In this section:
Epworth Research Month features informative and inspiring presentations from our research teams who are working to identify new and better ways to treat our patients and improve their health and wellbeing.
Epworth Research Month 2022 will be run as a program of online and in-person presentations throughout the month of October. By joining our seminars, you will gain an insight into the research being conducted at Epworth. This year, our program consists of a poster presentation event and 28 webinars from over 50 Epworth researchers across a diverse range of disciplines including cancer, mental health, health informatics, nursing, musculoskeletal surgery, rehabilitation medicine, and traumatic brain injury.
Check out the program below for the presentations you would like to attend, then copy the Teams link details into your Outlook calendar.
Program of Events | Research Month October 2022
Title and Webinar link | Details | Presenters | Date | Time |
Epworth Research Month 2022 Launch Event |
Official launch of Epworth Research Month 2022, followed by an overview of medical oncology clinical trials, endometriosis research, and nursing research at Epworth HealthCare. |
Dr Lachlan Henderson, A/Prof Luis Prado, Prof Ingrid Winship, Dr Sarah Carson, Dr Ross Jennens and Prof Ana Hutchinson |
Monday, 3 October 2022 | 12.30–1.30pm |
Advancing Women in Health Leadership - Organisational approaches |
Defining Epworth’s strategic priorities for gender equality and career progression of women in healthcare. |
Dr Sidney Chandrasiri, A/Prof Jacqueline Boyle, Prof Helena Teede and Mariam Mousa |
Tuesday, 4 October 2022 | 9.30–10.30am |
Epworth HealthCare Rehabilitation Concussion Clinic |
Presentations from the multidisciplinary team within Epworth's Rehabilitation Concussion Clinic. This session will provide an overview of concussion and its management including recent findings from the Concussion Database. |
Prof John Olver, Rose Acher, Megan Hamilton, Harvey Jones, and Stephanie Jones |
Tuesday, 4 October 2022 | 1.00–2.00pm |
Reflective Practice Outcomes with Creative Writing |
Traditional models of reflective practice have been both challenged and complemented. This presentation looks at the benefits arising from the implementation of an original and inventive approach to reflection, the paper that resulted from the research and the future path of the research. |
Mr David McLean and A/Prof Martin Richardson |
Wednesday, 5 October 2022 | 9.00–9.30am |
Nursing Symposium 1: Developing the Workforce of the Future |
Phillipa Power– Nurse/Midwife Unit Managers Priorities and Preferences for staff recruitment |
Phillipa Power, Annika Zinkel, Chelsea Rogers, Michael Browning, Kate Hetherington, Suzie Hooper, Glen Mangelsdorf-Collett, Emily Chapple, and Sheila Daly |
Wednesday, 5 October 2022 | 1.00–3.00pm |
Data Acquisition for Research in a Private Practice Setting |
This symposium will highlight the benefits of routine collection of outcomes data in private practice. In addition, it will address the challenges and potential pitfalls, as well as look to future approaches. Prof Kate Webster – How we started and what we have learned Haydn Klemm - What it’s like at the coal face |
Prof Julian Feller, Prof Kate Webster, Haydn Klemm, Dr Lachlan Batty, Jodie McClelland, Dr Soong Chua, Dr Brian Devitt and Dr Julia Kirby |
Wednesday, 5 October 2022 | 3.30 - 4.30pm |
Bayes Nets: What are they and how can they help us? |
This presentation will explore Bayes Nets - a diagrammatic technique that can help uncover, and illustrate, associations between potential risk factors and outcomes. |
A/Prof Dean McKenzie |
Thursday, 6 October 2022 | 10.00– 10.30am |
Rehabilitation research: Session 1 |
Current PhD/Masters students within EMReM and the PRoSpER Research Units will present on recent findings from their projects. |
Prof John Olver, Dr Gavin Williams and Bianca Fedele |
Thursday, 6 October 2022 | 12.00–1.00pm |
Digital Twins/ How Digital Health can assist in the ED/ Responsible Digital Health Solutions |
We are currently witnessing rapid advances in analytics. This in turn gives us the unprecedented opportunity to investigate how we might best adopt and adapt these advances into relevant healthcare contexts to support superior decision making. This session examines this in the context of Digital Twins and presents two use cases in the domains of oncology and dementia respectively as well as proffering a suitable model. |
Prof Nilmini Wickramasinghe, Dr Stephen Vaughan and Adjunct Prof John Zelcer |
Friday, 7 October 2022 | 2.00–3.00pm |
Artificial Intelligence (AI) digital triage system: A socio-technical response to provide better patient triage in response to increasing demand in the Epworth Richmond Emergency Department |
