On The Wards: On The Pods Medical Podcast for Doctors

James talks to Dr Chris Dalton about communication and patient-centred care. Patient-centered care refers to managing patients according to their needs, wants and capabilities, rather than according to the interest of the doctor or hospital.

Summary Writer:  Cynthia Yang

Editor:  Bruce Way

Interviewee:  Chris Dalton

About Dr Chris Dalton

Chris Dalton graduated from the University of Sydney in 1980 with honours and worked in surgical training as a resident and registrar in Sydney. He then trained in obstetrics, paediatrics and anaesthesia obtaining the Diploma in Obstetrics from the Royal Australasian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. After working in rural general practice for a few years, Chris returned to surgical training and obtained the Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of Surgeons in ENT surgery in 1993.

After completing post-surgical fellowships in laryngology with Bruce Benjamin in Sydney and head and neck surgery with David Howard and Valerie Lund in London, he worked at Westmead Adult’s and Westmead Children’s Hospitals as an ENT surgeon, with a particular interest in head and neck oncology and paediatric otolaryngology. Chris also practised in the private sector as an ENT surgeon during this period.

Joining Serco and BUPA

He joined Serco in 2012 as a Medical Director, working in business development, clinical governance and the development of new models of health care delivery, especially involving coordinated care. Chris has also completed a Master of Public Health at the University of Sydney and is currently enrolled in the Master of Biostatistics program there.

Chris joined BUPA as a Medical Director in 2014, where he has roles in claims management, development and implementation of policies for health insurance, clinical governance for BUPA’s health provision services and designing and supporting the clinical aspects of BUPA’s new business development. Currently he is involved in a data analytics project to gain deeper clinical insights into Bupa’s datasets.

Chris also serves on committees for the Prostheses List and the MBS review for the Australian Federal Government.

Summary Writer:  Jeffrey Duncan

Script Writer:  John Sammut

Editor:  John Sammut

Interviewee: John Sammut

Dr John Sammut talks to James about teamwork, the role of patients in the team, communication and the importance of multidisciplinary team meetings for effective communication within the healthcare setting.

John is a Senior Emergency Physician with over 25 years’ experience in clinical practice. He has a passion for compassionate, patient centred care, communication in teams and education of junior staff.

John worked with the Clinical Excellence Commission for over 5 years (2010 – 2015) contributing to a variety of committees and programs: such as Between the Flags, the Surviving Sepsis campaign and as Medical lead in rolling out the State wide, In Safe Hands Program (SIBR) program: a patient centred system for multidisciplinary team communication. He now works as Director of the ICU, as an Emergency Physician and as Executive Clinical Director at Canterbury Hospital. John is also on the NSW Medical Council: both on Council and as Chair of the Performance Committee.

Dr John Sammut talks to James about teamwork. Together, they'll cover the role of patients in the team, and the importance of multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings for effective communication within the healthcare setting. Communication is key to ensure effective teamwork is taking place. This is because the biggest threat to effective, safe, high-quality patient care is poor or a lack of communication. Moreover, MDT and interdisciplinary team meetings are effective for improving communication in a healthcare setting.

In this podcast, you will learn more about MDTs, different team meeting structures and how to manage team communications more effectively.

Summary Writer:  Jeffrey Duncan

Script Writer:  John Sammut

Editor:  John Sammut

Interviewee: John Sammut

About Dr John Sammut

John Sammut is a Senior Emergency Physician with over 25 years’ experience in clinical practice. He has a passion for compassionate, patient-centered care, communication in teams and education of junior staff.

John worked with the Clinical Excellence Commission for over 5 years (2010-2015) contributing to a variety of committees and programs such as:

Between the Flags,

the Surviving Sepsis campaign, and

as Medical lead in rolling out the statewide In Safe Hands Program (SIBR), a patient-centered system for multidisciplinary team communication.

