This symposium will bring together clinicians, researchers and partners to explore how research is improving trauma care across regional, rural and remote Queensland. Co-hosted by EMF and the Jamieson Trauma Institute (JTI), it will feature updates from projects funded through EMF’s Trauma Care Program, along with a panel discussion on research priorities and opportunities to improve access to and the quality of emergency trauma care across Queensland.
EMF and JTI gratefully acknowledge the Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC) for their support for the Trauma Care in Regional, Rural and Remote Queensland program.
EVENT DETAILS
- Location: Frazer Institute Auditorium, Building 71 RBWH Campus, Herston
- Date: Thursday 20 August 2026
- Time: 12:00pm – 5:00pm
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
- The symposium will feature EMF grant recipients, scholarship awardees and partners from across Australia, on topics including retrieval medicine, telehealth-supported models of care, trauma research capability building, and the use of data and innovation to better understand injury patterns and improve patient outcomes.
- The program will also feature a multidisciplinary panel discussion examining future priorities, research gaps and opportunities to strengthen trauma care across Queensland.
FEATURED HIGHLIGHTS
Interhospital transfer of mTBI in rural and remote Queensland – can “low-value” transfers be avoided?
Hear emerging findings from research led by Dr Clinton Gibbs from Retrieval Services Queensland, exploring whether some interhospital transfers for patients with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) could be avoided.
Focusing on rural and remote Queensland, this work is examining how we can better identify which patients truly benefit from transfer, particularly in settings without immediate access to CT imaging.
Early findings suggest that over 90% of patients transferred either did not receive a CT scan, or received one that did not change their outcome, highlighting the potential scale of “low-value” transfers.
REPRIEVE: Rural/Remote Emergency Pain Relief Investigation and Evaluation
Learn about the latest project findings from the REPRIEVE study, presented by Steph Nixon and Prof Kerrianne Watt from the Queensland Ambulance Service, examining how traumatic pain is managed in out-of-hospital settings across Queensland.
Drawing on more than 1.7 million ambulance episodes alongside surveys and interviews with paramedics, the research highlights how factors such as long transport times, limited resources and operational pressures can shape decision-making in the field, while also identifying opportunities to strengthen patient-centred pain care.
The REPRIEVE program is helping to reframe traumatic pain care, shifting the focus beyond pain scores alone toward achieving meaningful comfort and improved function during some of the most challenging moments of care.
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Nearly everyone will know someone who has been a patient, parent or carer in an emergency department. This is why it is vital that emergency care research aimed at improving patient outcomes is funded at both the state and federal level. EMF has a strong track record of funding research in Queensland that makes a difference for patients, often on one of the worst days of their lives. Hopefully it is a model that can be built on to support emergency care research in every state and territory across Australia."
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“What I’m proudest of is seeing studies that EMF was able to support and help researchers conduct and publish, which people all over the world see and which can change practice not just in Queensland but around the world. I'm really proud of that and I think that's fantastic.”
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“I joined the EMF Board as I see it play a pivotal role in advancing medical knowledge, improving patient care, and enhancing healthcare systems. It contributes to the well-being of individuals and communities by ensuring that the best practices and evidence-based approaches are used in emergency situations. The passion and culture of research that EMF has cultivated is unmatched and seeing how we can further this reach is a priority for me.”