This project aims to develop an AI assisted Digital Triage system to help with patient flow in the ED at Epworth Richmond. |
Jeremy Poon |
Friday, 7 October 2022 | 3.00– 3.30pm |
A Showcase of Interesting Urogynaecologic Surgical Videos |
This session entails presentations of a suite of unique surgical videos of urogynaecological procedures. Some videos are case reportable due to their uniqueness while others demonstrate mesh-free surgery and the management of mesh-related complications. Presentations include: Dr Chelsea Glennon – Complete removal of a transobturator tape midurethral sling Dr Rebecca Shaya – Expanded autologous fascia lata anterior vaginal repair and sacrospinous fixation Mr Richard Song – Complete removal of a mid-urethral single-incision sling Dr Sophie Chapman – Total removal of a perforated ‘three-headed’ retropubic mid-urethral sling Dr Stephanie Khaw – Expanded autologous fascia lata in robotic-assisted sacrohysteropexy Mr Vincent Fu – Total sacrocolpopexy mesh removal for pyogenic spondylodiscitis Dr Fei Bing – Autologous fascia lata pubovaginal sling Dr Sudi Jeyarajakumar – Minimally invasive repair of a post caesarean vesicouterine fistula |
Dr Chelsea Glennon, Dr Rebecca Shaya, Mr Richard Song, Dr Sophie Chapman, Dr Stephanie Khaw, Mr Vincent Fu, Dr Fei Bing and Dr Sudi Jeyarajakumar |
Monday, 10 October 2022 | 11.00am– 12.00pm |
Robotic TKR and biometric rehabilitation programs/The use of Smart watches for monitoring rehabilitation |
Mr Cam Fary – Robotic TKR and biometric rehabilitation programs This presentation explores the integration of intra-operative robotic TKR surgery with Cloud based pre-rehabilitation and rehabilitation Apps that monitor patient biomechanics using a SmartPhone/Watch to optimise patient outcomes in real time. Mr Dirk van Bavel – The use of Smart watches for monitoring rehabilitation Exploring home based, patient centred research - recording functional abilities using a simple smart watch. |
Mr Cam Fary and Mr Dirk van Bavel |
Monday, 10 October 2022 | 12.30–1.30pm |
Innovations in rehabilitation during early recovery after traumatic brain injury |
Presentations include: Prof Jennie Ponsford - International guidelines for the management of post traumatic amnesia - INCOG 2.0 |
Prof Jennie Ponsford, Dr Adam McKay, Dr Jessica Trevena-Peters, Sarah Carrier and Ruby Phyland |
Tuesday, 11 October 2022 | 10.00am– 12.00pm |
Shared Medical Appointments: an innovative model of healthcare delivery |
Shared Medical Appointments are a person-centred multidisciplinary model of healthcare delivery that is effective, efficient, engaging and empowering. SMAs are ideally suited to the management of chronic disease with an emphasis on health literacy and self-management. Furthermore, SMAs are highly regarded by providers countering many of the factors contributing to burnout. |
Dr Michael Axtens and Prof Karen Dwyer |
Tuesday, 11 October 2022 | 1.00– 1.30pm |
Nursing Symposium 2: Showcasing Nursing and Midwifery Leaders in Advanced Practice at Epworth HealthCare |
Presentations from Nurse Practitioner candidates and Nurse Consultants across Epworth. Leslie Bell – Haematology Oncology Sarah Morrison – Breast Care Julia Segal – Inpatient Psychiatry liaison David Gray – Urology Felicity Ruckman – Stomal Therapy Stacey Goad & Jane Willcox – Health professional views on antenatal and post - birth education Michael Hardie – ED Nurse Practitioner role Geelong |
Leslie Bell, Sarah Morrison, Julia Segal, David Gray, Felicity Ruckman, Michael Hardie, Stacey Goad and Dr Jane Willcox |
Wednesday, 12 October 2022 |
1.00–3.00pm |
Prostate Evening Symposium |
Updates on current clinical research conducted by the EJ Whitten Prostate Cancer Centre at Epworth will be provided, including a showcase of current urology and prostate research. Presentations include: Isabella Williams – Modern Paradigms for Prostate Cancer Detection and Management |
Isabella Williams; Speakers TBC |
Wednesday, 12 October 2022 |
6.00–8.00pm |
Variation in Patient Data: How to measure it, how much is too much? |
Patients and hence their data are unique and therefore some variability is to be expected. At what point, taking context into account, should we be concerned that the variability is a cause for concern? |
A/Prof Dean McKenzie |
Thursday, 13 October 2022 |
10.00– 10.30am |
Rehabilitation research: Session 2 |
Current PhD/Masters students within the EMReM and PRoSpER Research Units will present on recent findings from their projects. |
Prof John Olver, Prof Gavin Williams and Bianca Fedele |
Thursday, 13 October 2022 | 12.00–1.00pm |
What is the potential for PBS+PLUS implementation in Epworth community rehabilitation settings?: A clinician trainee's perspective |
