Austin Health

Austin Health’s Interventional Endoscopy team is revolutionising patient care through cutting-edge techniques, offering minimally invasive alternatives to traditional surgery. Since launching in 2020, the complex endoscopic tissue resection program has performed over 100 procedures. These organ-sparing treatments significantly reduce surgical risks and recovery times, with most patients managed as day cases. Led by Gastroenterologists Dr Sujievvan Chandran and Associate Professor Marios Efthymiou, the program began with Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD). This technique, which originated in Japan, allows precise removal of gastrointestinal tumours. Although time-intensive and technically challenging, ESD offers the potential for a cure without the need for major surgery. In 2021, the team introduced a second groundbreaking technique using a Full Thickness Resection Device (FTRD). This innovative device enables the complete removal of a section of the gastrointestinal tract, providing a minimally invasive solution for advanced or complex lesions that cannot be removed by ESD or traditional endoscopic techniques. Austin Health is currently leading a multi-centre trial across Australia and New Zealand to evaluate patient outcomes using FTRD. These advancements have been made possible through years of advocacy, resulting in a dedicated endoscopy list for these procedures. The program thrives thanks to the dedication of the entire endoscopy team, including nurses and administrative staff, whose expertise ensures the highest standard of care. “The team is committed to ongoing innovation, continuous upskilling, and collaborating with international centres to ensure the program maintains a gold standard of care,” says Dr Sujie. Looking ahead, the Interventional Endoscopy team is focused on expanding access to these life-changing techniques and advancing research to benefit even more patients. With a steadfast commitment to world-class care, the team continues to push the boundaries of interventional endoscopy.

This Christmas, Austin Health Foundation is raising funds to create two new patient spaces for the Victorian Spinal Cord Service. Please give generously - austin.org.au/donate

We are thrilled to share the remarkable achievements of some of our dedicated Epilepsy clinicians, who have recently been recognised for their outstanding contributions to the field.    Professor Piero Perucca, Director of the Bladin-Berkovic Comprehensive Epilepsy Program at Austin Health, has been elected President of the Epilepsy Society of Australia for the 2024-2027 term.  Laureate Professor Ingrid Scheffer, Director of our Children’s Epilepsy Program, has been awarded the prestigious Peter Bladin Award and Lecture at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Epilepsy Society of Australia earlier this month. This award, named after the founder of the Epilepsy Society of Australia, is the Society’s highest honour.  Brialie Forster, Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathies Clinical Nurse Consultant, has been elected Chair of the Epilepsy Nurse Special Interest Group of Australasia (ENSIGA). These achievements highlight the exceptional dedication and expertise of our Epilepsy team. We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments and look forward to their continued contributions to the epilepsy community.    Congratulations to Piero, Ingrid, and Brialie on these well-deserved recognitions! 👏

Three Austin Health researchers are recognised for their significant impact on the global scientific community in the Clarivate Highly Cited Researchers List for 2024! Congratulations to Professor Christopher Rowe, Laureate Professor Ingrid Scheffer AO and Professor Rinaldo Bellomo for making this list. Professor Christopher Rowe is the Director of Director Molecular Imaging Research at Austin Health and the Clinical Lead in The Florey’s Dementia Mission. His key interest is on improving diagnostics of neurodegenerative diseases, particularly dementia. Christopher has 580 publications and has been cited more than 46,000 times. Laureate Professor Ingrid Scheffer is one of the directors of our children and adult epilepsy programs at Austin Health, and has a long and distinguished history of epilepsy research including being part of the research group which pioneered major discoveries in the genetic causes of epilepsy, including finding the first epilepsy gene and many other epilepsy genes since.   Ingrid has 804 publications and has been cited more than 59,000 times. Professor Rinaldo Bellomo is the Director of Intensive Care Research at Austin Health and holds a number of appointments across Victoria and Australia. Rinaldo's key interest is in sepsis and improving outcomes for patients. Rinaldo has 2049 publications and has been cited more than 124,000 times. Clarivate’s annual list recognises 1000 influential researchers in the sciences and social sciences from around the world, who have demonstrated significant and broad influence in their fields of research. Each researcher selected has authored multiple Highly Cited Papers which rank in the top one per cent by citations for their field over the past decade. An important measure of impact in medical research is how many times a publication has been cited by other research papers – this is an estimation of how useful the findings in the publication have been to the medical research community and beyond.

We are thrilled to announce that the Olivia Newton John Cancer & Wellness Centre (ONJ Centre) has been chosen as Ryman Healthcare's charity partner for 2025! Ryman Healthcare, a provider of retirement living and aged care services in Australia and New Zealand, shares our passion for wellness, making this partnership a natural fit. John Flynn Retirement Village manager Roslyn Prentice said, “I don’t think there is anyone who is not aware of the incredible work done at the ONJ Centre.” Austin Health Head of Partnerships, Penelope Sanderson, added, “We look forward to a fantastic year where we can come together, connect, and promote what is important to all of us.” We’re excited for this meaningful collaboration and can’t wait to see what we’ll achieve together in 2025! ✨

On Monday 11 November, Austin Health’s Mental Health Division proudly hosted the statewide ‘Safewards Community of Practice’ on behalf of Safer Care Victoria. This was a significant milestone, as it marked the first time the event has been held outside Safer Care Victoria’s premises. The event brought together health services from across the state, fostering an inspiring day of shared learning, support, and collaboration. Victoria’s Chief Mental Health Nurse, Anna Love, opened the event with an address that acknowledged the critical work being done statewide to uphold and implement the Safewards framework. Austin Health played a leading role throughout the day, with key presentations from Francis McNamara, Senior Mental Health Nurse, and Corrine Wells, Clinical Nurse Educator. This provided an opportunity to showcase our impactful initiatives and progress in implementing the Safewards framework, and the commitment of the team to improving staff safety and consumer care. The day’s program included interactive activities centred on the “pledges” made by each health service at the Community of Practice six months earlier. This reflective exercise allowed participants to review achievements, identify areas for further focus and discuss any support needed to further their Safewards initiatives. The day concluded with each health service making new pledges for the 2025 Community of Practice, setting ambitious goals for the coming months and renewing their dedication to the purpose of Safewards. Hosting this significant event underscored Austin Health’s commitment to driving excellence in mental health care across Victoria.

