Australia Research Trust, showed no difference in brain volumes and ultimately performed the same in standard tests of cognitive function. But when it came to testing memory during a functional MRI, it became evident that the diabetic twin’s brain was much working harder, needing to recruit more areas to do the task.

Welcome to Professor Velandai Srikanth!

Professor Velandai Srikanth

Welcome to Velandai Srikanth, newly appointed Professor of Medicine in Central Clinical School based at Peninsula Health!

Srikanth's research role is supported by Monash University, and his clinical appointment is with Peninsula Health. He will also be involved in overseeing the delivery of education to medical students, and contribute to the clinical activities in the Department of Medicine at Peninsula Health.

Srikanth comes to us from the School of Clinical Sciences at Monash Health, where he was the head of the Stroke and Ageing Research Group and a specialist Geriatrician within Neurosciences at Monash Health. His research expertise lies in the clinical study of chronic diseases related to ageing, particularly with relevance to major health priorities including dementia, diabetes, cerebrovascular diseases, gait disorders and falls. His research has been funded by fellowships and grants from the NHMRC and the Heart Foundation. Srikanth plans to continue his research and develop new research initiatives relevant to the significantly ageing population in the Peninsula.

See more about Srikanth's research: www.med.monash.edu.au/medicine/alfred/research/srikanth-group.html

Position vacant: PA to Peninsula Health Professor of Medicine

The PA role supporting Srikanth at Frankston Hospital is now advertised on the Peninsula Health website. Applications close 11 September 2016.

Link to job description:

peninsula.mercury.com.au/ViewPosition.aspx?id=fOcC6BX8omw=&jbc=ere

Peninsula Health Clinical Teaching joins Central Clinical School

The Undergraduate Medical Education Directorate (UMED) has expanded this year with the addition of Peninsula Health Clinical Teaching. The Director of Clinical Teaching at Peninsula Health is Associate Professor Patrick Fiddes. Peninsula Health currently looks after about 120 Year 3,4 and 5 medical students in a variety of specialities. UMED also has Directors of Clinical Teaching at Cabrini (A/Prof Michelle Levinson) and Epworth (Professor Geoffrey Metz).