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CAHE Staff research and products

Since 2002 CAHE staff have been working diligently to introduce evidence-based practice to a range of allied health fields, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, podiatry, complementary and alternative medicines and medical radiations.

CAHE's most recently completed and current projects are detailed below.  CAHE will continue to update and review the following table to enable direct contact with researchers and CAHE staff.

You will also find details of CAHE Project Summaries of past and current research activities below.

	Project Contact	Project Name	Produced for	Current	Completed
	Professor Karen Grimmer-Somers & Dr Saravana Kumar	A compendium of chronic pain assessment instruments	New Zealand Accident Compensation Commission		2007
	Professor Karen Grimmer-Somers & Mathew Prior	Evaluation of the Back-2-Action project	New Zealand Accident Compensation Commission	P
	Peter Lekkas, Professor Karen Grimmer-Somers & Dr Saravana Kumar	Development of clinical guidelines for forearm pain (diagnosis and management)	New Zealand Accident Compensation Commission	P
	Professor Karen Grimmer-Somers	Evaluation of lifestyle coordinator intervention for pre-morbid Type II Diabetes	Central Northern Adelaide Health Service (CNAHS)		2006
	Professor Karen Grimmer-Somers	Evaluation of integrated GP-Allied Health care for Type II Diabetes	Central Northern Adelaide Health Service (CNAHS)		2007
	Professor Karen Grimmer-Somers, Mathew Prior, Judith Lowe	ACT Health and DHCS Extended Scope of Practice Physiotherapy Project	ACT Health and DHCS	P
	Professor Karen Grimmer-Somers, Mathew Prior, Judith Lowe, Catherine Burke	Systematic review of the detection, diagnosis, management and prevention of glaucoma	NHMRC	P
	Professor Karen Grimmer-Somers , Dr Susan Hillier, Mathew Sutton	Rehabilitation Outcome Measurement Compendium	Queensland Health		2008
	Dr Susan Hillier, Dr Coralie English	Stroke Rehabilitation for the upper limb	Queensland Health		2007
	Dr Susan Hillier, Lauren Dryden	Systematic review interface between educators and health professionals	DECS		2007
	Leah Jeffries	Systematic literature review on speech pathology interventions for children aged 0-5 years with a primary speech and/or language disorder	DECS and Dept Health (via Statewide Interagency Speech Pathology group)		2007 (stage I)
	Leah Jeffries	Development of a national radiation therapy clinical assessment form	Dept Health & Ageing (via National RT Lecturers group)	P
	Leah Jeffries	Development of the physiotherapy node of JBI COnNECT an online resource	JBI	P
	Leah Jeffries, Associate Professor Caroline Smith, Anthea Worley, Dr Saravana Kumar	ADHD guideline literature synthesis	The Royal Australasian College of Physicians	P
	Peter Lekkas, Thomas Larsen, Dr S Kumar, Professor K Grimmer-Somers, Lucy Chipchase, Leah Jeffries	Models of allied health clinical education focusing on physiotherapy:- Part I:      An exploration of models of supervision within the sphere of traditional clinical education practice Part II:     An exploration of innovative educational approaches for the purpose of clinical training & Part III: An exploration of outcome measures/outcome tools employed for the purpose of establishing intervention effectiveness	Queensland Health		2005
	Steve Milanese	Evaluation of the Construction Industry Common Safety Induction Course. A critical review of the ‘White card’ training program using the Training Intervention Effectiveness Research (TIER) Model	SafeWork SA		2008
	Yamini Deenadayalan and Dr Saravana Kumar	Effectiveness of day programmes in adolescents with serious and significant mental health issues	ASEC		2008
	Lucylynn M. Lizarondo	Rapid Reviews	Department of Human Services, Victoria	P
	Lucylynn M. Lizarondo	Learning Modules for SARRAH	Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health (SARRAH)	P
	Lucylynn M. Lizarondo	Evidence-based evaluation framework for ACT Health, Allied Health initiatives	Australian Capital Territory (ACT)	P
	Lucylynn M. Lizarondo	Literature Review (Supporting the transition of Allied Health Professional to Rural and Remote Practice)	Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health		P
	Lucylynn M. Lizarondo	Use of Standard Outcome Measures across the CNAHS Region for Older Clients	Central Northern Adelaide Health Service (CNAHS)	P
	Lucylynn M. Lizarondo	Pilot testing of the Radiation Therapy Clinical Assessment Form	Radiation Therapy Universities in Australia		P
	Lucylynn M. Lizarondo	Journal Clubs	Department of Health, South Australia	P
	Dr Susan Hillier,	Lower Limb stroke – best practice sheets	Queensland Health		2008
	Professor K Grimmer-Somers, Dr Kylie Johnston	Prevention of Noise Induced Hearing Loss Literature Review	Massey University		Jan 2009
	Professor K Grimmer-Somers, Dr Kylie Johnston	Minimising the effect of a fall: Personal alarms and the SA Ambulance Service	SA Health (Falls Prevention Unit)/SA Ambulance Service	P
	Professor K Grimmer-Somers, Dr Kylie Johnston	Evaluation of the Green Box Program	SA Health (Falls Prevention Unit)	P

