ANZCA Bulletin June 2012 - final.pdf - Australian and New Zealand ...

Pain medicine meeting shapesevolution of healthcareIn a world where we are bombarded bynegativity in the form of phrases suchas “terrorism”, “global financial crisis”,“massacre”, “religious extremism”, “armsrace”, “global warming”, “conflicts” and“power struggle”, one can take solace inoccasions such as the recent 2012 ANZCAAnnual Scientific Meeting, where the focuswas “evolution”.Evolution encapsulates the very purposesof existence and unites all living things,including human beings, irrespective ofgenetic background, upbringing socioeconomicstatus, beliefs and occupation.Conceived by Charles Darwin andpopularised by Richard Dawkins, theconcept of evolution challenges us to thinkrather than to believe and to never cease toquestion.Pain medicine lends itself to the foundationof evolution, as all creatures will adapt totheir environment to avoid and overcomepain. Pain, in an essence, drives us tobetter ourselves.In the 2012 ASM, the pain component wasdesigned to introduce new concept and toask the hard questions – What are we doingnow? Is it working? How do we decide whatdirection we need to take? – by focusing onoutcomes.The concepts were spearheaded byindividuals who are the champions ofasking these hard questions, includingour invited speakers Dr Dan Bennett andProfessor Henrick Kehlet. Such gatheringsof dedicated scientists and visionariesalike represent a common ground of thedesire to better ourselves and to engagein exchange of ideas without prodigiousand bias, engaging in purposeful debate,to shape the future of pain medicineand the propagation and evolutionof healthcare.Dr Max MajediFPM Scientific ConvenorDelegates raise $50,000 for LifeboxDelegates at the ASM raised $A46,142,including $A35,654 at the Gala Dinner, forthe Lifebox charity through the ANZCAASM Global Lifebox Initiative that ranthroughout the meeting,Delegates were given a pledge form intheir satchels that could be used to makedonations and at the Gala Dinner, eachtable was given a pledge envelope andguests were encouraged throughout theevening to donate to the cause.The money will be used to buy pulseoximeters and education kits worth $US250.Each year, tens of thousands of lives are lostduring surgery because operating roomsin many hospitals around the world don’thave this simple piece of equipment that isstandard in Australia and New Zealand.An estimated 77,000 operating rooms indeveloping countries around the worlddon’t have access to pulse oximeters,putting at risk about 35 million patientseach year.“ Delegates atthe ASM raised$A46,142,including$A35,654 atthe Gala Dinner,for the LifeboxcharityThis page Clockwise from top: Dr David Jones with invited speaker, Dr Daniel Bennett; FPM new Fellows; Professor Henrik Kehlet presenting at an FPM session; (top) Dr Jones with FPMFree Paper winner Dr Sarika Kumar; (bottom) Immediate past Dean Dr David Jones with new Dean, Associate Professor Brendan Moore; Dr David Jones with invited speaker ProfessorHenrik Kehlet. Opposite page Clockwise from top: The College Ceremony; the College mace; a new Fellow is photographed; Robert Orton Medal winner, Dr Duncan Campbell; Orator,Associate Professor Kelvin Kong.16 ANZCA Bulletin June 2012