Monash Health

The Springvale RSL recently hosted their inaugural Helping Children Heal Gala Night, raising funds for Monash Children's Hospital. The RSL team put in an incredible effort to hold what was a spectacular evening, with their efforts culminating in an amazing $53,000 raised for Monash Children's. On behalf of Monash Health, thank you and congratulations to the wonderful team at the Springvale RSL for hosting such a meaningful event that will support the care provided at Monash Children’s Hospital.

Despite the common misconception that heart disease primarily affects men, the reality is that cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are a leading cause of death among Australian women, claiming the lives of around 20 women every day. CVD accounts for approximately 10% of the total disease burden in women. It’s something that cardiologist and researcher Dr Esther Davis, lead of the Women’s Heart program at the Victorian Heart Hospital and co-lead of the Women’s Heart research challenge at the Monash Victorian Heart Institute, knows all too well. "There’s a persistent myth that heart disease is a men’s issue. This outdated thinking means that many women and their healthcare providers aren't looking for the signs of cardiovascular disease until it’s too late," says Dr Davis. “Early detection and treatment can dramatically improve outcomes for women at risk of heart disease. Despite this cardiovascular disease remains under-recognised, under-diagnosed, and under-treated in women.” One of the most significant barriers to early treatment is women’s failure to recognise that their symptoms are coming from their heart. Chest pain is the most common symptom of heart disease for both women and men, however women are more likely to also experience less typical symptoms like shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting and even sleep disturbances. Dr Davis emphasises, “women may not recognise their unique symptoms as indicators of a heart attack, which delays their treatment and worsens their outcomes.” “Increasing awareness about the way women experience heart disease is key to closing the gap in care,” she said. This Women’s Health Week, we urge all women to take charge of their heart health. Here are five crucial things you can do to protect your heart: 💯Know Your Numbers: If you’re 45 or older, schedule a Heart Health Check with your GP. This check, which is free under Medicare at practices that bulk bill, will assess your risk factors—like blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol—and estimate your risk of a heart attack or stroke in the next five years. ❤️Recognise the Symptoms: Familiarise yourself with the symptoms of heart attacks in women – including chest pain or pressure, indigestion, fatigue or tiredness, shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea and vomiting and back or jaw pain. Recognising these symptoms could save your life. 🏃♀️👩🦽Get Moving: Regular physical activity is a powerful tool in reducing the risk of a cardiovascular event. Even short bursts of activity—10 minutes, three times a day—can be just as effective as a continuous 30-minute workout. 🥗 Eat Healthy: A balanced diet, especially one mindful of added salt, is crucial in reducing the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. 😴Manage Stress and Sleep Well: High stress levels and poor sleep have been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular issues in women. Prioritise your mental well-being and ensure you’re getting enough rest.

A new model of care at Monash Health has significantly reduced the wait time for colonoscopies for people who record a positive bowel cancer screening test. The IMPACT (Improving Management and Procedural Access for Colorectal Tumours) program, established in 2023, introduced a direct pathway to colonoscopy following a positive screening test, eliminating the need for a preliminary specialist consultation. In the program’s first six months, the time from referral to colonoscopy completion was reduced from an average of 137 days to 24 days for the 239 patient participants. This shortened timeframe is significant, as approximately 90% of bowel cancer cases can be successfully treated when detected early. Development of the IMPACT program has been led by Monash Health’s Gastroenterology team and Associate Professor Sally Bell, in partnership with the Transformation team. You can read more about the program here: https://lnkd.in/gQ7S85W7

We are delighted to share that Prue Walker, one of our Senior Social Workers, has won a HESTA Excellence Award. Prue, who works at the Victorian Fetal Alcohol Service (VicFAS) at Monash Children’s Hospital, received the Allied Health - Individual Leadership Award. Prue has significantly impacted the landscape of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in Australia, developing resources for professionals, conducting workshops, and contributing to key policy developments, including submissions to the Senate Inquiry into FASD. Her work emphasises collaboration and perseverance, setting a benchmark for FASD awareness and support. “Being recognised in the 2024 HESTA Excellence Awards is a profound honour and personal validation,” said Prue. “Throughout my career, both as a FASD advocate and now with the Victorian Fetal Alcohol Service, I have been passionate about sharing how appropriate support for individuals with FASD can profoundly transform their life outcomes.” Congratulations, Prue, and thank you for all you do for Monash Health and those affected by FASD.

