Academic Department
Cabrini – Monash University Department of Medicine - Projects
Areas of focus for the next 12 months
Implementing strategies for improved outcomes in minimal trauma
fracture
We have conducted an audit of the assessment of bone health in all
patients admitted to Cabrini hospital with hip fracture over a 12 month period,
as well as a subsequent survey of the beliefs held by the treating doctors.
Possible barriers to the implementation of evidence based treatments were
identified. The focus over the next 12 months will be to develop and test
targeted strategies to improve the use of evidence based treatments in minimal
trauma fracture.
Cardiology research group
A trial of two regimens for the treatment of high blood cholesterol
is in progress to look at relative efficacy. The trial is part of a multi-centre
cooperative study.
Evaluation of older persons presenting to the Emergency Department with
collapse
Although collapse is a frequent reason for the presentation of older
persons to the ED, little is known about the frequency with which a diagnosis
can be made or which patients require admission to hospital. There is data
published predominantly in the Emergency Medicine literature of the USA related
to the cardiac risk factors indicating high risk and thus need for admission
but little is available relating to the Australian population. We will collect
data relating to need for admission, length of stay, risks related to admission
in this population and diagnosis at separation to better understand the needs
of this group of patients.
Management of community acquired pneumonia in the home
This year, we plan to start a study looking at the management of
CAP by the Hospital-in-the-Home service. There continues to be controversy
regarding the place of home management. Our study will compare the
use of oral vs intravenous antibiotics in two matched groups of patients
with CAP referred to HITH.
Undergraduate education
This year, the Clinical School has been responsible for 16 students.
The Department of Medicine is responsible for delivering the curriculum in
general medicine for 8 of the students for the first semester and then the
alternative 8 students for the subsequent semester. The focus for this year
has been to develop and evaluate a program designed to improve clinical skills
of the medical students. Our previous experience with third year students
was that they had difficulty in applying the clinical skills education received
in first and second year into third year when greater participation in patient
assessment is required. This year a 5 week program was devised to address
these issues. An evaluation of this education was done 2 weeks after completion
of the program and will be reassessed at the end of the year when the students
will have the benefit of the experience of the third year curriculum to evaluate
the content of the program. Another focus of this year’s educational
program has been to increase the number of participating physicians in the
teaching program to provide diversity of experience for the students, and
to develop modules for the teaching of chronic disease.
Postgraduate education
Postgraduate education in the Department of Medicine for trainee
doctors has predominantly related to the informal education of
the medical registrar as part of the general medical patient ward rounds
twice weekly and participation of the registrar in the medical student teaching
program. The focus of this year will be to develop models for formal postgraduate
education of medical registrars within Cabrini Health. This is
also a priority for the College of Physicians and the government due to an
anticipated lack of sufficient training places within the public sector.
