There is no easy formula for ethical leadership in a world where systematic ethical analysis is rare and cognitive processes work against us. We will explore how we can meet these challenges and lead more ethically
The development of new medical technology requires the collaboration of engineering, IT, medicine, science and industrial design. The Monash Institute of Medical Engineering (MIME) fosters the development of new medical technologies across the whole spectrum of medical science. A prime example of this is the bionic vision device which has been developed over the last five years. This is a ‘brain-machine’ device to restore visual function to blind individuals. I will be presenting this research project but also some of the other exciting areas of medical engineering including the development of replacement body parts such as the ear and the trachea using bio-printing techniques and ‘laboratory on-a-chip’ technology. There is great scope for medical engineering in paediatrics.
Although breast milk is considered the perfect food for babies, there is continued controversy concerning its association with a wide range of health outcomes. Dr Caroline Lodge has led three systematic reviews investigating the associations between breastfeeding and: allergic disease (asthma, eczema, allergic rhinitis and food allergy), acute otitis media and, childhood dental caries
Since the 1950s organ donation has been available as a benevolent opportunity. The legal, ethical and moral framework has evolved since to establish its optimal conduct. Worldwide, efforts have been made to enhance organ donation rates by the establishment of organ procurement agencies.
Enhancing the wellbeing, learning and development pathways for children, especially those from disadvantaged families, depends on the timing, targeting and intensity of support though infancy and early childhood. These early environments impact health and psychosocial development throughout the life-course. Early childhood education and care settings (ECEC) – often referred to as child care – have the potential to partially compensate for disadvantaged and stressful early environments and amplify development.
The kidney transplantation program at RCH has a rich history and has contributed in significant ways to improving outcomes for children with kidney failure for over 50 years. Major changes have taken place in the last two years leading to a new collaboration with the Austin Hospital, a record-breaking year for transplants in 2014 and a world-first innovation to prevent sensitisation in paediatric transplant recipients
It is less than a year until the RCH Epic EMR “goes live”. The transition to a proper electronic record with an extensive suite of functionality will mean many changes in the way we work. These changes will be bigger than those we experienced in the move to the new hospital. The EMR represents a great opportunity to improve the care we deliver and our ability to support research. It is a major investment and obviously we want to use it well.
School participation is vital for children with disabilities. We will describe the current situation for students with a disability who attend their local school in Victoria. Background and challenges that students, families and schools currently experience will be discussed. Findings from research that involved a study of students, teachers, parents, principals and allied health professionals will be presented to highlight supports, services, and strategies that enabled students with cerebral palsy to experience success at school.
Many gains have been made in treating hemiplegic cerebral palsy in recent years. These include a better understanding of diagnosis, imaging, risk factors and treatments.
Digital health is an umbrella term for the application of ICT and technology in healthcare, incorporating mobile health apps, wearable technologies such as the fitbit and Google glass, web-based research and clinical decision support tools, and the re-purposing of gaming technologies, such as the Xbox kinect, for health applications.