It has recently been demonstrated in a RCT that a model of Positive Behaviour Support (PBS+PLUS) is effective in: reducing the occurrence of challenging behaviour among individuals who have sustained brain injury, and fostering increased confidence among clients’ natural supports to respond to these behaviours. An Epworth clinician reflects on her experience in engaging in this training, the framework’s relevance in our Epworth context, and thoughts regarding ongoing directions this translational work can take within our community brain injury rehabilitation setting. |
Dr Lisa Johnston and Dr Kate Gould |
Monday, 17 October 2022 | 12.00– 12.30pm |
The Endometriosis Longitudinal Fertility Study (ELFS) – App technology in gynaecology research |
Mobile app technology offers an exciting new option for longitudinal research data collection. App technology is readily available, intuitive and highly acceptable to research participants. The study investigators will discuss App technology in gynaecology research, and the experience gained thus far with the ELFS App. |
Dr Samantha Mooney and Dr Vanessa Ross |
Tuesday, 18 October 2022 | 11.30–12.00pm |
The Protective Effect of Maternal Immunisation on Preterm Birth: Underlying Mechanisms and Role in Newborn Immune Function |
Prof Michelle Giles is an infectious diseases physician who specialises in infections in pregnancy and maternal immunisation. Her clinical research focus is on blood borne viruses in pregnancy such as HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C. She also leads a number of projects on maternal immunisation. |
Prof Michelle Giles |
Tuesday, 18 October 2022 | 12.00–12.30pm |
Engaging consumers in Research – an overview of Epworth's Consumer Advisor program and supports |
By attending this webinar you will gain a greater understanding of the Epworth Partnering with Consumers Strategy from a research perspective and best practice approaches currently being implemented. |
Gary Layton, Lauren Lawlor, Claire Henry and Julie Treloar |
Tuesday, 18 October 2022 | 1.00–2.00pm |
Poster Presentation Event |
Epworth Research Highlights 2022. |
Selected speakers |
Tuesday, 18 October 2022 | 5.00–7.00pm |
Creating, Capturing and Communicating Research Impact |
For those unable to attend the Creating, Capturing and Communicating research impact workshop on October 21st, Dr Heiden will discuss research impact, explain how it fits in with the Australian research context and what researchers can do to create impact. |
Dr Tamika Heiden |
Wednesday, 19 October 2022 | 12.00–1.00pm |
Nursing Symposium 3: Innovation in acute care practice |
Tess Vawser and Christine Jackman – Effectiveness of Interdisciplinary Simulation to promote team work and communication between pre-registration medical and nursing students |
Tess Vawser, Christine Jackman, Jill Yang, Jess Edney, Diana Lee, Penny Dempster, Lizet Kritzinger and Fiona Wong |
Wednesday, 19 October 2022 | 1.00–3.00pm |
Epworth Centre for Immunotherapies and Snowdome Laboratories CAR-T Research - past learnings and future capacities |
The vision of the Epworth Centre for Immunotherapies and Snowdome Laboratories is to be a centre for excellence in blood cancer patient treatment and care. Its mission is to deliver better outcomes for blood cancer patients, through provision of the very best care, access to innovative personalised treatment options and clinical trials, and leading clinical research and academic programs. |
Dr Sam Fiorenza Dr Costas Yannakou and Dr Nicole Brooks |
Thursday, 20 October 2022 | 11.00am– 12.00pm |
Jreissati Family Pancreatic Centre – viewing pancreatic cancer through a wider lens |
This session will share the breadth of research being conducted at Epworth HealthCare in pancreatic cancer and pancreatic disease, with particular focus on the growing portfolio of research into personalised and supportive therapies. |
A/Prof Andrew Metz, Dr Caroline Le, Jo-Anne Crowther, Carmel Zoanetti, Mr Dan Croagh, Prof John Zalcberg and Mr Luke Bradshaw |
Monday, 24 October 2022 | 12.30–2.15pm |
Snippets of ER-ICU Research |
Dr Diane Kelly – High stakes decision making in ICU Ms Laurie Saffer – Communication regarding patient goals of care in ICU. A/Prof Kyle Brooks – Competency assessment in cardiac ultrasound; how much is enough? Ms Danielle Macpherson – Factors influencing sedation management in ICU |
Dr Diane Kelly, Laurie Saffer, Dr Kyle Brooks, and Danielle Macpherson |
Tuesday, 25 October 2022 | 2.00–3.00pm |
Epworth Rehabilitation & Mental Health Services: Exploring unique pathways for delivering specialist rehabilitation and mental health care |
Amy Kaplan – Development and Implementation of the Eating Disorders Pathway |
Amy Kaplan, Dr Jane Willcox, Julia Segal, Kim Miles, Jeremy Buckmaster, Laura Papaioannou, Glynis Cacavas and Jo Kevill |
Wednesday, 26 October 2022 | 1.00–3.00pm |