Furthermore, he works as Director of the ICU, as an Emergency Physician and as Executive Clinical Director at Canterbury Hospital. John is also on the NSW Medical Council, and Chair of the Performance Committee.

Summary Writer:  Nicholas Malouf

Editor:  Bruce Way

Interviewee: Claudia Woolf

Claudia Woolf, Clinical Neuropsychologist, talks to James about the legal and professional responsibility of all clinicians - obtaining consent before treating any patient and the questions raised regarding capacity and guardianship that are often not well understood by clinicians.

Claudia Woolf is a nationally endorsed Clinical Neuropsychologist and a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and College of Clinical Neuropsychologists. She is also a PhD candidate, enrolled at the University of Sydney under the supervision of Prof Naismith. Claudia obtained her Bachelor of Psychology (Hons I) from the University of New South Wales in 2010 and her Masters Degree in Psychology (Clinical Neuropsychology) from the University of Melbourne in 2013. Since then, she has worked at the Dementia Collaborative Research Centre and the Centre for Healthy Brain Aging on sentinel projects in Psychogeriatrics including the Sydney Memory and Aging Study (MAS), the Older Australian Twin Study and the Sydney Centenarian Study including coordination of the International Centenarian Consortium. Claudia’s academic track record includes, the publication of a number of peer reviewed manuscripts, and international and national consumer and scientific presentations.

She holds an appointment in the School of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine at the University of New South Wales as a Research Associate and an appointment within the APS College of Clinical Neuropsychologists as the Early Career Representative. She currently works fulltime as a Clinical Neuropsychologist within the Psychogeriatric Mental Health and Dementia Service at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney where she recently headed-up the implementation of a group cognitive remediation program for older adults ‘at risk’ of developing dementia and is currently working toward completion of her PhD which investigates cognitive remediation in a clinical population of older adults with current depressive symptoms. At St Vincent’s Hospital, Claudia also works as the Project Officer for Psychogeriatric SOS (services-on-screen), a unique, clinician-to-clinician e-health solution to provide specialist psychogeriatric expertise to older adults in rural and remote Australia. She has also been heavily involved in developing ‘A Workshop on Capacity – Online Module for Junior Medical Officers’.

Claudia Woolf, Clinical Neuropsychologist, talks to James about patient capacity and consent. Together they'll go over the legal and professional responsibility of all clinicians regarding patient capacity and consent. Clinicians are required to obtain consent before treating any patient. In this podcast, we also discuss the questions raised regarding capacity and guardianship. These are often not well understood by clinicians.

Summary Writer:  Nicholas Malouf

Editor:  Bruce Way

Interviewee: Claudia Woolf

About Claudia Woolf

Claudia Woolf is a nationally endorsed Clinical Neuropsychologist. Claudia is a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and College of Clinical Neuropsychologists. She is also a Ph.D. candidate enrolled at the University of Sydney under the supervision of Prof Naismith.

Claudia obtained her Bachelor of Psychology (Hons I) from the University of New South Wales in 2010. She followed that with her Master's Degree in Psychology (Clinical Neuropsychology) from the University of Melbourne in 2013. Since then, she has worked at the Dementia Collaborative Research Centre and the Centre for Healthy Brain Aging on sentinel projects in Psychogeriatrics. These projects include the Sydney Memory and Aging Study (MAS), the Older Australian Twins Study, and the Sydney Centenarian Study as well as coordination of the International Centenarian Consortium. Claudia’s academic track record includes the publication of a number of peer-reviewed manuscripts and international and national consumer and scientific presentations.

Claudia holds an appointment in the School of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine at the University of New South Wales as a Research Associate. She also has an appointment within the APS College of Clinical Neuropsychologists as the Early Career Representative. She currently works full-time as a Clinical Neuropsychologist within the Psychogeriatric Mental Health and Dementia Service at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney. Here, she recently headed-up the implementation of a group cognitive remediation program for older adults at risk of developing dementia.

