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AMAZING healthcare
hollywood
winter edition 2010
star
the quarterly publication of Hollywood Private Hospital
TA L E S
T H AT H E A L
The healing power of fairytales
A member of Ramsay Health Care
Keeping The Beat p8
Foundation For The Future p10
Something Special p14
4
Tales That Heal
Our fairytale-themed
marketing campaign
8
Keeping The Beat
New technologies for
abnormal heart rhythms
10
Foundation For The Future
Supporting house-building
in Cambodia
14
Something Special
Hollywood
Medical Centre
16 Getting Good Advice
18 A Dedicated Team
20 Hollywood Sponsors’ Activity
22 Hollywood In Brief
23 Profiling Hollywood Specialists
AMAZING healthcare
amazing healthcare
This issue is dedicated to relationships how we work as a team, volunteerism at
Hollywood and the strong relationships
we have with our medical specialists and
nursing teams. We also focus on our
community and how we relate to all of
you in a meaningful and positive way.
Relationships change lives, and that’s
what we do here everyday at Hollywood
Private Hospital.
As Executive Director of Hollywood it’s
personally important to me to know that
what we do here is of benefit and value
to everyone who deals with us and that
we make a significant contribution to
the health of our community overall. Of
course it’s rewarding to be recognised for
our efforts in health care but we need to
make sure we don’t rest on our laurels in
the ongoing pursuit of excellence.
Hollywood continues to enjoy its
reputation as one of Perth’s most
respected and progressive private
hospitals. Our recent research has shown
that this view is held by a diverse crosssection of our local community. While
we will always value our beginnings as
the repatriation hospital, that perception
is well and truly changing. Hollywood is
today viewed as a dynamic and modern
private hospital which offers a broad
range of medical services and facilities.
We are acknowledged and valued for our
ongoing contribution to the community
and, above all, we continue to provide
excellent health care and service.
Keep your eyes peeled on the streets of
Perth for our new marketing campaign,
Amazing Fairytales, which features some
of your favourite childhood characters
who are facing their very own health
challenges just as we do every day. So
who are the heroes that have inspired
the campaign? It is of course our
doctors, nurses, health care workers and
the very special relationship we have
with our patients in returning them to
great health. I’m sure you will relate to
these much loved characters and the
positive messages they convey in facing
life’s health challenges with courage,
determination and support.
Happy reading everyone.
The Hollywood Star © Hollywood Private Hospital 2010
Please direct all editorial enquiries to:
Penny Tassone Marketing & PR Director
Tel 08 9346 6664 email [email protected]
Richard Calautti Acting Marketing & PR Manager (Editor)
Tel 08 9346 6663 email [email protected]
Writers: Andrea Lewis, Penny Tassone & Richard Calautti
Monash Avenue, Nedlands WA 6009
Mail: Locked Bag 2002 Nedlands WA 6909
www.hollywoodprivatehospital.com.au
PP639699/00110
A member of Ramsay Health Care
Kevin Cass-Ryall
Executive Director
Hollywood Private Hospital
AMAZING healthcare
welcome
AMAZING HEALTHCARE
amazing
l
a
e
H
t
a
h
T
Tales
Hollywood’s latest
advertising campaign
uses the power of fairytales
to show the hospital’s
specialist capacity and
its commitment to
health and wellbeing.
5•
The campaign cleverly
brings together messages
about health services we
offer, and ties them in to
the tales we know so well.
ollywood’s latest
advertising campaign
uses stories that we all
know: Humpty Dumpty,
Snow White and the
Seven Dwarfs, and Alice in Wonderland,
for example. The campaign cleverly
brings together messages about health
services we offer, and ties them in to the
tales we know so well.
Penny Tassone, Marketing and PR
Director at Hollywood, says that the
campaign is part of an ongoing effort to
send a positive message about the spirit
of medical care that Hollywood provides,
and to show the broad range of specialist
care available.
“Because Hollywood was established
in the 1940s as a military hospital, we
carried that reputation well into the ‘90s,”
Penny said. “But today we are a modern,
state-of-the art hospital with more than
650 accredited specialists working across a
wide range of disciplines.
“When we started our new series of
advertising campaigns in 2006, we
felt that people were not aware of the
diversity of services we offer, or of the
importance of what the hospital was
doing when it comes to health and
wellbeing.”
That idea started the ‘Amazing’
campaign, which aimed to showcase
Hollywood to the community as
an organisation which is capable of
extraordinary achievements in a broad
range of medical and surgical specialties,
and how the team can assist people
needing medical treatment return to the
life they once had.
The current fairytales campaign continues
that effort with a brightly illustrated and
cleverly crafted series of billboards now
scattered around Nedlands, West Perth
and the CBD.
“There is a ‘happily ever after’ theme to
the ads,” Penny explained. “The skill of
our specialists and nurses can put Humpty
Dumpty together again.
