At the 2024 Telstra Best of Business Awards in February, Earworx was recognised as the National Championing Health Award winner. Lisa Hellwege, the Clinical Director and Founder of Earworx, expressed her gratitude to the entire team and their patients for their trust and support. Earworx specialises in providing professional earwax removal services led by trained nurses using a procedure called microsuction.
Having identified a gap in the market for safe and gentle earwax removal services in her local community, Lisa started Earworx as a part-time venture alongside her role at the Royal Hobart Hospital. Over time, the business grew, and she transitioned to running it full-time, overcoming various challenges along the way, including the impact of COVID-19 and navigating the regulatory environment.
The recognition received at the Telstra Best of Business Award was a meaningful validation of Earworx’s efforts. It not only bolstered the business’s already strong reputation but also provided a boost to its branding, according to Hellwege.
Describing the rigorous application process, including extensive submissions and nerve-wracking presentations, Hellwege acknowledged that it provided invaluable insights into their own business.
Looking ahead, Earworx aims to raise awareness about the vital role of registered nurses in supporting the Australian healthcare system and addressing its challenges. The business plans to continue its mission of delivering high-quality, nurse-led earwax removal services while advocating for recognition and support from funding bodies.
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Rural allied health mentorship program creates opportunities for students and practice
Melanie Roll, a director and physiotherapist at Gen Health Hamilton, is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of allied health professionals. Gen Health’s support begins with a work experience program for local secondary school students, where they can observe a variety of health services and participate in an annual careers night to explore allied health career pathways.
Upon moving to tertiary education, students are offered placements through a five-week program designed to transition them from observation to supervised practice and ultimately to seeing their own patients. In their final study year, they can apply for the mentorship program, which aids the transition into private practice.
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Generosity of spirit in teaching
The Ramaciotti Medal for Excellence is considered one of the most prestigious awards in biomedical research in Australia and is highly sought after by researchers in the field.
In 2022, Professor Matthew Kiernan was the recipient of the Ramaciotti Medal for Excellence and the associated $50,000 award.
Australian Health Journal spoke with Professor Kiernan to hear about his journey in medicine and science to try and uncover and understand diseases and his generosity of spirit to pass on what he has learnt.
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Lower back pain presentations in Emergency Department
Around 70 percent of people will experience lower back pain at some stage of their lives.
A recent study conducted over five years found one in three people suffering from lower back pain presented to hospital via an ambulance.In many cases people will attend an emergency department when they feel they can’t manage their pain or when treatments by community healthcare services have been ineffective or inaccessible due to location or cost. However, 90 per cent of people can get better on their own in a few weeks.