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CAHE past and current project summaries

1. Guidelines Advisory Register (GAR) consultancies
2. Completed and Endorsed NH&MRC Guideline Development Projects (Stroke Rehabilitation in the Community)
3. Completed and Endorsed NH&MRC Guideline Development Projects (Acute Pain Management Guidelines)
4. Completed and Endorsed NH&MRC Guideline Development Projects (Guidelines to Support Palliative Care in Residential Care Facilities)
5. NH&MRC Guideline Development Project (Guidelines for Primary Prevention and Case Detection of Type II Diabetes)
6. Evaluation of Community Intervention Project regarding Integrated GP-AH Care for patients with diagnosed Diabetes
7. Evaluation of Community Intervention Project (Lifestyle Choices Program) for individuals at risk of Type 2 diabetes
8. Pilot Stroke Discharge Program Evaluation
9. Guidelines for Forearm Pain Diagnosis and Management
10. Evaluation of Models of Pain Assessment
11. Literature Evaluation Projects for on Child Abuse (Adelaide Womens and Childrens Hospital (WCH))
12. Literature Evaluation Project (NOVITA)
13. Literature Evaluation for Clinical Education Models (Queensland Health)
14. Literature Review on Evidence for Community Intervention Projects for Individuals at Risk of Type 2 Diabetes (Central Northern Adelaide Health Service)
15. Evaluation of Quality and Findings of Guidelines for Sports Participation in Hot Weather (Sports Medicine Australia, SA)
16. Evaluation of the National Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Conditions Improvement Grants (NAMCIG) 2004
17. Best Practice in Discharge Planning for Asthma Patients 2003
18. Revision and updating the Dept Veterans Affairs Discharge Planning Manual 2001-2003
19. Systematic Review of Literature: Assessment and Transition Practices 2002
20. Systematic Review of Literature: Discharge Planning Practices 2002
21. Longitudinal study of elderly people post discharge from hospital 1999-2001
22. Allied Health Veteran Outcomes Analysis 2000
23. Epidemiological Evaluation of physical characteristics and injury of junior Australian footballers 2000
24. Back-2-Action NZ ACC completed Feb 2008

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1. Guidelines Advisory Register (GAR) consultancies

Guidelines developed by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) for management of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis

Project Summary

This is an ongoing project involving external evaluation of, and support to, the development of primary care guidelines for the management of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis. This project involves Professor Grimmer-Somers providing advice on NH&MRC guideline structure, inclusion and exclusion criteria, critical appraisal, staff training and guideline processes to develop guidelines appropriately, and then to oversee external consultation process.

2. Completed and Endorsed NH&MRC Guideline Development Projects (Stroke Rehabilitation in the Community)

Project Summary

This completed consultancy involved providing external evaluation and advice to the guidelines development team from National Stroke Foundation over a period of 12 months.
This involved providing formal advice on inclusion/ exclusion criteria for literature for the clinical guideline, assisting with quality methodology evaluation of the included literature, assisting the team to deal with the reference groups concerns, and the stakeholder feedback, and framing the recommendations.
 

