Session 2 speakers including one of the keynote speakers, Associate Professor Frederick Graham
QEII Hospital held its annual Research Symposium on 7 October, showcasing projects across clinical streams for better care through collaboration.
The symposium featured nationally recognised speakers who shared insights into consumer partnership, dementia care and the vital role of research in improving health outcomes.
Chief Research and Innovation Officer for Metro South Health, Associate Professor Helen Benham, made an opening address at the event.
“The QEII Research Symposium Program is a fantastic demonstration of research excellence being driven by clinicians and researchers at QEII”, Associate Professor Benham said. “We need to remember that research and innovation is hope, and we need to make it visible to our patients”
Acting Director of Medical Services at QEII Hospital, Dr Alison Ryan, spoke about the importance of consumer engagement in her opening address.
“Patients and carers help us understand whether we are asking the right questions in the first place, and they can tell us which outcomes matter the most to them” Dr Ryan said. “Consumer involvement must shape our research work from the beginning.”
Throughout the symposium, presenters demonstrated how consumer perspectives are increasingly shaping research design, implementation and translation into practice at QEII Hospital.
The keynote speakers included Dr Faiza El-Higzi OAM and Associate Professor Frederick Graham.
Dr Faiza discussed her tireless work in consumer partnership in the healthcare sector and at QEII Hospital. Her incredible research on health equity earned her an Order of Australia for service to community and social welfare.
She inspired attendees with her advocacy for authentic consumer partnership and for shared authority in healthcare research, particularly with culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
Associate Professor Frederick Graham highlighted the power of clinician-led research to support older Queenslanders receiving care in hospital.
His work improves healthcare outcomes for clinicians, patients and their families for older people living with dementia.
The symposium demonstrated the growing impact of clinician-led, consumer-informed research at QEII Hospital, and showed how innovation, collaboration and evidence-based practice are improving healthcare outcomes today and in the future.
Congratulations to the winning presenters:
Best Oral Presentation: Dr Ruth Cox - Occupational Therapy, Kelly Rose and Susan Edwards – Ward 4B Nursing QEII and Leah Matthews – Consumer Partner, “Not a senile trouble-maker” - Implementing the multidisciplinary Behaviour Support Plan Protocol in acute medical wards: A mixed-methods stepped wedge design”
Best Lightning Round Presentation: Dr Jayne Hewitt, Senior Research Fellow QEII Hospital “Enacting values and goals at the end of life: An integrative review of substitute decision-making for people with neurocognitive impairment”
People’s Choice Award for Best Poster: Grace Harris, Speech Pathology, QEII Hospital “Mouths Matter: Evaluating Oral Health in the Acute Hospital Setting”