Annual Report 2017-18 | Monash Health

Report of the
Chair of the
Board and Chief
Executive
Welcome to the Monash Health 2017-18 Annual Report
Providing exceptional care
Monash Health provides care to a
quarter of all Victorians at every stage
of their life. With the health and wellbeing
of so many people in our hands,
we strive to provide excellence in
patient care. Our Transforming Care
Program has this exact goal in mind,
and we made significant progress this
year. We are working to ensure our
systems and our people align at
every stage.
Monash Health successfully achieved
accreditation in 2017, against the
National Safety and Quality Health
Service Standards. Surveyors
acknowledged our achievements and
continued growth.
We celebrated the one year anniversary
of the opening of the Monash
Children’s Hospital school reflecting
our commitment to patient care
beyond the healthcare environment,
and recognising the essential role that
education plays in our young peoples’
lives. We are immensely proud that this
initiative will help to keep our young
consumers connected to learning
opportunities and the social aspects
of attending school.
Translating research into
better patient outcomes
Monash has achieved significant
progress in research during FY 17-18,
with widespread recognition of our
people and our achievements. The
work of our researchers and clinicians
in pursuit of improved patient
outcomes, is possible through the
many partnerships we have in place.
The Monash Health Translational
Precinct (MHTP), an alliance between
Monash Health, Monash University and
Hudson Institute of Medical Research,
had 1135 active research projects in FY
2017-18, with $15.3 million new funds
from the National Health and Medical
Research Council to ensure lifechanging
medical research is brought
to the bedside. Innovative projects,
such as home-based cancer treatments
and use of virtual reality to alleviate
anxiety in our youngest consumers are
just two examples of the new thinking
fuelling our work.
Growing to meet Victoria’s
healthcare needs
In FY 2017-18, Monash Health achieved
many Australian and Victorian firsts,
providing the latest equipment,
procedures and services to consumers.
We are now one of only two 24-hour
endovascular clot retrieval services in
Victoria; providing stroke victims with
a better chance of survival. The use of
3D modelling and a new generation
scanner to assess musculoskeletal
disease are just some of the amazing
innovations we made available to
consumers this year. The treatment of
breast cancer through intraoperative
radiotherapy has significantly improved
our patients’ experience.
We are well underway with the
implementation of an Electronic
Medical Record, which is Monash
Health’s biggest technology-based
transformation and due to “go live”
early 2019. It will provide clinicians
with access to timely information about
the people they are caring for, and
assist them in making decisions with
better evidence. For consumers, this
means safer, higher quality care.
We also progressed our capital works
projects substantially, as we continue
to plan for Victoria’s changing and
expanding healthcare needs. Design
consultants began work on our
Victorian Heart Hospital - Victoria’s
first standalone heart hospital that will
bring together clinical practice and
research and innovation.
We continue to deliver our Casey
Hospital expansion project to
schedule, with the main inpatient
tower construction works progressing
well; new theatres and Central Sterile
Services Department on track for
completion by the end of September
2019 and the site’s new front entrance
building will open in late 2018. A
key focus of 2018-19 will be detailed
operational and budget planning.
Likewise, service and capital planning
for the expansion of Pakenham Health
Centre commenced in 2017-18 and will
continue in 2018-19, to ensure it is well
placed to meet growing demand for
community-based services in the south
eastern growth corridor of Melbourne.
Planning for the expansion of
Monash Medical Centre’s emergency
department commenced in 2017-18.
This will enable the establishment of
dedicated children’s emergency and
mental health areas and improve traffic
flows at the main entrance, thereby
improving access to the hospital.
Construction will commence in 2018-19.
6 Monash Health Annual Report 2017-18