INTERVIEWS

Overview:
• Ella Ingram 21-year-old Melbourne woman is challenging insurance giant QBE over its blanket exclusion of mental illness in its travel insurance policy, in what could be a watershed legal case for the industry.

• A plan to fix Brisbane’s troubled Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital will be released by the Queensland Government in the coming days. The Australian Medical Association of Queensland (AMAQ) has demanded changes at the year-old hospital, including more beds, resources and an improved IT system.

• More than a quarter of people calling a helpline for adult survivors of child abuse are now over the age of 60, a leading support group says. The figures have been released to mark Blue Knot Day, which aims to raise awareness of the estimated five million Australians who have suffered childhood trauma and abuse.

Guest: Dr Jerome Sarris PhD
Presenter: Wayne Bucklar
Guest Bio: Dr Jerome Sarris PhD is a Senior Research Fellow (CR Roper Fellow) at The University of Melbourne. Jerome moved from clinical practice as a Naturopath, Nutritionist, and Acupuncturist to academic work, and completed a doctorate at The University of Queensland in the field of psychiatry. He undertook his postdoctoral training at The University of Melbourne, Department of Psychiatry; The Centre for Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University of Technology; and The Depression Clinical & Research Program at Harvard Medical School (MGH). Jerome has 98 publications to date, and has published in many eminent psychiatry, psychopharmacology, and nutrition/natural product journals.

Segment overview: In today’s Health Supplier Segment, learn about the advancement in research and integrative medicine to better understand mood and anxiety disorder. We welcome Dr Jerome Sarris PhD from the University of Melbourne who is here to share his expertise regarding this topic. In addition, he was among the speakers in the recently concluded Blackmores Institute Symposium held this month. Dr Sarris PhD has a particular interest in mood and anxiety disorder research pertaining to nutraceutical psychopharmacology, and in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, and psychotropic plant medicine research.

Guest: Terri Smith
Presenter: Wayne Bucklar
Guest Bio: Terri Smith was appointed CEO of PANDA in December 2014 bringing a commitment to developing PANDA’s role as a voice for families affected by perinatal anxiety and depression. Terri brings a wealth of experience to PANDA as an experienced not-for-profit executive. She has previously served as CEO of a professional health association, Deputy CEO/National Program and Policy Manager for Breast Cancer Network Australia and Director of Client Services for Moreland Community Health Services.

Segment overview: In today’s Health Supplier Segment, know more about Perinatal Anxiety and Depression from PANDA CEO Terri Smith. Among the services they provide is their helpline staffed by professional counsellors and supervising staff for support and referral service. This service aims to have each caller supported and have gained an increased understanding of what might be happening to them and how they might seek ongoing services and supports in their local areas. They also aim to facilitate learning of callers about perinatal depression and anxiety as well as provide specialist training professionals related to this field.

Overview:
• Fertility clinics in South Australia say they are struggling to keep up with an increasing demand for donor sperm. The rising infertility rates along with a greater number of same-sex couples and single women requesting treatments have contributed to the shortage in donated sperm supplies.

• An increasing number of women in Australia and overseas are taking up the opportunity of freezing their eggs to be used later, as a kind of motherhood insurance. One of the world’s leading IVF researchers, Lord Professor Robert Winston, says women are being given false hope. He believes that women are being deceived.

• South Australians are being warned to take care when using home rotisseries or spits after they were linked to more than 20 people falling ill last financial year. SA Health director said ensuring the meat had been fully cooked through was essential in preventing salmonella.

Guest: Stephen Powell
Presenter: Neal Howard
Guest Bio: Steven Powell is the CEO of Synensis and coauthor of the book, The Patient Survival Handbook. Synensis has helped more than 500 hospitals around the world pursue zero preventable harm by measuring and improving quality and patient safety, eliminating the costs of under-performing processes, and, ultimately, saving lives.

Segment overview:Stephen Powell discusses how after a decade of intense practice, Synensis’ unique collection of proven tools and learning systems expanded to include customizable, outcome-driven solutions that improve patient safety culture, enhance the patient experience, engage healthcare leaders and increase staff satisfaction. Their holistic philosophy is successful due to a synergy of the six dimensions of a Healthy OrganizationSM, leading HTT to emerge as Synensis with a mission of helping organizations achieve zero preventable harm.