“They address the real concerns that
people have when facing a medical
procedure, while maintaining a warmth
and a familiarity about them, which aims
to reassure and empower patients.”
“Hollywood’s message is that we are
here to help you get back your quality of
life. The image of the doctor wielding a
surgical instrument does not characterise
the overriding attitude of surgeons or the
goals of Hollywood. A positive outcome
– a person surfing again, or nursing their
grandchild – these represent the purpose
of Hollywood.”
Research into the effectiveness of the
Hollywood marketing campaigns shows
that the perception of Hollywood as a
veterans’ hospital is changing. People
interviewed about the hospital were
predominantly aware that Hollywood
provides services to patients of all ages
and they are aware of the caring approach
of the hospital’s many specialists.
Visit www.healingtales.com.au
Keeping
The Beat
Dr Andrei Catanchin, cardiologist and
electrophysiologist, at the Hollywoodbased Perth Cardiovascular Institute
and his team are at the forefront of
introducing new technologies and
techniques in managing abnormal
heart rhythms – a common condition
experienced by many Australians.
•8
Dr Andrei Catanchin
g
t
MRI- Compatible Pacemakers
In March, Dr Catanchin implanted WA’s first
MRI-compatible pacemaker at Hollywood
Private Hospital. He performed the
successful operation on an elderly veteran
from the Perth suburb of Shelley.
Thousands of Australians suffer from irregular
heart rhythms. For the most part, abnormal
cardiac rhythms can be managed with
an implanted device, with the pacemaker
perhaps the most well known and most
commonly used. The small four-centimetre
thin disc can improve a patient’s quality of
life dramatically.
Living with these devices, however, does
impose some restrictions. For patients with
a pacemaker, having a magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI) scan as a diagnostic test is ill
advised. The risk is that the magnetic field
and radio signals generated by the MRI can
disrupt the pacemaker’s settings or cause
wires to overheat, potentially triggering
irregular heart rhythms.
“The problem is an unpredictable response
from the pacemaker,” said Dr Catanchin. “For
this reason, most radiologists agree that the
procedure is too risky.
“This means serious limitations on the types
of diagnostic tests available to many people,
which is problematic because the MRI is
often the best diagnostic method for brain,
neurological or orthopaedic imaging, as
well as for the heart itself. Until now, patients
with a pacemaker have had to make do with
other less appropriate diagnostic tests, which
is not ideal.”
The manufacturer of the innovative MRIsafe pacemaker, Medtronic, is the largest
manufacturer of pacemakers worldwide.
Other companies are now developing
comparable products.
The new device has been designed with
non-magnetic leads, and the design ensures
that if the magnetic field triggers an error
in the pacemaker, the pacing system
automatically reverts to a safe and stable
setting and performs as intended.
“There have been some implants of MRIcompatible pacemakers in the eastern
states, but this is the first one in Perth,” Dr
Catanchin explained. “It’s an exciting and
very important clinical development.
MRI pacemaker
“Until this product came onto the market,
there were no approved MRI-friendly
implantable pacemakers or defibrillators for
use.”
placed in the left atrial appendage, to ‘seal’ it
off and so prevent any blood clots that may
have formed in this pouch from entering the
blood stream.
Because the development is so new, the full
range of pacemakers and defibrillators that
are MRI-compatible has yet to be developed.
Several companies are working on the new
technology. We expect that in the next few
years advances will see a comprehensive
range of these devices available, allowing
thousands more people to undergo an MRI
if needed.
“This technology offers an alternative
to anticoagulants or blood thinners,” Dr
Catanchin explained. “It can be especially
welcome for those using warfarin, which can
be a difficult blood thinner to control.
Remote Monitoring Technology
Patients with pacemakers and implantable
defibrillators can now make use of
technologies which allow for remote
monitoring, where a device’s activity can
be checked by a doctor using the internet,
while the patient remains in their own home.
These newer devices have a special home
monitoring wireless transmitter. Data from
the implanted device is transmitted to an inhome communicator and uploaded via the
telephone network to a server, where it can
be reviewed and archived.
If the pacemaker detects a problem, it sends
a warning signal to the physician, who can
access patient and device data from any
internet-enabled PC or even a mobile phone.
“This allows a doctor to check the signs
immediately, rather than a patient having to
wait for an appointment time and come into
the clinic,” Dr Catanchin said.
“The system can save unnecessary
admissions to hospital and also give a
patient immediate peace of mind in their
own home. In a state like Western Australia,
this is especially valuable for patients living a
long way from the metropolitan area.”
A call centre provides patient support.
Research Update on Atrial Fibrillation
The WATCHMAN device is used for patients
with atrial fibrillation (AF), a commonly
occurring disturbance in the heart’s rhythm.
AF may predispose to stagnation of blood
flow which increases the risks of clots in the
left atrial appendage.
