INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY ON SHOW AT HOSPIMedica ...

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Robotic surgery introduced at St John of God
Hospital, Subiaco
St John of God Hospital, Subiaco is the first hospital in Western Australia and
within the St John of God Health Care group to offer robotic surgery.
The minimally invasive da Vinci Robot is used
for radical prostatectomy and other delicate
surgery. The hospital’s Chief Executive Officer,
Dr Shane Kelly, spear-headed the campaign to
obtain a surgical robot for Western Australia.
“We are extremely excited about the
possibilities the da Vinci robot offers our
surgeons, patients and the health care industry
in general,” Dr Kelly said.
Patients benefit from less post operative
pain, less scarring, quicker recovery time, less
blood loss and therefore lower chance of cross
infection.
The hospital’s urologists and gynae-oncologists
will use the robot, which offers surgeons the
benefit of a 10x magnified 3D view of the
anatomy and removes the fine tremor of a
surgeon’s hand. Large hand movements can
be scaled down to miniature, fully ‘wristed’
instruments allowing superior dexterity.
Dr Kelly said currently one in every two radical
prostatectomies in the USA is performed
robotically and figures already show Australia
mirroring this growth, indicating that the
da Vinci prostatectomy will become the
standard of care in Australia in the not so
distant future.
“In addition to urological procedures,
the da Vinci Robot will also be available
APHA Speaking Opportunities
APHA has been represented at several
conferences in the past few months.
APHA President Christine Gee spoke at a
Health Focus Forum at Minter Ellison on 15
February 2008. The Forum brought together
Minter Ellison partners, special counsel and
senior associates from the firm’s Health and
Ageing Industry Group and experts in the
health industry. Christine profiled the Private
Hospital industry; the role played by APHA and
canvassed the key challenges facing the sector.
Public and private oncology hospital
representatives from China visited Canberra on
21 February and Paul Mackey, APHA Director of
Policy and Research participated in a briefing
for them on the Australian health system. Paul
explained the role of the private sector in the
provision of cancer services at the briefing at
the Department of Health and Ageing.
Dr Leon Clark, APHA Board member and CEO
of Sydney Adventist Hospital, spoke at the
Financial Review 10th Annual Health Congress
on 28 February. Dr Clark took part in a CEO
forum which looked at a needs audit for 2025
and also presented a paper on private hospitals’
viewpoints on restructuring private health
insurance in Australia.
The Tasmanian Association for Quality in
Health Care Seminar was held on 13 March and
APHA President Christine Gee’s presentation
focused on the work of the APHA and APHA
Quality and Safety Committee, particularly in
terms of coordinating and supporting both
the Australian Commission on Safety and
Private Hospital - April 2008
for gynaecological surgeries such as
hysterectomies, and for some thoracic
operations,” Dr Kelly said.
Already some 1,800 da Vinci procedures have
been carried out in Australia at four hospitals
in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide.
Quality in Health Care / Private Hospital Sector
Committee in progressing and translating the
national agenda. She also gave an overview of
the feedback to the Accreditation Alternative
Model Review and emphasised the need
for there to be transparent ‘rules’ (reporting,
assessment etc) across public and private and
the need for partnerships rather than after
thoughts. Christine also chaired a panel session
on Bringing Public and Private together for the
Health of Everyone at the seminar.
Christine Gee also took part in a panel discussion
at the Chronic Disease Management conference
in Sydney on 1 April 2008. The panel looked at
components required of the key stakeholders
to move forward on the government’s chronic
disease management mandate.