A major national initiative to transform emergency treatment for patients with collapsed lungs has been awarded a $4.7 million Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Clinical Trials Activity Grant, with EMF playing a pivotal role in the early stages of research.
This latest funding will support the national implementation of new, evidence-based approaches to treating primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP). Traditionally, PSP has been managed with invasive interventions like chest tubes, but the pivotal PSP study highlighted that a conservative, non-invasive approach can be just as effective.
EMF’s Role in PSP Research
With EMF-funding, Professor Gerben Keijzers, a Senior Emergency Physician and Researcher at Gold Coast University Hospital, co-led the Queensland arm of the original PSP trial. The study demonstrated the benefits of observing patients with PSP instead of immediately intervening, as Prof Keijzers explained:
“Interestingly, all the factors that patients care about ended up being better when they were getting conservative treatment. This includes how long they stay in hospital, their risk of adverse events, or whether they experience another pneumothorax later on.”
Following crucial pilot data from this study, the team was awarded additional funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), which allowed the study to expand nationally. Professor Diana Egerton-Warburton, Director of Emergency Medicine Research at Monash Health, played a key role in the national trial, which was coordinated by the Centre for Clinical Research in Emergency Medicine at Royal Perth Hospital.
“When you’ve got pilot data that you can take into the next grant application it’s hugely helpful, so the EMF grant was a linchpin in getting the NHMRC grant,” Prof Egerton-Warburton shared.
From Trial to National Practice Change
Building on the success of the original PSP trial, Professor Egerton-Warburton, alongside a team including Prof Keijzers, is now leading the national implementation study “iIMPROVE PSP” funded through this major MRFF grant.
Prof Egerton-Warburton acknowledged EMF’s continued support:
“EMF has been one of our key partners on the follow-up MRFF grant application I have with Prof Keijzers, providing a letter of support which I believe has been pivotal in us getting future grants.”
Implementing best evidence can be a challenge, which is why this research is so important in driving changes in the health system. The goal is to scale up conservative PSP management across Australia, improving care and outcomes for patients by embedding the evidence into clinical practice across emergency departments nationwide.
Listening to Patients and Leading with Evidence
Consumer voices have been instrumental in shaping the direction of the iIMPROVE PSP project. Ethan, a 24-year-old man who experienced complications following invasive treatment for PSP, without being offered a conservative option, is now the lead consumer researcher on the MRFF grant. His story highlights the importance of shared decision-making in patient care and ensuring clinical guidelines reflect the latest evidence.
By incorporating real-world experiences like Ethan’s, the project ensures that the implementation of conservative PSP management is both evidence-based and truly patient centred. The research team is also looking to the future, with hopes of expanding the model beyond PSP, Prof Keijzers shared:
“We hope this grant and ongoing successful collaboration will improve patient experiences and outcomes nationally with the possibility to expand to different types of pneumothorax such as those caused by injury.”
From pilot study to practice change, this project is a powerful example of how EMF’s investment in emergency medicine research is driving innovation and improving lives across Australia.