“If the left atrial appendage is closed over, a
patient can potentially stop taking warfarin.
“Studies in the US and Europe have shown
that the WATCHMAN device prevents AFrelated stroke and outperforms warfarin in
preventing haemorrhagic strokes in patients
with atrial fibrillation, so we are excited that
this procedure is now available in Western
Australia.”
ENGAGE-AF Study
For stroke patients with AF, warfarin is
currently the therapy of choice, as it is
effective in preventing the formation of
blood clots in the body. However, the drug
can be difficult to control. It can cause
bleeding, interacts adversely with many
other medications and some foods, and
requires monitoring. Only about 60 per cent
of patients get into the therapeutic range.
AF can become more serious with age,
and is linked to strokes and heart attacks.
The study is trying to find a safer and more
effective means of thinning blood.
Dr Catanchin is the local Principal
Investigator in an international team
currently conducting a research trial called
ENGAGE-AF. The study is looking at the
use of a new anticoagulant, edoxaban – in
effect, an oral version of the commonly
used Clexane injection, which doesn’t need
monitoring with blood tests and has very
few interactions, compared with warfarin.
“The cardiology team at Hollywood has
been involved with innovative and exciting
advances in managing heart conditions
of all types,” Dr Catanchin said. “We are
fortunate to have available to us here in
Western Australia all the latest equipment
and devices, making it possible to perform
advanced and complex procedures putting
Hollywood at the forefront of cardiology
care.”
Using a well established catheter
technique, the WATCHMAN device is
9•
A m a z i n g
h e a l t h c a r e
• 10
foundation
for the
future
Through a generous
donation to the Tabitha
Foundation, Hollywood
Private Hospital has
helped volunteers to
further much needed
house-building projects
in Cambodia.
Each family is presented with a Tabitha
bed quilt to use in their new home
11 •
The effects of the Khmer Rouge on
Cambodia have been devastating. Long
after the Vietnam invasion of 1979 that
ousted the Khmer Rouge from Phnom
Penh, the brutal communist regime
continued to operate from border areas,
influencing the running of the country
and continuing its control over the lives of
ordinary Cambodians.
By the time Pol Pot died in 1998, he
left only 300 high school educated
Cambodians, with many skilled and
professional Cambodians executed in
the notorious killing fields. Infrastructure
had been destroyed, there was no
public health system, and the country
experienced the highest incidence of AIDS
in Asia. With virtually no economic growth,
little opportunity existed for people to
establish a sustainable living, destroying
morale and self-esteem.
The Tabitha Foundation was established
in 1994 by Janne Ritskes with seed
funding from the Australian and Canadian
Consulates in Cambodia. Canadian by
birth, Janne now lives in Phnom Penh.
Tabitha aims to help the poorest of the
poor rebuild their lives. Tabitha works in
many provinces, with ongoing projects in
Battambang, Kep, Sihanoukville, Kampong
Speu and Siem Reap. At the moment,
they are also working in Svay Rieng – the
poorest region.
In recent years, volunteers from around
the world have travelled to Cambodia
to help rebuild the country. Hollywood
theatre nurse Jenni Lockwood has been
part of this collective effort for years,
working specifically with the Tabitha
Foundation. She now coordinates trips to
Cambodia, along with Pauline Dunn, the
Tabitha representative in Perth.
“Tabitha started by setting up a local
cottage industry,” Jenni said. “Community
development projects were next, and
then came the house-building program.”
• 12
In 2009, 29 teams went to Cambodia and
they built a total of 264 houses.
When teams arrive at a site, the frames
and footings of the house have already
been installed by a local construction
company. The Tabitha team completes the
house, erecting tin cladding and making
floors from bamboo. There is no electricity
- Cambodians use fire to cook, eating
mostly chicken, rice and vegetables.
“Last time, 25 people from all over
Australia raised over $40,000,” Jenni
said. “We built 20 houses in two days in
February this year. We had more money
than we needed for the planned number
of houses, so we contributed to the
building of wells.”
One of the keys to Tabitha’s success is
its micro-banking program, a savings
initiative that is mandatory for recipients
of houses to participate in. They must
save $30 before they qualify for a building
project, which costs a total of $1500.
Tabitha works with families to find ways
to help them raise the money. Currently
35,000 families participate in Tabitha’s
savings program and 38,000 families have
graduated from the program.
A big part of the philanthropic success of
Tabitha is due to its goal of having zero
overheads with 100 per cent of donations
applied to on-the-ground programs.
“Every dollar we earn goes directly into
building houses,” Jenni explained. “Tabitha
has a board of directors in New South
Wales who all work on a volunteer basis.
We are not asking people to give money
that is being sent with no oversight. We
go there and we build the houses. So we
return from a trip with something to show,
with houses actually built and families
moving in immediately.
