The next phase of studies, titled "Paris on Country," represents a continuation of efforts in Australia and New Zealand to enhance care for infants and children presenting with acute respiratory issues in emergency departments. Through these studies, we have successfully implemented changes in treatment protocols, aimed at alleviating respiratory distress and reducing anxiety for both patients and their parents.
In rural and remote areas of Queensland, approximately 38 percent of the state's total population resides. However, access to healthcare and emergency services in these areas can significantly differ from urban regions. The primary goal of this project is to elevate the standard of care for children experiencing acute respiratory distress in remote and regional settings to match the level of care available in larger cities.
Nationally, 1-2 % of the population will sustain a significant bleed due to the rupture of an abnormal ballooning of the blood vessels within the brain. A complication of this, called hydrocephalus, requires a drain to be inserted into the brain to reduce excessive fluid build-up, until the definitive management is achieved. Advances in interventional radiology techniques such as endovascular coiling have become common practice in the management of these patients. In Queensland, endovascular coiling is mostly performed in Brisbane, and therefore patients outside of the Brisbane area are required to travel for this treatment. For critically unwell patients in North Queensland, the only option is aeromedical retrieval. This area of aeromedical retrieval has not been previously explored therefore this project will look at the safety of aeromedical transports of patients with an invasive drain in a patient’s brain to work towards statewide guidelines.
READ MOREMajor bleeding is a leading cause of death in trauma patients. Blood product replacement is a key component of damage control resuscitation aimed at limiting coagulopathy until definitive control of bleeding is achieved. Although Major Haemorrhage Protocols (MHP) are now widely used in the initial resuscitation of traumatically injured patients (1), protocols can vary based upon individual institutions' capabilities and processes.
Within Australia, the National Blood Authority 2011 Patient Blood Management Guideline Module 1: Critical Care/ Massive Transfusion (2) recommended institutions develop standardized MHP to guide clinicians regarding the dose, timing and ratio of blood component therapy for bleeding trauma patients. However, it is currently unknown if these guidelines are implemented and if so, what institutional variations occur. While the guidelines provide a robust review of the evidence base for MHP, there is little information about the logistics of MHP implementation.
Our project aims are firstly to compare the available trauma bleeding protocols across Queensland for content and quality. Secondly, we wish to understand the institution's capabilities of delivering an MHP in terms of the structure and processes available to them. Thirdly we want to explore the experiences of clinicians involved in delivering an MHP for trauma patients in both tertiary, rural and remote hospitals within Queensland.
Expected benefits are to identify potential disparity of care for trauma patients in terms of MHP content, availability of resources and access to blood products. This information can help guide improvements in education, blood products availability and cost-effective care across Queensland.
READ MOREQueenslanders living in regional, rural and remote areas have a higher incidence of traumatic injury and poorer access to health services than their urban counterparts.
Researchers propose to undertake a first-of-its-kind study to classify and characterise trauma patients from these areas serviced by Townsville, Cairns, Mt Isa, and Mackay Hospitals over the three-year period 2016-2018. Using patient records, researchers will examine the clinical therapies and interventions used and patient outcomes from point-of-injury through to hospital discharge.
The study will capture, collate and compare patient data from Queensland Health, Retrieval Services Queensland (RSQ), LifeFlight Retrieval Medicine (LRM) and the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) to assess the current state of emergency trauma care in the Queensland Tropics, and any potential gaps in aeromedical healthcare delivery. The results will also provide a springboard for a wider system and processes assessment of emergency trauma care for the benefit of patients in North Queensland.
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