Navigating the health system for mental health support
Senior professionals and middle managers are experiencing increased burnout and stress, leading to higher alcohol consumption, and there is a need for better support and resources for mental health and addiction treatment in Australia, according to Ruth Limkin, Founder of The Banyans and Chief Development Officer at parent Sana Health Group.
Continuing education program leads to better conversations
Medicines Australia’s Continuing Education Program (CEP) is designed to educate medical representatives to a recognised industry standard. Dr Tristan Ling, CEP Academic Lead and Project Manager at the College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania talks about the 900 students that come through the program each year.
The CEP is primarily directed at medical representatives working within the prescription medicines industry, but is also recommended to people who may not be currently employed within the industry but would like to pursue a career as a medical representative. It is also available to personnel working for organisations interacting with the pharmaceutical industry.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) & data skilling clinicians
In this first release, world renowned AI and medical data science experts Dr Anthony Chang and Professor Enrico Coiera spoke to Australian Health Journal reporter Anne Dao at AIMed 2019 Sydney. The conference aimed at clinicians and non-clinicians discussed current clinical applications of Artificial Intelligence in medical imaging, decision support, use of predictive healthcare and machine learning.
LIVED EXPERIENCE: Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
Lachlan Thorpe has shared his experience of living with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), highlighting the profound impact the condition had on his life and the difference medical technology has made to his recovery.
In an interview with the Australian Health Journal, Thorpe explained that his CRPS developed following an ankle injury sustained while playing rugby for Sydney University Rugby Club in late 2024. After undergoing surgery and rehabilitation for the injury, he began experiencing severe pain, swelling and sensitivity despite there being no further orthopaedic damage.
Greater flexibility in medicine safety programs delivered by pharmacists
Addressing delegates at PSA26, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia’s (PSA) yearly conference, the Minister for Health and Ageing, the Hon. Mark Butler MP, announced negotiations are progressing on the First Pharmacy Programs Agreement (1PPA), and that from 1 November, follow-up services for Home Medicines Reviews (HMRs) and Residential Medication Management Reviews (RMMRs) programs will be able to be delivered via telehealth.
Redefining diversity in clinical trials
Ensuring inclusion, diversity, equity and patient input in the development of novel drugs and medical devices has become well accepted in health care. However appropriate implementation of these elements has been a challenge for many. Only by implementing these conscious inputs can patient outcomes be improved and health disparities in marginalised groups be addressed.
Australian Health Journal spoke to Gillian Mason, Consumer and Community Involvement Lead at Hunter Medical Research Institute in Newcastle, NSW on this topic discussed at the recent ARCS Conference in Sydney.