Claudia is currently working toward the completion of her Ph.D. which investigates cognitive remediation in a clinical population of older adults with current depressive symptoms. At St Vincent’s Hospital, Claudia also works as the Project Officer for Psychogeriatric SOS (services-on-screen). This is a unique, clinician-to-clinician, e-health solution to provide specialist psychogeriatric expertise to older adults in rural and remote Australia. She has also been heavily involved in developing ‘A Workshop on Capacity – Online Module for Junior Medical Officers’.

Summary Writer:  Emily Nash

Editor:  Chris Elliot

Interviewee: Chris Elliot and Kylie Yates

James talks to Dr Chris Elliot and Dr Kylie Yates about assessing and treating paediatric patients.

Chris Elliot is a Consultant Paediatrician who works in a teaching hospital in Sydney and in private rooms. As well as clinical Medicine he is enthusiastic about health communication and teaching. Chris is a Conjoint Lecturer for the University of New South Wales and writes the occasional article on child health for mainstream media. He also teaches Advanced Paediatric Life Support and sits on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health. Chris completed his Internship at Bankstown Hospital and Paediatric training through the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network. On the days when he is not at work he enjoys playing with his children, and also when they play by themselves.

Kylie Yates is a staff specialist general Paediatrician at St George Hospital. She is an APLS instructor and co-developer of their Paediatric units simulation based training programme.  Kylie is enthusiastic about introducing new ideas to hospital practice but still thinks talking to families is the best bit of the job. She graduated from the University of Sydney and was trained in Paediatrics at Children's Hospital Westmead.

James talks to Dr Chris Elliot and Dr Kylie Yates about assessing and treating paediatric patients.

Summary Writer:  Emily Nash

Editor:  Chris Elliot

Interviewee: Chris Elliot and Kylie Yates

About Dr Chris Elliot

Chris Elliot is a Consultant Paediatrician who works in a teaching hospital in Sydney and in private rooms. As well as clinical Medicine he is enthusiastic about health communication and teaching. Chris is a Conjoint Lecturer for the University of New South Wales and writes the occasional article on child health for mainstream media. He also teaches Advanced Paediatric Life Support and sits on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health. Chris completed his Internship at Bankstown Hospital and Paediatric training through the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network. On the days when he is not at work he enjoys playing with his children, and also when they play by themselves.

About Dr Kylie Yates

Kylie Yates is a staff specialist general Paediatrician at St George Hospital. She is an APLS instructor and co-developer of their Paediatric units simulation based training programme. Kylie is enthusiastic about introducing new ideas to hospital practice but still thinks talking to families is the best bit of the job. She graduated from the University of Sydney and was trained in Paediatrics at Children's Hospital Westmead.

Summary Writer:  Jeff Duncan

Editor:  Joanna Dargan

Interviewee: Joanna Dargan

Dr Joanna Dargan, a Urology Registrar, talks to James about urinary retention, the common clinical problem afflicting patients both in hospital and as an outpatient.

Joanna is currently working in New South Wales and interested in medical education and training.

Dr Joanna Dargan talks to James about urinary retention. Urinary retention is a common clinical problem afflicting patients both in hospital and as an outpatient.

Summary Writer:  Jeff Duncan

Editor:  Joanna Dargan

Interviewee:  Joanna Dargan

Joanna, a Urology Registrar, is currently working in New South Wales and interested in medical education and training.

Summary Writer:  Alexandra Bolger

Editor:  Mark Latt

Interviewee: Mark Latt

James talks to Associate Professor Mark Latt about falls, the common presentation in hospital and the emergency department, especially in the geriatric population.

Mark Latt is a Staff Specialist in Geriatric Medicine and runs a multidisciplinary outpatient Falls Management Service at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. He is a Principal Investigator in NHMRC funded trials examining the prevention of falls in Parkinson's disease, dementia and minor neurocognitive disorder.