Austin Health has won two awards at last night’s 2024 Victorian Public Healthcare Awards. Chief Executive Officer (Interim) Cameron Goodyear said that the awards recognise and acknowledge the achievements of Austin Health and its dedicated team of staff and volunteers. “At the heart of what we do is a team of exceptional people who are dedicated to providing high-quality and compassionate care to our community across Victoria. “These awards are underpinned by the dedication and passion of every member of the Austin Health team and I’m so proud to see this work formally recognised.” In the partnering in healthcare category Austin Health and Swan Hill District Health won for their project I-HEART, a virtual regional heart failure service. This partnership has kept people out of hospital and saved lives. The hospital disability identifier project, which Austin Health worked heavily on with hospitals in the Parkville precinct, was awarded the partnering with consumers to improve patient experience award. This year has been exceptional for Austin Health. In addition to more than 120,000 inpatient separations, almost 90,000 Emergency Department (ED) presentations, and close to 250,000 Specialist Clinics attendances, we are proud of a range of initiatives and achievements that create lasting improvements for patients across the state. Please join us in congratulating all those involved. Find out more about our award wins and initiatives this year 👉 https://bit.ly/3Ze6sIr

We're thrilled to share the achievements of the Regional Outcome Review Initiative (RORI) — a collaborative project transforming mental health, alcohol and drug (AOD), and suicide prevention services across northeast and eastern Melbourne. Launched in November 2022, RORI has been a powerful collaboration among hospital networks, community health, non-profits, and people with lived experience. Inspired by the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System and real stories from those with lived experience, RORI has brought together hospital networks, community health services, non-government organisations to reshape how services communicate, learn, and grow from critical incidents. The impact? A significant shift from joint reviews occurring just 17 per cent of the time to nearly 100 per cent; embedding collaboration as standard practice. “Regional collaboration on quality and safety has potential to significantly improve, upskill and align approaches in mental health services both horizontally and vertically. I believe this is a fundamentally good idea,” says A/Prof Sophie Adams, Chief Psychiatrist of Victoria. The initiative has sparked enthusiasm across the sector, with growing membership at the monthly Collective Learning Forums where service providers share learnings to prevent repeat incidents. With resources shared across the sector, RORI has the potential for statewide and national adoption. Initiatives like RORI showcase Austin Health's commitment to building partnerships that enable a comprehensive system of care as we work towards building a safer, more connected healthcare systems. Learn more about RORI’s impact and future on our website > bit.ly/4exQRbp

Congratulations to Austin Health staff members Michael O’Dwyer and Kristen Morris who showcased their expertise at last week’s Australian Assistive Technology Conference (AATC) on the Gold Coast, sharing innovative ways technology is being used to support individuals with disabilities. Michael O’Dwyer, Community Linking & Leisure Specialist and Talbot Maker Space Coordinator, presented on ‘Assistive Technology in applied arts – how innovative applications can motivate rehabilitation, community engagement and sense of purpose’. The participant-driven approach to creative spaces for people with disabilities generated significant interest and engagement for its simple yet impactful solutions. Kristen Morris, Disability Liaison Officer Sector Coordinator, presented ‘Identification: Supporting users to use their Assistive Technology in hospitals’. Her presentation highlighted the journey of policy and practice change to support consumers using Assistive Technology to access healthcare. The conference, themed ‘Sun Sea & AT: the rising tide of innovation and inclusive technology’, drew a record number of attendees over its three days, including professionals across multiple disciplines, researchers, and end users. With discussions on policy, funding and accessibility in the spotlight, the AATC highlighted the critical role of technology in fostering an inclusive society. The event concluded with a renewed sense of optimism about the potential for assistive technologies to transform lives.

On Monday 11 November, Austin Health hosted the ACTER Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Transplant Infectious Diseases Symposium, drawing together experts from infectious diseases, intensive care, and transplant medicine. CMV is a member of the herpes family. In healthy people, it causes a mild flu-like illness that lasts a few days or weeks. Once infected, the body retains the virus for life. CMV can infect virtually any organ of the human body. The most common organs include the blood, brain, colon, eye, heart, kidney, liver, lung and stomach. In the case of an organ transplant patient, the symptoms of CMV can be easily confused with rejection which was a topic at the symposium. Clinicians and researchers gathered to address the complex challenges of managing cytomegalovirus (CMV) in transplant patients and evaluating infection risks in organ donors. The event featured an international guest A/Prof Camille Kotton from Massachusetts General Hospital, who shared valuable updates on CMV diagnostics and management. Led by Dr Olivia Smibert, the symposium also included case studies and a compelling session chaired by Dr Adam Testro, followed by Dr Rohit D’Costa’s presentation on donor infection risks. There was richness in the panel discussion on donor suitability which concluded the day, with consumer representative Jo Knight sharing her lived experiences alongside clinical experts. The afternoon fostered new ideas and collaborations, paving the way for further advancements in transplant care at Austin Health and beyond ⭐