Alan, Ada, and Eva Selwyn Emergency Department

Head: Associate Professor Katie Walker

Cabrini Emergency Research Department is interested in novel and innovative attempts to improve patients’ and staff experiences and outcomes of attending and working in an emergency department (ED). Our focus is on using novel technology or novel system design to solve the complex and often vexing problems encountered in Emergency Medicine.

Director of Emergency Medicine Research Associate Professor Katie Walker

Director of Emergency Medicine Associate Professor Michael Ben-Meir

Clinical Director of Emergency Medicine Dr Rohan Laging

Emergency Physicians Dr Gabriel Blecher Associate Professor Keith Joe, IT lead Dr Christine Jackman

Directors of Emergency Medicine Training Dr Dane Horsfall Dr Ian Turner

PhD Candidates Troy McGee, Monash University Alexandra Mullins, Monash University

ACEM trainee Dr Melanie Stephenson, Monash University

Medical Students David Cui, Monash University Ian Shijie Tan, Monash University

Acknowledgement of Staff who have left (2019-2020) Anne Loupis, Project Manager We are interested in partnering with university and industry colleagues to investigate novel and emerging technologies, as well as new service design approaches. By collaborating with experts in diverse areas, such as mathematics, data analytics, visualisation, aged care, graphic design and consumers we hope to generate, investigate and implement improvements that can positively affect the experience, safety and efficiency of attending an ED. Our aim is to increase the research complexity and output of our department over the coming years. The highly successful year we have had in terms of publications, presentations and grants success demonstrates significant progress towards our goal.

Highlights

1. 2. 3. 4. MRFF grant Gilroy Potts award for best original research paper: Scribe BMJ publication ACEM research registrar rotation ED wait time project and its progress so far

Our Research

Wait time visibility for emergency medicine patients

RESEARCHERS: WALKER K (PI), STEPHENSON MEL, BEN-MEIR M, JOE K, LOUPIS A, STEPHENSON MICH, LOWTHIAN J, HUTTON J, BLECHER G, BUNTINE P, ET AL

Patients attend emergency departments seeking urgent care. Most have to wait to see a doctor. The majority of patients aren’t provided with any estimate of how long they are likely to wait, which causes major issues for them, their families and their paramedics. A $250,000 Monash Partners grant from the Medical Research Futures Fund is being used to determine whether consumers want access to wait times, how they should be displayed and how to accurately predict their wait times. It will also allow us to go live with predicted wait times at some of our local hospitals, improving health service transparency and the patient experience.

(R-L) Associate Professor Katie Walker with Medical Scribe Jennifer Hanning.

Developing and testing virtual reality tools to reduce agitation in cognitively impaired older people in emergency departments

RESEARCHERS: BLECHER G, KUHN L, RUSSO P, FLYNN D, PAGE R, WALKER K ET AL

Cognitively impaired older adults often have to attend emergency departments to obtain acute healthcare. Some experience significant agitation, delirium and distress. For their safety, sedative medications or physical restraints are sometimes used in the emergency department to allow care to be provided. A $147,000 grant from the Cabrini Foundation Auric program is being used to develop and evaluate whether virtual reality tools can be used to calm people instead. My Health Record in the emergency department: An investigation of adoption, utilisation and utility

RESEARCHERS: MULLINS A, M BEN-MEIR M, RANKIN D, O’DONNELL R, SKOUTERIS H

Given the amount of funding invested into the implementation and development of My Health Record (MHR) and the accelerated rate of adoption of MHR across emergency departments, it is timely that this evidence base is enriched. This research takes leadership in this untapped area to generate new knowledge, through codesign with Monash University (this research forms part of a PhD). The aims of this research include: (1) Systematically review the health outcome and healthcare efficiency benefits associated with MHR use during clinical time in the emergency department; (2) Explore MHR use by physicians and pharmacists in the emergency department; (3) Explore the barriers to regular MHR use, by physicians and pharmacists, in the emergency department; and (4) Explore the impact of MHR use on physician and pharmacist decision making, patient outcomes and healthcare efficiencies in the emergency department.

By collaborating with experts in diverse areas, such as mathematics, data analytics, visualisation, aged care, graphic design and consumers we hope to generate, investigate and implement improvements that can positively affect the experience, safety and efficiency of attending an ED.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR MICHAEL BEN-MEIR

5

CLINICAL TRIALS

13

PUBLICATIONS

6

PRESENTATIONS