You might be seeing an extra touch of purple today for Wear It Purple Day 💜🌈 By wearing purple on this day, we demonstrate to rainbow young people that they are celebrated and respected, acknowledging all have the right to be proud of who they are and who they are becoming. For young people who identify as LGBTQIA+, this year’s theme, ‘Your Passion, Your Pride’, is an empowering and affirming rally cry to express their true selves to the world and chase their dreams. But our rainbow community can’t achieve these outcomes alone. This is why we’re excited to be supporting a piece of the puzzle. Our Gender Clinic team is participating in a ground-breaking research project, which has received $5 million from the Models of Care for Sexuality & Gender Diverse People & People with Innate Variations of Sex Characteristics Grant Opportunity. Funding is from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF). To learn more about this project, visit: https://lnkd.in/gNvFmZvA

Landline phones at our hospitals and services are now working as normal, with a telephone network provider outage now resolved. Thank you for your understanding and patience during the outage.

We are currently unable to receive calls to landlines at our hospitals and services due to a network provider outage. We are also unable to make outgoing calls on our landlines. Our services remain open. The telephone network provider is working to restore service.

A worldwide shortage of intravenous (IV) fluids due to manufacturing issues has resulted in constrained supply at health services in Australia. Senior Consultant Emergency Physician at Monash Medical Centre, Professor Diana Egerton-Warburton OAM, joined ABC Radio Canberra to discuss her research looking at the national cost of routine insertion of cannulas in case IV fluids are required. “IV cannulas in the ED have become a bit like water to fish – they are so much part of the environment that people are doing it by habit,” she said. She said cannulas are painful to have inserted and take clinicians away from other care. Prof Egerton-Warburton spoke about a project underway involving nine Australian Emergency Departments (ED) and hundreds of thousands of participants, examining the impact of routine insertion of “just in case” cannulas. “We know there are safe routes for oral treatment and [they are] much, much kinder for the patient [than cannulas],” she said. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has advised that IV fluid supply is expected to be affected through to the end of 2024. Prof Egerton-Warburton says clinical behaviour change around the routine insertion of cannulas will help health services navigate the period.

Thanks to Monash Health’s maternity and neonatal teams, premature babies now have access to their mother’s Expressed Breast Milk (EBM) quicker after birth. EBM has long been identified as the best form of nutrition for newborns, providing immunological protection and developmental advantages. “We know that breast milk is really important for vulnerable premature babies, with evidence showing it can significantly decrease the risk of complications and infections,” said Samantha Tyrer, Quality Improvement Nurse at Monash Newborn. In addition, EBM is linked to decreased length of stay and readmission rates, allowing families to be together at home sooner. ‘The Early Expression Initiative’ has been underway since 2019 and aims to reduce the median time for newborns to receive EBM to 6 hours or less after birth. The multidisciplinary team collaborating to achieve this goal includes nurses, doctors, dietitians, midwifery and neonatal clinical educators and lactation consultants. The Monash Newborn Consumer Advisory Group were also consulted to ensure any interventions met the needs of parents and carers. With the introduction of multiple interventions including early expressing kits, the initiative has successfully reduced the median time of providing EBM to newborns to 3.5 hrs, six times faster than when it first began. By providing this essential element of care to our patients, not only is the risk of life-threatening illnesses reduced, the engagement of parents in the care of premature babies is enhanced. Thank you to everyone who continues to contribute to this initiative and provide care for our most vulnerable patients.

Remember to plan ahead. Monash Health has been informed that Clayton Road will be completely closed 24/7 to all non-emergency traffic south of Monash Medical Centre from Tuesday 27th of August to late October. The closure is to allow underground works to proceed as part of the Suburban Rail Loop project. 🏥 Monash Medical Centre and Monash Children’s Hospital's main entries will only be accessible to traffic and pedestrians travelling southbound on Clayton Road, between North Road and Monash Medical Centre. 🚑 Emergency vehicle access through the closed section will be maintained, between Monash Medical Centre and Clayton Train Station. No non-emergency traffic or pedestrians will have access through the construction zone. 👷 Detours and traffic management will be in place, coordinated by the Suburban Rail Loop Authority. 🚧 The work will cause significant disruption to traffic flow in and around the site for patients, visitors, employees, deliveries, couriers, and pedestrians. Clearway zones will be in place in some side streets, placing some additional pressure on parking. 📆 Visitors and patients are encouraged to plan ahead and to allow additional travel time. For more information, please visit the Suburban Rail Loop East project page: https://lnkd.in/gQiBasBW