“This makes fundraising much easier as
donors see a fast and direct result from
their contribution. And it means donations
keep coming. The donation from
Hollywood, for example, supplied material
for two houses, which we completed
during our February visit this year.”
But Jenni also points out that what is really
satisfying is to see that when volunteers
return to villages months after a house
has been built, residents have often made
improvements to it.
“They have added a window here, a
canopy there, so we know there is a real
sense of pride and home ownership that
this initiative is giving them,” she said.
“We have also found that once villagers
observe other houses being built, they
see the success and want to be part of the
program.”
For volunteers, the experience is not
only a well-organised one, but often life
changing. Jenni and Pauline arrange all
travel logistics so that volunteers can
focus on their primary purpose – building
houses. Tabitha also encourages first-time
volunteers to visit the genocide museum
and the killing fields to help them
understand the atrocities that occurred.
“It is a day of sadness, having all those
realities in front of you,” Jenni said. “But it
solidifies in our minds the reason we go
to Cambodia, and makes working with all
these wonderful people a joy. Their smiles
when houses are completed are simply
overwhelming.
“I’ll keep going back as long as I can. At the
end of that second day’s building, when
we are packing up after the last nail has
been hammered, I am already planning
and thinking about the next build.”
To find out more about volunteering,
call Jenni on (08) 9243 7130 or visit
www.tabitha.org.au
A big part of the
philanthropic success
of Tabitha is due to
its goal of having
zero overheads with
100 per cent of donations
applied to on-the-ground
programs.
A shy village child is overawed by all
the activities happening in his village
Village leader wishing volunteers
good health and happiness in return
for houses they have finished building
Local Cambodian women
hand sewing a beautiful
bed quilt for Tabitha
13 •
something special
• 14
In late 2009, Hollywood
completed its $128.5 million
building project.
This state-of-the-art
development includes
four additional operating
theatres and a new 130bed ward block. The ward
block incorporates four new
inpatient wards including a
purpose-built rehabilitation
unit, a new oncology ward and
an oncology day treatment
suite. The building project also
provides a new home for the
gastroenterology department
and a separate multi-storey
car park.
An important part of
the development is the
Hollywood Medical Centre,
which opened in March this
year. Wayne Williams, Project
Development Manager for
the redevelopment, says that
the architecturally designed
centre has 65 suites, and will
significantly improve the
hospital’s facilities.
“The suites range from 54
to 850 square metres each,”
Wayne said. “There is a total of
6,500 square metres of space
and doctors are able to fit out
their units as required for their
specific needs. The suites are
gradually filling up, and we
expect them to be completely
occupied by the end of 2010.”
Dr Margaret Sturdy, Director
of Medical Services, says
that Hollywood wanted to
maintain control over who
was in the building, rather
than hand the project over
to a developer. We have sold
individual strata title units to
doctors who now own their
own suite.
“The approach we’ve taken
is both a good investment
for doctors, and it allows
Hollywood to ensure that
those doctors working on site
are aligned with our values
of respect for the individual,
teamwork, the pursuit of
excellence, contribution to the
community and they embrace
the Hollywood spirit,” Dr
Sturdy explained.
The Medical Centre was built
in response to a need for
more specialist consulting
space in the area. When
Hollywood announced the
idea of additional consulting
space, there was a high level
of interest from specialists and
requests were numerous.
“The popularity of the hospital
was a significant factor in
attracting specialists,” Dr
Sturdy said. “Hollywood has
a good reputation in the
community, and its proximity
to Sir Charles Gairdner is a big
advantage.
“The location is extremely
attractive to doctors. They
can park under cover at
Hollywood, do their private
work here. It is a short walk
to Sir Charles Gairdner to
do their public work. And
with approved plans by the
Department of Health to
expand Charlies, specialists
prefer to have rooms close
by. The convenience factor of
Hollywood’s new building is
very strong.”
Importantly, the centre also
allows Hollywood to expand
in growing areas of specialty.
Dr Sturdy says that there
are a number of important
areas that will offer enhanced
services as a result of the
centre.
“ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat)
is a growing area for us,” Dr
Sturdy said. “Hollywood is
not traditionally associated
with ENT, but we have
accommodated a young and
enthusiastic group of ENT
specialists in the new building.
“Another big growth area is
orthopaedics, with several
specialists relocating from the
existing specialist centre and
expanding their services.”
The centre will also see an
increase in the number of
psychiatrists working from
Hollywood. Psychiatry has
long been a core business
area for Ramsay and the
Hollywood Clinic has a great
reputation for it. Oncology
and clinical haematology will
also expand, with a number
of haematologists looking to
relocate. Their services will
complement the hospital’s
new chemotherapy and
oncology wards.
Along with these new and
growing specialties, we
continue to maintain a very
strong backbone of general
surgery and general medicine.