3. Completed and Endorsed NH&MRC Guideline Development Projects (Acute Pain Management Guidelines)

Project Summary

This completed consultancy involved providing external evaluation and advice to the guidelines development team from College of Anaesthetists over a period of 12 months. This involved providing ad hoc as well as formal advice on inclusion/ exclusion criteria for literature for the clinical guideline, assisting with quality methodology evaluation of the included literature, assisting the team to manage concerns raised by the guidelines contributors, and the stakeholder feedback, and framing the recommendations.

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4. Completed and Endorsed NH&MRC Guideline Development Projects (Guidelines to Support Palliative Care in Residential Care Facilities)

Project Summary

This completed consultancy involved providing external evaluation and advice to the guidelines development team from Edith Cowen University over a period of 18 months. This involved providing ad hoc as well as formal advice on inclusion/ exclusion criteria for literature for the clinical guideline, assisting with quality methodology evaluation of the included literature, assisting the team to manage concerns raised by the reference group, auditing the content of the guidelines and providing advice regarding quality control of guideline reporting, assisting with managing the stakeholder feedback, and framing the recommendations.

5. NH&MRC Guideline Development Project (Guidelines for Primary Prevention and Case Detection of Type II Diabetes)

Project Summary

This consultancy has just commenced to provide external evaluation and advice to the guidelines development team from University of Sydney. This involves providing ad hoc as well as formal advice on inclusion/exclusion criteria for literature for the clinical guideline, assisting with quality methodology evaluation of the included literature, assisting the team to manage concerns raised by the reference group, auditing the content of the guidelines and providing advice regarding quality control of guideline reporting, assisting with managing the stakeholder feedback, and framing the recommendations.

6. Evaluation of Community Intervention Project regarding Integrated GP-AH Care for patients with diagnosed Diabetes [Project Leader and Senior Researcher]

Project Summary

CAHE researchers evaluated the structures, processes and outcomes of an initiative in which allied health services (diabetes educators, dieticians, podiatrists) worked within, (or nearby to) GP clinics for patients diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. This project found significant benefits for patients and highlighted the importance of multi-disciplinary care for chronic diseases under the Medicare Plus model.

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7. Evaluation of Community Intervention Project (Lifestyle Choices Program) for individuals at risk of Type 2 diabetes [Project Leader and Senior Researcher]

Project Summary

CAHE researchers evaluated the structures, processes and outcomes of an initiative in which lifestyle coordinators provided advice and facilitate behaviour change for patients at-risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. This project found strong outcomes of this projects in terms of cost benefits and health outcomes for patients.

8. Pilot Stroke Discharge Program Evaluation

Project Summary

This project sought to understand the extent of allied health staff involvement in the acute care setting regarding discharge planning for patients with stroke. CAHE staff examined the community pathways, timeliness and inputs provided by allied health staff in hospitals into how, where and when patients with stroke are discharged to the community. It involved auditing patient notes, interviewing hospital staff and patients (and carers) and piloting a number of outcome instruments which could be appropriate for evaluating the effectiveness of allied health interventions in planning for discharge.

9. Guidelines for Forearm Pain Diagnosis and Management

Project Summary

This project is approaching its conclusion in developming clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and management of forearm pain for the New Zealand Workplace Accident Compensation Corporation. A Guideline Development Team and a Delphi consensus group, both managed by CAHE, are assisting in developing recommendations where there is insufficient evidence from the research literature. Project manager is Peter Lekkas.

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10. Evaluation of Models of Pain Assessment

Project Summary

This project involved a critical evaluation of multidisciplinary models of risk screening and assessment for patients with chronic pain, with respect to clinical utility, rigour of development, and established psychometric properties. A manual of psychometrically sound instruments have just been produced by New Zealand Accident Compensation Corporation (NZ ACC).

11. Literature Evaluation Projects for on Child Abuse (Adelaide Womens and Childrens Hospital (WCH)) [Project Leader]

Project Summary

This work involved two completed projects which reviewed two aspects of the literature, under the project management of Dr Saravana Kumar. The literature was reviewed and critically appraised with respect to best practice management strategies for the abuse of young people aged 12-18 years, and for the identification and risk management of children susceptible to abuse aged 0-5 years. Sets of recommendations were provided for each of these reviews which have assisted framing policy and directions for the Child Protection Unit at WCH, and which assisted this unit in establishing and supporting best practices in screening and management. A peer-reviewed publication was developed from this work.

