JOURNEY AS AN ORTHOPAEDIC SURGEON, RESEARCHER, SURGICAL SITE INFECTION CONTROL & BONE LOSS EXPERT Associate Professor Kevin Tetsworth, Orthopaedic Surgeon
As an orthopaedic surgeon, Associate Professor Kevin Tetsworth, is widely recognised for his expertise in managing orthopaedic infections, chronic osteomyelitis, limb salvage, and reconstruction. He holds clinical appointments at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, the Wesley Hospital in Brisbane, Macquarie University in Sydney at the Limb Reconstruction Centre.
His credentials encompass a fellowship in the American Academy, a fellowship in the Royal College in Australia, and membership in the Australian Orthopaedic Association and the International Orthopaedic Trauma Association. Associate Professor Tetsworth’s clinical focus revolves around the comprehensive management of orthopaedic infections, segmental bone defects, high-energy trauma, limb salvage and reconstruction, deformity correction, limb lengthening, and prosthetic joint infections.
In tandem with his clinical practice, Associate Professor Tetsworth is deeply engaged in orthopaedic research, with a keen interest in infection management, infection control, limb salvage, bone defect reconstruction, biomarker development for infection, bone growth hormone delivery, and the use of 3D printed models for reconstructing segmental bone defects.
His professional journey has been profoundly shaped by training under esteemed mentors like Professor Dror Paley and Dr George Cierny in the United States. This formative training has equipped him with a high level of expertise in addressing complex orthopaedic conditions, particularly those related to bone loss and infection. Having practiced in the United States, notably at the University of Maryland and the shock trauma hospital in Baltimore, Associate Professor Tetsworth relocated to Australia in 2000 and has since played a pivotal role in advancing orthopaedic surgery at the Royal Brisbane Hospital.
Associate Professor Tetsworth’s unwavering commitment to advancing orthopaedic knowledge and his exceptional proficiency in managing challenging orthopaedic conditions have earned him widespread recognition within the field.
In this Australian Health Journal interview, Assoc Professor Tetsworth talks about his clinical and research career journey and gives advice for those in medicine considering a career in orthopaedic surgery,
Assoc Prof Tetsworth concludes with a discussion on ways infection control is handled in preoperative, intraoperative and post operatively for orthopaedic surgeries.
He discusses the techniques started in the 19th century with understanding of hand hygiene, surgical instruments being sterilised and discovery of antibiotics in the 20th century, to present day practises of patient modifiable factors such as prescreening patients, lifestyle adjustments such as BMI or weight management, checking HbA1c levels for those who are diabetic and use of triclosan coated sutures in wound dressing in the early post operative period.
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Strong primary care nursing solutions for a healthier Australia
The CEO of Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA), Ken Griffin spoke with Australian Health Journal about the following:
– APNA President Karen Booth representing Primary Care Nursing in the Australian Government led Strengthening Medicare Task Force
– The current key challenges in primary care nursing
– Programs on diversity and student placement proposed in APNA’s pre-budget submission to Federal Government
– A proposed initiative called Nurse-Supported Self-Care, with broadening role primary care nursing would play in the community
– Hopes for other health priorities addressed in the Federal BudgetIn the lead up to the Australian Federal Budget in May 2023, Australian Health Journal reached out to peak health industry bodies to hear about their priorities, either noted in pre-budget submissions lodged with Federal Government in January 2023 or in recent forums such as the Strengthening Medicare Taskforce.
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Unleashing the potential of Paramedic skills and knowledge
According to a prominent paramedicine academic and researcher, paramedics have the potential to provide much-needed care in the community, changing the traditional healthcare model. Research points to paramedics having a wider healthcare workforce impact based on their ability to identify and fix problems 24/7.
Dr. Brendan Shannon is Head of Postgraduate Programs in the Department of Paramedicine at Monash University and a member of The Australasian College of Paramedicine. His interests including refining healthcare models, to ensure underserved communities receive requisite care. These alternative care pathways, like outreach programs, can work out of hospitals to provide care in underserved communities with social and complex chronic conditions.
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Australian Healthcare Week 2019: Pitch Fest Finalist Coviu
Telelheath startup company Coviu was a Pitch Fest Finalist at last week’s Australian Healthcare Week Expo in Sydney. The Coviu platform has been developed as an spinoff from CSIRO and allows healthcare businesses offer video consultations to their own patients. It differs from being just a ‘talking head’ platform that Skype or Zoom could offer, by providing clinical tools integrated within the app. Anne Dao spoke with Co-founder and CEO Silvia Pfeiffer about the company and platform’s journey to date and its longer term goals.
Coviu helps healtcare businesses by helping fit in more consultation during that day and reducing no-shows for appointments. Also given the nature of the dispersed population, the application reaches to rural and regional areas where patients are a long distance from their healthcare provider. The company is focused on the Australian market and aims to enter the US market next year