With our new facilities, and
the ageing population we
are expecting these key
specialties to continue to
expand.
IMPORTANTLY, THE CENTRE ALSO ALLOWS HOLLYWOOD TO EXPAND
IN GROWING AREAS OF SPECIALTY. DR STURDY SAYS THAT THERE
ARE A NUMBER OF IMPORTANT AREAS THAT WILL OFFER ENHANCED
SERVICES AS A RESULT OF THE HOLLYWOOD MEDICAL CENTRE.
15 •
advice
getting
The Continence Advisory Service has been located at Hollywood
for the past ten years, and this has given the organisation the
support and the visibility it has needed to do its job well.
Established in 1994, the Continence
Advisory Service (CAS) was initially
based in Shenton Park and then
Subiaco, in premises where it lacked
the access and visibility it required to
achieve broad public impact. In 1999,
Hollywood Private Hospital urologist
Dr Stan Wisniewski successfully
negotiated with the hospital to
acquire space at its Nedlands location.
CEO Deborah Gordon says that the
move to Hollywood just over ten
years ago has helped to strengthen
the organisation and has enabled it
to become much more effective in
achieving community reach.
“We get very good exposure here,”
Deborah said. “Visitors and staff
learn that there is a continence
resource centre they can consult
or recommend to family, friends or
patients. Being at Hollywood allows
us to attract clients from both south
and north of the river, which has been
a big step forward for us in terms of
increasing our accessibility to the
whole metropolitan area.
“And Hollywood supports us in
promoting the service through its
marketing activities. Last year, the
hospital helped us by sponsoring
the first prize at our art award and
• 16
exhibition, Water Works III. This
event was very successful in raising
awareness about Continence
Awareness Week and Waterworks
Week.”
One in five Australians experiences
a bladder or bowel control problem.
While most people might associate
this condition with the elderly, it
cuts across all ages. A startling 50
per cent of those affected never
seek help, causing frustration with
lifestyle limitations and related health
problems.
“The impact on quality of life is huge,”
Deborah said. “People might drop out
of playing sport because of bladder
leakage, or children may not want to
sleep over at a friend’s house because
of bed wetting anxiety.
“Bladder or bowel dysfunction is
also one of the main reasons elderly
people move from their own homes
to a care facility.”
Statistics show, however, that 70 per
cent of people can improve or cure
this problem through relatively simple
interventions and lifestyle changes.
“It’s a case of finding out what is
causing the problem, and then finding
the most effective management or
treatment options available,” Deborah
explained. “Looking at fluid intake,
for example, or changing diet, can
have a positive effect. Working with
a continence nurse or continence
physiotherapist, or knowing about
certain medications can also help
significantly.
“But people often don’t know about
these options and either don’t know
where to turn or are afraid of what the
treatment might be.”
The Continence Advisory Service fills
the gap between people’s lack of
knowledge and the options available
to them, by providing Perth’s most
comprehensive information and
referral service on continence.
Funded through the Home and
Community Care program and
incorporated in its own right, CAS is
a community-based service. As such,
it complements the clinical service
offered by Hollywood’s continence
nurses.
But the focus of its work is on its
confidential and professional helpline
service, extensive resource centre,
education and training programs
and referrals to other services or
specialists.
Deborah Gordon, CEO, (seated) with Health
Promotion Officer, Sheila Mwebaze
“One of the areas in which we’ve had
great success is in our community
education and training programs,”
Deborah noted. “Our professional
staff offer regular presentations
– often tailored to specific needs –
throughout Western Australia. We
provide this education not only to
community groups, but also to health
care professionals and health care
workers.
“We track members of the community
three months after they’ve attended
one of our education programs and
we find that they have, in fact, taken
active steps to manage their problem.
“We capture our data, which
clearly shows that we are getting
the message out about treating
incontinence, and we also present our
results at national and international
conferences.”
The Continence Advisory Service
is affiliated with the Continence
Foundation of Australia, the national
peak body.
For further information, contact the
Continence Advisory Service on
(08) 9386 9777 or visit
www.continencewa.org.au
17 •
a dedi
team
a d e d i c at e d t e a m
Dr Andrew Granger
Hollywood’s new stroke rehabilitation unit
is the first dedicated facility for post-acute
stroke care in a private hospital in Western
Australia.
Geriatrician and stroke rehabilitation
physician Dr Andrew Granger can now
treat stroke patients in a dedicated stroke
rehabilitation unit (SRU) at Hollywood. The
new initiative specialises in post-acute
care of stroke patients and is the first in a
private hospital in Perth.
Until now, stroke patients wanting to
attend a private hospital were treated
on mixed rehabilitation wards, with the
only dedicated SRUs located in public
hospitals. But, according to the National
Stroke Foundation’s latest draft Clinical
Guidelines for Acute Stroke Management
2010, admission to, and treatment in, a
dedicated stroke rehabilitation unit is now
the medical standard of care.
