Collaborative research group
Our pillar designs, delivers and evaluates health professional simulation and educational activities within the Emergency Department and at interfaces with our colleagues in the hospital. We connect educational activities to improve practice and better patient outcomes.
Our overarching aim is to challenge established ideas and to investigate interventions that may lead to:
• better patient outcomes
• greater staff satisfaction
• better health economic outcomes.
Our key is to search for the most appropriate care. We research acute clinical conditions in the Emergency Department, where doing less may be better. The overarching theme aligns with the ‘Deliberate Clinical Inertia’ concept.
Some examples of this research focus are the following completed projects:
To grow research across multiple fields, and improve research collaboration, knowledge translation, education, and service delivery, our research focuses on seven pillars:
Sepsis accounts for more than 1 million annual childhood deaths globally. In Australia, more than 50 children die each year from this disease, and many children that survive contend with long-term disabilities. Indigenous children are particularly vulnerable.
Queensland is implementing a Statewide Paediatric Sepsis Collaborative which mandates sepsis treatment packages. To this point, the evidence for sepsis treatment other than antibiotics is limited.
This study is one of the largest randomized-controlled trials on early resuscitation of children with sepsis, and will test two interventions with the greatest promise to improve patient outcomes. The study will capture functional outcomes and quality of life, consumer engagement, and sepsis-related costs.
“The study is nested within a clearly defined clinical pathway, ensuring that findings can be rapidly translated into guidelines and change practice. The wide dissemination of findings will increase awareness of sepsis in the community and help save lives.”
—Dr Christa Bell
Infections that reach the blood stream (sepsis) can lead to dangerously low blood pressure (septic shock). Low blood pressure can be improved with fluids through a drip (intravenous fluids) or medications that increase the blood pressure (vasopressors). From research so far, what the best approach for emergency patients with sepsis and hypotension is unclear. Individual clinicians have a varied approach to when and how much fluids and vasopressors they give.
Insight into what really happens to treat septic shock is important to inform large clinical trials. The ARISE FLUIDS study is an international study that will describe current practice of fluid and vasopressor use in sepsis in 71 Australian and New Zealand hospitals.
"This is one of the largest international collaborations led from Gold Coast Health and we anticipate that this project will lead to further collaboration with many hospitals."
—Prof Gerben Keijzers
In 2018, the Gold Coast hosted one of the largest sporting mass gathering events in the country. The Commonwealth Games attracted approximately 1 million visitors to the region, over two weeks. Current gaps in the literature make it difficult to plan for service provision.
Using a pragmatic mixed methods research design, this study will be conducted across five Emergency Departments on the Gold Coast: two public (GCUH and Robina Hospital) and three private (Gold Coast, Pindara and John Flynn Private Hospitals).
This research aims to explore healthcare staff experience of planning, preparedness and lessons learnt to provide a resource for future planners of mass gathering events within the region, nationally, and internationally.
“This research project represents an international first, exploring the impact of a mass gathering event on all Emergency Departments within a region. The knowledge generated from this project will inform robust planning, to improve preparedness and service delivery, at any location.”
—Prof Julia Crilly
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the second leading cause of avoidable hospital admissions. Anecdotal evidence indicates over-use of frontline resources (e.g. the Emergency Department), and potential gaps in outreach services (e.g. underutilised services).
This project is a unique collaboration between three non-metropolitan health services in South East Queensland (West Moreton, Darling Downs and Gold Coast).
It will inform referral treatment initiatives’ implementation and evaluation (e.g., anxiety management, smoking cessation referral, and quality intra-professional care programs), based on identified causal factors.
“If we can find ways to tailor care for patients with COPD, this may reduce the need for emergency care, which will be better for patients.”
—Prof Gerben Keijzers