12. Literature Evaluation Project (NOVITA) [Project Leader]

Project Summary

This completed project examined the literature for best practice in models of involving therapists in classrooms, working with teachers and school support officers to assist in the management and integration of children with disabilities. This project informed policy direction for NOVITA (formerly Crippled Childrens Association SA) with respect to devolving responsibility for classroom management to the most appropriate personnel. The findings from this project were presented as a conference presentation by NOVITA staff. Dr Saravana Kumar and Mr Debashish Das were the primary researchers in the project.

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13. Literature Evaluation for Clinical Education Models (Queensland Health) [Project Leader]

Project Summary

This completed project provided benchmark information to Queensland Health on the evidence underpinning different models of clinical eduction for undergraduate and graduate-entry therapy students. It assisted Queensland Health staff in deciding what funding to put to what initiatives to ensure best practice education for young graduates in the therapies. This work has produced one peer-reviewed paper. Project researchers involved were Mr Peter Lekkas, Ms Leah Nyland, Mr Thomas Larsen and Dr Saravana Kumar.

14. Literature Review on Evidence for Community Intervention Projects for Individuals at Risk of Type 2 Diabetes (Central Northern Adelaide Health Service) [Project Leader]

Project Summary

This project was recently completed for the Central Northern Adelaide Health Service (CNAHS). The primary researcher conducting the technical review was Dr Caroline Smith. This project provided CNAHS with the best current evidence regarding community interventions for effective reduction of weight for individuals considered to be at risk of Type 2 diabetes. The review examined the peer-reviewed and grey literature for processes and outcomes of community intervention strategies within Australia and nationally. This information will frame CNAHS initiatives to improve community awareness of healthy eating, and to provide appropriate supports for patients at risk of Type 2 diabetes.

15. Evaluation of Quality and Findings of Guidelines for Sports Participation in Hot Weather (Sports Medicine Australia, SA) [Project Leader]

Project Summary

This project involved two aspects undertaken for Sports Medicine Australia, SA, with funding from the Office for Sport and Recreation, SA a synthesis of the evidence from clinical guidelines published around the world on safe participation in sports in the heat, and a practical application of guideline synthesis with respect to hot weather data from the Bureau of Meteorology in South Australia to identify which areas in South Australia needed to heed which aspects of the guidelines. Other team members were Mr Thomas Larsen, Dr Saravana Kumar and Ms Ellie King. Two peer-reviewed papers have recently been published from this project. The findings from this project have assisted Sports Medicine Australia to establish recommendations for safe sports participation in the heat around Australia, and to empower local sporting organisations to take charge of making decisions locally about whether sports participation in local hot weather conditions is a risk to health.

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16. Evaluation of the National Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Conditions Improvement Grants (NAMCIG) 2004 [Team Leader]

Project Summary

This was an evaluative report on 28 projects funded under the NAMCIG program, focusing on project aims and their achievement, project sustainability, the application of evidence-based practice. The evaluation revealed a broad range of success in meeting the evaluative criteria. The projects which scored highest consistently tested self-efficacy interventions. Recommendations by the evaluation team for future projects included a clearer and more academic focus, the detailing and measurement of specific outcomes, the use of standard reporting templates, mentoring projects which are at risk of non-completion, and project self evaluation through critical appraisal instruments.

17. Best Practice in Discharge Planning for Asthma Patients 2003

Project Summary

Professor Grimmer-Somers, in conjunction with Ms Claudia Peoples and Ms Emily Steele, completed a project for the Commonwealth Department Health and Aging on best practice in discharge planning for asthma patients from hospital to community. This project took the form of a literature review focusing on gaps in current literature, quality improvement activities that could assist in determining best practices that are applicable across hospital sites and staffing complements, and a field trial to establish compliance with best practice, and processes that could be promoted as examples of good practice.

