HOSPITALNEWS Rugby League star joins Northside Macarthur Clinic for a community open day 6 The Ramsay Way - 2015 | 01 THE NSW MINISTER FOR MENTAL HEALTH, JAI ROWELL & RUGBY LEAGUE STAR DARIUS BOYD, BOTH APPEARED AT NORTHSIDE MACARTHUR’S OPEN DAY ON SUNDAY 1 FEBRUARY, ATTENDED BY MORE THAN 200 PEOPLE. The Clinic played host to a mental health information day for the Campbelltown community. Beyond Blue was one of many organisations to have a presence on the day. “With Beyond Blue’s big blue bus stopping at the Clinic on its journey around Australia, it was a great opportunity to bring all the mental health service providers in the area together – to help raise awareness of mental illness and what help is available,” said Ashliegh Costa, DCS at Northside Macarthur. Rugby league star, Darius Boyd spoke candidly about his experience with depression and his well-publicised admission to Northside West Clinic last year. “Getting help and talking about my issues were the best things I’ve ever done – it pretty much turned my life around,” said Darius. “That’s why it’s important to get help, to talk about your problems and make a plan to get on the right track. I can relate to what a lot of people are going through, and the more I help others, the more it rewards me.” There was strong support for the event with stall holders such as Lifeline, Men’s Shed and Carer Assist, along with Northside Macarthur staff happy to give up their Sunday to promote mental health. Giving Specialists the opportunity to learn WESTMEAD PRIVATE HOSPITAL CONTINUES TO LEAD THE FIELD IN EDUCATION & TRAINING WITH TWO LIVE SURGERY WORKSHOPS HELD ONSITE OVER THE PAST TWO MONTHS. In March, the hospital showcased their robotic surgical excellence, holding an advanced da Vinci gynaecological training course with international surgeon Associate Professor Kathy Huang and local specialist Dr Felix Chan. Dr Chan (Gynaecological Oncologist) performed live surgery which was streamed to the on-site conference room where specialists from across the country were able to observe a robotic case and learn about robotic surgical techniques from experts in the field. A/Prof Huang from NUY Langone Medical Centre in the USA is the highest volume/ year da Vinci Gynaecologist in the world. She gave surgeons the opportunity to obtain individual feedback and learn from her extensive knowledge. In February, ENT surgeon A/Prof Melville DaCruz participated in the APAC Surgeons Workshop with a Live Surgery Training Workshop performed at Westmead Private Hospital. Surgeons from Asia Pacific attended the workshop where a Cochlear implant and BAHA (Bone conduction implant) surgeries were undertaken by Prof Da Cruz. The training program gives surgeons from around the world the opportunity to learn from experts in the field. A/Prof DaCruz said: “I am delighted to be able to assist others in their learning curve, and we are fortunate that Westmead Private Hospital has the capacity to run live surgery workshops onsite”. 435 & counting! WESTMEAD PRIVATE HOSPITAL ROBOTICS TEAM HAVE REACHED 435 CASES USING THE DA VINCI ROBOT SINCE IT WAS INSTALLED JUST OVER TWO YEARS AGO IN DECEMBER 2012. “After going through the learning curve of using a brand new technology, the atmosphere in the operating room is now very fluid and efficient,” said Karen O’Shaughnessy – Robotic Coordinator/OT Floor Manager at Westmead Private Hospital. “Using the da Vinci system was a new undertaking for all of the OT personnel, not just the surgeons. We have great coordination, and we have reduced the time required for robotic procedures by having staff experienced in using the da Vinci system.” EBUS commences at Westmead Private ENDOBRONCHIAL ULTRASOUND (EBUS) IS A RELATIVELY NEW PROCEDURE USED IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF LUNG CANCER, INFECTIONS, & OTHER DISEASES CAUSING ENLARGED LYMPH NODES IN THE CHEST. WESTMEAD PRIVATE HOSPITAL IS NOW OFFERING EBUS, A MINIMALLY INVASIVE PROCEDURE, THAT HAS PROVEN HIGHLY EFFECTIVE. EBUS allows physicians to perform a transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) to obtain tissue or fluid samples from the lungs and surrounding lymph nodes without conventional surgery. The samples can be used for diagnosing and staging lung cancer, detecting infections, and identifying inflammatory diseases that affect the lungs, such as sarcoidosis or other cancers like lymphoma. Benefits of EBUS Include: • Provides real-time imaging of the surface of the airways, blood vessels, lungs, and lymph nodes • The improved images allow the physician to easily view difficult-to-reach areas and to access more, and smaller, lymph nodes for biopsy with the aspiration needle than through conventional mediatinoscopy • The accuracy and speed of the EBUS procedure lends itself to rapid onsite pathologic evaluation Pathologists in the operating room can process and examine biopsy samples as they are obtained and can request additional samples to be taken immediately if needed • EBUS is performed under moderate sedation or general anesthesia • Patients recover quickly and can generally go home the same day Rugby League star Darius Boyd pictured (centre) here with staff & exhibitors at Northside Macarthur’s community open day. BELOW: Dr Melville DaCruz (pictured third from the right) with participants in the APAC Surgeons Workshop. Dr Felix Chan
The Ramsay Way - Autumn 2015
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