• 18
“In terms of hospital services, the
establishment of a stroke unit is the single
most important recommendation for
stroke management made by the National
Stroke Foundation,” Dr Granger said. “The
evidence-based recommendations are
that active rehabilitation be carried out by
a specialist rehabilitation team.
“Research clearly shows about a 30 per
cent reduction in death and disability
when a stroke patient receives both early
admission to, and subsequent treatment
in, a specialised stroke rehabilitation unit.”
Improved outcomes occur because
patients benefit from exposure to a
concentration of staff with a special
interest and advanced skills in the
management of stroke rehabilitation.
Therapies are, as a result, more effective.
Hollywood’s new SRU now delivers
services that meet the latest national
guidelines. Stroke patients are located in
a geographically discreet unit, comprising
ten beds in the Jim Gordon ward.
“Patients are treated by a multi-disciplinary
team, all of whom specialise in stroke
rehabilitation,” Dr Granger explained.
“Nurses and allied health workers who
have an interest in stroke work as an
integrated team, communicating with
each other and generally working
together more effectively to manage a
patient’s recovery.
“Once staff have a specialisation and
access to further professional training in
an area, they show more commitment
and improved performance in the field in
which they work.”
One such staff member is Tracey Sariago,
nurse manager and now also manager
of the SRU. Tracey says that her priority
is to make sure a patient is put onto
Hollywood’s stroke pathway as soon as
they arrive.
Improved outcomes
occur because patients
benefit from e xposure
to a concentration
of staff with a
special interest and
advanced skills in
the management of
stroke rehabilitation.
Therapies are, as a
result, more effective.
Strokes and the way in which
they are treated are a pressing
health issue in Australia. In 2010,
Australians will suffer around
60,000 new and recurrent strokes
– approximately one stroke every
10 minutes. Strokes cost Australia
$2.14 billion a year.
Eighty per cent of strokes occur
in people over the age of 55. The
number of strokes in Australia
is set to increase each year due
to the nation’s increasing aged
population. Rapid medical
advancements mean that we’ve
become better at prolonging life.
This has resulted in an increase in
certain types of diseases that occur
much later in life – strokes being
one of them.
icated
Many strokes may be preventable.
While factors such as age, gender
and family history cannot be
controlled, other risk factors such
as high blood pressure, smoking,
obesity, poor diet and inactivity can
be controlled to reduce the risk of
having a stroke.
www.strokefoundation.com.au
“One of the biggest advantages of the SRU
is the quick response in getting a patient
onto a rehabilitation program,” she said.
“If admitted to a general ward, a patient
would spend more time in bed in the first
few days. Now, when they get to the stroke
ward, we focus on getting them moving as
quickly as possible.
“Research shows that the sooner you
get a patient up and moving, the better
the recovery rate. Being proactive after
someone has had a stroke is an important
part of their physical recovery, and
Hollywood’s SRU allows us to respond
quickly.”
Once a patient is admitted, Tracey notifies
the allied health team, who aims to get
the patient moving as quickly as possible.
In a stroke unit, fewer complications occur
with things such as swallowing, because
the patient is seen by a speech therapist
quickly.
“The allied health team has weekly
meetings to set goals, discuss the
rehabilitation program and set discharge
plans for a patient,” Tracey explained.
Nursing care, speech therapy and
social work are done on the ward, with
physiotherapy and occupational therapy
carried out in the rehabilitation gym.
“Before the SRU, we would have offered
general management and general care
for a patient,” Tracey said. “Now we can
focus on stroke management and care. A
lot more education is available to staff to
learn about strokes and how to rehabilitate
a patient.
“Hollywood uses the National Stroke
Foundation’s Stroke Connect program,
which offers support to patients after
discharge.”
Dr Granger says that Hollywood has
always followed acute care pathways and
protocols for best treatment, and stroke
rehabilitation has been a strong pathway
for years at Hollywood.
“This dedicated care unit is a natural result
of years of laying the groundwork for best
practice stroke treatment at Hollywood,”
he said.
“Typically, I’d have to keep my private
patients out of the private system,
choosing to treat them in a public hospital,
because this is where the only dedicated
stroke units have been. Now, for the first
time, I can treat patients effectively in a
private setting.
“Hollywood has been forward-thinking in
making this happen. And the new facilities
that have been built at Hollywood mean
that we have better capacity for providing
improved care.”
19 •
Black Swan Theatre Company
Twelfth Night is the beguiling Shakespearian
comedy full of mistaken identities, unrequited
love, hilarity and silliness that touches the playful
romantic in all of us as it follows the romantic
adventures of Viola and her twin brother
Sebastian. Playhouse Theatre, 24 July – 8 August.