18. Revision and updating the Dept Veterans Affairs Discharge Planning Manual 2001-2003

Project Summary

Professor Grimmer-Somers completed an extensive revision for the Commonwealth Department of Veterans Affairs of their Discharge Planning Manual for use in acute hospital settings. The manual outlines best practice in discharge planning and provides comprehensive information on how to obtain relevant information within the DVA system regarding discharge planning for (mostly) aged veterans and their dependents. This manual is currently in press and will be distributed to every acute hospital in Australia which provides care to veterans and their dependents (Grimmer 2002).

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19. Systematic Review of Literature: Assessment and Transition Practices 2002

Project Summary

Professor Grimmer-Somers, in conjunction with Dr Paul Arbon, Profs Esther May and David Wilkinson, completed a systematic review for the Commonwealth Department Health and Aging (Australian Health Ministers Advisory Council on the Health of Older Australians) on the assessment and transition practices undertaken in public hospitals to assist the transition from hospital to community for older people. This project took the form of a literature review and a field study. The recommendations from this project are currently informing change in practice in Australian hospitals, and include streamlined data collection, use of standard instruments, standardised record storage and retrieval, multidisciplinary data analysis, transparent communication between hospital and community. This project produced a peer reviewed paper.

20. Systematic Review of Literature: Discharge Planning Practices 2002

Project Summary

Professor Grimmer-Somers, in conjunction with Prof Esther May, Mr John Moss (University of Adelaide) and Mr John Roper (Royal Adelaide Hospital) completed a systematic review for the Commonwealth Department Health and Aging on best practice in discharge planning from hospital to community. This project took the form of a literature review focusing on a range of patients and conditions. The recommendations from this project were that the current Australian acute hospital / community health system was insufficiently resourced to track patients across the hospital / community interface, and that best practice in discharge planning needed to take account of practical issues of patient-centred plans, timely and appropriate communication between hospital and community health care providers, and patient education. This project has produced a number of conference presentations and a peer reviewed paper.

21. Longitudinal study of elderly people post discharge from hospital 1999-2001

Project Summary

Professor Grimmer-Somers and Mr John Moss (University of Adelaide) completed a longitudinal study (the only one known) which evaluated elderly peoples experiences for six months following their discharge from acute hospital. This study highlighted the burden carried by unpaid and untrained carers, and the gaps between discharge planning and the realities of living independently in the community with a changed health state. This project has now produced six peer-reviewed papers.

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22. Allied Health Veteran Outcomes Analysis 2000

Project Summary

Professor Grimmer-Somers completed a large study for the Commonwealth Department of Veterans Affairs which developed a management system for allied health practitioners, based on a comprehensive audit of relevant research on health outcomes for the aged population. This system links diagnosis, appropriate clinical and systems management decisions and measures of outcome that are patient centred and oriented to demonstrations of accountability. This work produced one peer reviewed paper.

23. Epidemiological Evaluation of physical characteristics and injury of junior Australian footballers 2000

Project Summary

Professor Grimmer-Somers, in conjunction with Ms Jenny Williams, and staff from Sports Medicine Australia, under the auspices of the AFL (Port Power sponsorship) undertook a survey of randomly selected junior footballers (aged 5-17 years) in South Australia, recording their physical characteristics and skill attributes pre-season, and then tracking their injuries throughout the 2000 season. Predictors of injury were identified and recommendations were made for rule modification that will increase protection for young players. This project produced two peer reviewed papers.

24. Back-2-Action NZ ACC completed Feb 2008

Project Summary

This project evaluated the effectiveness of guidelines (NZ Low Back Pain Guide) in improving patient health outcomes and service delivery patterns and containing service costs in a population of acute LBP sufferers in NZ. The guidelines were implemented by a consortium of GPs in New Zealand, supported by education programs, and a dedicated IT decision-making instrument. The evaluation consisted of comparing datasets from 2005 and 2006 of service consumption and costs for ACC claimants diagnosed with acute LBP, and collected qualitative and quantitative survey and interview data from claimants and GPs regarding their experiences and perspectives. Some improvements were found with the implementation of the guidelines, however it appeared that, on the basis of the available data, care of the majority of ACC claimants with acute LBP was largely best practice prior to the roll-out of the guidelines. The evaluation made a number of recommendations to improve the processes underpinning future guidelines implementation projects to ensure capture of better, and more accurate data.

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