Focused upon the delivery of acute care, the Cabrini Department of Emergency Medicine Research is committed to innovations aimed at enhancing the patient experience across Cabrini’s emergency departments. Through a collaborative approach with universities and health services across Melbourne, we strive to discover and implement transformative improvements that improve and streamline emergency medicine workflows.

Our inter-disciplinary research covers a broad range of exploratory programs, including novel uses of digital health records, post-discharge follow-up calls, and the incorporation of interactive screens in waiting rooms. These initiatives are directed towards improved clinical care, paving the way for effective emergency setting strategies that directly align with the needs of our community.

Principal Investigators

Dr Gabriel Blecher
Dr Lisa Brichko
Dr James Ho
Blessing Gazi
Associate Professor Keith Joe
Dr Kathryn Law
Dr Ian Turner
Professor Katie Walker

Associate Investigators

Dr Nyein Aung
Professor Daphne Flynn
Dr Melisa Deque Hurtardo
Dr Alon Ilsar
Associate Professor Lisa Kuhn
Roxanne Lim

Mark MacDonald
Professor Jon McCormack
Dr Joanne Mihelcic
Richard Morfuni
Dr Rowan Page
Professor Sarah Pink
Eden Potter

Alan, Ada, and Eva Selwyn Emergency Department

The Alan, Ada, and Eva Selwyn Emergency Department was established in 2019 and stands as a testament to the philanthropy of the Selwyn family and Cabrini’s commitment to quality healthcare. The Emergency Department is operated by our specialist physicians and expert nursing staff and is recognised by the Australian College of Emergency Medicine, underscoring Cabrini’s commitment to healthcare excellence and safety for the over 24 000 patients who visit annually. With 24-hour pathology services, a dedicated radiology suite, and rapid access specialists, it represents the clinical foundations for our patient-centric research.

Medical Scribe Program

The Cabrini-led Medical Scribe Program seeks to evaluate the integration of medical scribes at the point of care, allowing them to observe and record patient-clinician consultations and assist in clerical duties, such as patient notes. Assessed through a multi-site study across five Victorian sites, medical scribes were found to deliver positive service delivery outcomes in emergency department settings, allowing clinicians to see an additional 25% more patients, while decreasing the duration of each patient visit by 19 minutes. Published in the BMJ, these results suggest that greater workflow efficiencies and optimised resource allocation can be achieved with medical scribes, improving overall standards of care.

Technology-Enabled Patient Communication

When visiting hospital emergency departments, patients expect immediate care for acute medical conditions. Yet extended wait times are common, with limited communication placing physical, logistical, and psychological pressure on patients. Responding to this, clinicians at the Alan, Ada, and Eva Selwyn Emergency Department have developed and validated artificial intelligence (AI) models, capable of accurately predicting wait times in emergency department settings while enabling a feedback-rich approach to patient-centred care. Through the generosity of Perry Sambor, this technology will be implemented more broadly through bedside screens, provide estimated times for patients to receive test results, speak with their attending clinician, or be discharged.

Predicting Heart-Attacks: From Hallway Conversation to Clinical Impact

The early and accurate prediction of heart attacks in patients presenting with chest pains is of paramount importance in emergency medicine. Seeking to address this, the Emergency Department conducted research validating predictive tools that utilised troponin levels as an indicator for the likelihood of heart attack. It was found that this method demonstrated several prognostic benefits, with further research being conducted for adoption as routine care. Resulting from informal conversations between the Emergency Department and the Department of Cardiology Research, this research was able to achieve preliminary findings within six months, reflecting a commitment to an inter-disciplinary and agile culture of research at Cabrini.