Presented by Black Swan’s HotBed Ensemble,
David Greig’s Yellow Moon: The Ballad of Leila
and Lee is a gritty contemporary tale of young
love, looming tragedy and the unexpected. Set
to be the most inventive and vital storytelling
of the season by one of the most exciting
contemporary playwrights working today. PICA,
6 – 22 August.
Unravel the mystery of Madagascar, the haunting
tale of an unsolved disappearance that forever
alters three lives. Each individual story unfolds at
different points in time in the same hotel room
in Rome, weaving back and forth to form one
gripping tale of love and loss. Playhouse Theatre,
23 October – 7 November.
The West Australian Opera
Cavalleria Rusticana &
Pagliacci
His Majesty’s Theatre
7.30pm – August 7, 10, 12, 14,
17, 19, 21
Cavalleria Rusticana and
Pagliacci are two of the world’s
greatest Italian operas, written
two years apart by different
composers but now always
performed as a standard double
bill.
Cavalleria Rusticana is a hotblooded tale of love, lust and
betrayal, of promises made
and broken, of revenge and
ultimately regret. Pagliacci on
the other hand is heavy with
paradox in a commedia del
arte style – where the life of the
play and the life of the players
intrude in on one another.
They are both “uno squarcio di
vita” – a slice of life, intended to
represent the lives of ordinary
people. This film noir production
sees the tragedies of these lives
unfold in a provincial Italian
village with great dramatic
intensity.
• 20
La Sonnambula
His Majesty’s Theatre
7.30pm – October 28, 30 and
November 2, 4, 6
In this production,
commissioned by Opera
Conference, Director Julie
Edwardson approaches the
19th-century story with 20th
century hindsight – exploring
the realm of the subconscious
with a battle between oldfashioned superstition and the
modern psychology of Freud
and Jung.
The story of the sleepwalking
bride is romantic in tone,
with great singing expressing
the drama. This is a most
endearing love story of mistaken
circumstances that are righted
in the end.
2-Season subscriptions and
single tickets available through
BOCS Ticketing on 9484 1133
Tickets can be purchased through BOCS
Ticketing on 9484 1133 or online at
www.bocsticketing.com.au
HOLLYWOOD SPONSORS’ ACTIVITY
WA Ballet
The Sleeping Beauty
10 - 25 September 2010
Burswood Theatre
with West Australian
Symphony Orchestra
Marcia Haydée, one of the greatest
ballerinas of her time, brings the
Australian Premiere of her glorious
version of The Sleeping Beauty to Perth
and West Australian Ballet
Performed to Tchaikovsky’s magnificent
score, The Sleeping Beauty has
enchanted audiences of all ages and
remains one of the most magical and
beloved ballets of all time. This dazzling,
full length production comes to us from
Ballet de Santiago, Chile and with its
lavish set and costumes, is the largest
ever staged by West Australian Ballet.
The Sleeping Beauty is the immortal
tale of Princess Aurora, who is cursed by
the wicked Fairy Carabosse to prick her
finger and die on her sixteenth birthday.
The beautiful and kind Lilac Fairy can
break the evil spell… but only with the
touch of true love’s kiss. Don’t miss out,
call Ticketek on 1300 795 012.
Gala
17 - 21 November 2010
His Majesty’s Theatre with
live orchestra
A spectacular celebration of Australia’s
first ballet company featuring
Beethoven, Mozart and guest stars from
Australia and abroad.
Whilst established by Madame Kira
Bousloff in 1952, it wasn’t until 1970 that
West Australian Ballet achieved official
status as the State Ballet Company
and was able to contract a permanent
ensemble of dancers. So to celebrate
this important 40th year milestone,
artistic director Ivan Cavallari and
music maestro Myron Romanul have
assembled a very special evening of
ballet. Beethoven’s elated Seventh
Symphony inspired the choreography of
Uwe Scholz in a work widely considered
one of the great masterpieces of the
ballet repertoire. Get your tickets
through BOCS 9484 1133.
21 •
hollywood
in brief
Nola Cruickshank, Director Clinical Services
with Jenni Lockwood, Theatre Nurse
Hollywood Specialist Named Citizen of the Year
Associate Professor Robert Pearce – a consultant plastic surgeon at Hollywood – has received a 2010
Citizen of the Year Award.
The Awards honour the outstanding contributions of Western Australians. Professor Pearce won
the professions award category, which recognises the exceptional achievements of an individual
in a vocation requiring advanced knowledge and learning. Professor Pearce was recognised for his
integrity and commitment to patients, and for his inspirational approach to training and assisting
those under his guidance.
Professor Pearce is a highly qualified and experienced reconstructive plastic surgeon. In addition to
the position he holds at Hollywood, he is also a clinical lecturer in surgery at the University of Western
Australia and has been a Clinical Associate Professor there since 2007.