Guest: Stephen Powell
Presenter: Neal Howard
Guest Bio: Stephen Powell, MS, is the chief executive officer and president of Synensis, a healthcare consulting firm dedicated to helping hospitals achieve zero preventable harm. He is a recognized leader in the development of practices, behaviors, and strategies to improve organizational outcomes and is a member of the development team that created the TeamSTEPPS teamwork and communication system for healthcare organizations. Powell has supported the success of More than 350 organizations in 11 countries to improve patient safety, quality, and the patient experience by creating a culture of safety. He earned a Master’s in Human Factors from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and is a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate safety school. He is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the Clinical Human Factors Group.

Segment overview: Stephen Powell, coauthor of The Patient Survival Handbook and CEO of Synensis, a healthcare consulting firm, discusses how patients and families can maximize their safety while under the care of a doctor.

Guest: Stephen Powell
Presenter: Neal Howard
Guest Bio: Stephen Powell, MS, is the chief executive officer and president of Synensis, a healthcare consulting firm dedicated to helping hospitals achieve zero preventable harm. He is a recognized leader in the development of practices, behaviors, and strategies to improve organizational outcomes and is a member of the development team that created the TeamSTEPPS teamwork and communication system for healthcare organizations. Powell has supported the success of More than 350 organizations in 11 countries to improve patient safety, quality, and the patient experience by creating a culture of safety. He earned a Master’s in Human Factors from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and is a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate safety school. He is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the Clinical Human Factors Group.

Segment overview: Stephen Powell, coauthor of The Patient Survival Handbook and CEO of Synensis, a healthcare consulting firm, discusses how a lack of leadership and a culture of non communication result in medical errors that are sometimes fatal.

Guest: Stephen Powell
Presenter: Neal Howard
Guest Bio: Stephen Powell, MS, is the chief executive officer and president of Synensis, a healthcare consulting firm dedicated to helping hospitals achieve zero preventable harm. He is a recognized leader in the development of practices, behaviors, and strategies to improve organizational outcomes and is a member of the development team that created the TeamSTEPPS teamwork and communication system for healthcare organizations. Powell has supported the success of More than 350 organizations in 11 countries to improve patient safety, quality, and the patient experience by creating a culture of safety. He earned a Master’s in Human Factors from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and is a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate safety school. He is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the Clinical Human Factors Group.

Segment overview: Stephen Powell, co-author of The Patient Survival Handbook and CEO of Synensis, a healthcare consulting firm, talks about how poor teamwork and communication contribute to medical error.

Guest: Dr Michael Freeman
Presenter: Wayne Bucklar
Guest Bio: Dr Michael Freeman is the principal Dermatologist at The Skin Centre, specialising in Cosmetic and Laser Dermatology. He has more than 30 years’ experience in the medical field. In addition to his position at The Skin Centre, Dr Freeman is the Director of Dermatology at the Gold Coast Hospital, a visiting Dermatologist at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, and is an Associate Professor of Dermatology at Bond University. He is also a member of the Skin and Cancer Foundation of Queensland and an international member of the American Academy of Dermatology. Dr Freeman holds several more credits to his name, including lead investigator in more than a dozen clinical trials, and educator for other Dermatologists in the use of specialised lasers. In his spare time, Dr Freeman is a passionate sailor.

Segment overview: In today’s Health Supplier Segment, let us learn more about the double-blind RCT conducted by researchers at University of Sydney from 2012 tp 214 with 386 patients who had experienced two or more previous Non-Melanoma Skin Cancers in the past five years. The researchers found patients taking Nicotinamide 500mg twice daily for one year showed a 23 percent reduction in new diagnoses on NMSC, compared with those taking a placebo. Our guest The Skin Centre principal Dermatologist Dr Michael Freeman discusses the results of the research that show promise to cut the risk of new skin cancer s in the coming years. The specialised nicotinamide product used in the study was developed by Australian natural healthcare company Blackmores.

Overview:
• The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has warned at-home doctor visits could provide a sub par service for patients. South Australian companies have started to offer at-home visits for patients who are unable to travel to their local surgeries during business hours.

• The University of Adelaide’s Robinson Research Institute has discovered a way to repair “bad” or “damaged” eggs to make them “good” again. The research team has since been able to take a broken egg and mend it by adding haemoglobin. Fertility Society of Australia president Professor Michael Chapman said the research was promising.

• Beloved children’s television show Sesame Street has debuted its first character with autism, Julia, in a bid to raise greater awareness of the common neurodevelopmental condition.