Hollywood Volunteer Service Launch
Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo
The new look Hollywood volunteer service was launched in January with long term palliative care
volunteers, previous Red Cross volunteers and the newly recruited Hollywood volunteers. Hollywood
executives and other management staff joined volunteers at the launch event.
Hollywood Private Hospital now has more than 65 registered volunteers. 16 volunteers are involved
on a regular basis in the Gratwick ward, continuing the tradition of the PCU volunteers, while the rest
are engaged in different areas of the hospital.
Nola Cruickshank, Clinical Services Director
Lockwood
Volunteers are involved with a range of activities including and
frontJenny
of house,
patient support, driving
the courtesy buggy, the “Food Friends” program (volunteers are trained by allied health staff and
assist selected patients at meal times), assisting at the Day Surgery Unit by escorting patients
through to the waiting room after admissions, and offering hand care /massage.
Hollywood is very fortunate to have the services of these wonderful people who are making a daily
difference to the people they are encountering here.
Ramsay WA, see how we ran…
Students from Hollywood Primary
The inaugural HBF Run for a Reason event on May 23 lived up to the expectation of being one of the
most exciting community events of the year, and Ramsay WA were proud to be a founding sponsor
of what we anticipate will be an annual fun run.
Ramsay team members joined over 10,000 other entrants to take on either the 4.5km or 14km course
that started and finished at the WACA. The event raised over $200,000 for the 6 charities involved,
which was a fabulous effort, particularly in the first year of this exciting new event.
Walkers and runners thoroughly enjoyed their journey through the main roads of the city, usually
reserved for traffic only.
Ramsay WA was also proud to sponsor ‘The Team Challenge’ which included categories of largest
fundraiser, largest team, and furtherest team distance.
Hollywood a non-smoking campus
Professor Ralph Martins
It’s official, as of 1st September 2010 Hollywood will be a totally smoke-free establishment.
We’ve been a smoke free site for a while now, but we’ve been maintaining two designated
smoking areas for staff. As of this date these smoking areas will no longer be available.
We’re in the business of saving lives so it’s our responsibility to provide our staff, visitors and
patients with a safe, healthy, smoke free environment.
You’ll notice signs being erected throughout the hospital in the coming months. We’re also
producing some educational brochures on these changes that will be circulated throughout
the hospital.
• 22
profiling
hollywood
specialists
Mr Simon Ryan
Dr Bradley Augustson
Mr Ryan completed his undergraduate medical
degree at the University of Western Australia and his
internship at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital (SCGH).
He began his training in general surgery in 2004
in Western Australia and was awarded his FRACS
in January 2008. Mr Ryan commenced training in
endocrine surgery as the endocrine surgical fellow at
SCGH in 2007 before completing a further two years
of endocrine surgical training in 2008 (at The Austin
and St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne) and 2009 (at
Liverpool Hospital, Sydney).
Dr Bradley Augustson is a clinical and laboratory
haematologist who graduated from the University
of Western Australia in 1991 and completed his
haematology training at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital
(SCGH) in 2002. During 2003, Dr Augustson worked at
Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham as the bone
marrow transplant fellow.
After returning to Perth in January 2010, Mr Ryan
commenced private general surgical practice with a
special interest in diseases of the thyroid, parathyroid
and adrenal glands. He has consulting rooms at
Hollywood Medical Centre and a public appointment
at Fremantle Hospital. He also operates and consults at
Joondalup Health Campus.
Mr Ryan says that many newly trained general
surgeons typically undergo further post-fellowship
training to develop expertise in a general surgical subspecialty. “My two years away from Perth have allowed
me to refine my skills in endocrine sub-specialty
operations,” he said. “However, I remain actively
involved in general surgery in both an emergency and
elective context.”
In 2004 he undertook myeloma research, including work
into the serum free light chain assay with international
organisation “The Binding Site”. This assay, which allows
for improved diagnosis of light chain myeloma, oligosecretory myeloma and AL amyloidoisis was established
in Perth in 2005.
In 2005, Dr Augustson returned to Perth, taking up
a staff specialist position at SCGH and PathWest. He
also practises at Hollywood, where he has specialist
rooms, and has an appointment at Western Diagnostic
Pathology.
Dr Augustson is interested in all forms of adult malignant
haematology, including acute and chronic leukaemias,
lymphoma and multiple myeloma. Myeloma, in
particular, is a rapidly evolving field with a number of
novel agents recently introduced into clinical practice
and the promise of other agents in current clinical trials.
Dr Augustson has an active interest in ongoing clinical
research. At SCGH, he is principal investigator for a
number of clinical trials in myeloma, lymphoma and
leukaemia.
“These trials are a cornerstone of medical research and
offer a number of advantages to patients, one of which
is access to medications that may not otherwise be
available,” Dr Augustson said. “As such clinical trials are
essential in that they help develop new standards of
care for treatment as well as provide the framework for
future research.”
23 •