We'll start this edition with an update on the spread and effects of the swine flu pandemic, as well as the latest news on the research into an effective vaccine.
Last week was National Stroke Week (14 - 20 September) and The Stroke Foundation coordinated a series of events around the country focussing on the theme of "Think FAST!"
The Australian Safety and Efficacy Register of New Interventional Procedures - Surgical (ASERNIP-S) has just published some new systematic reviews on the latest in surgical techniques.
The Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing has launched a new website to coincide with the recent release of the final report from the Natioinal Health and Hospitals Reform Commission: A healthier future for all Australians.
And finally, research published in the Medical Journal of Australia indicates that much of the consent documentation provided to patients to inform treatment decisions is incomprehensible without specialist medical knowledge.
Swine flu update
As of 20 September, Australia had 36,263 confirmed cases of swine flu (or Pandemic (H1N1) 2009). The total number of Australian deaths associated with swine flu now stands at 172: 49 in NSW, 40 in Queensland, 24 in both Victoria and Western Australia, 20 in South Australia, 7 in Tasmania, 6 in the Northern Territory, and 2 in the Australian Capital Territory. Four of those that died were pregnant women, and 24 were Indigenous people (13.95% of the total number).
There are currently 300 people throughout Australia hospitalised because of swine flu, and 54 of these people are in intensive care units. The total number of Australians that have been hospitalised with the disease is nearing 5,000. Daily updates are provided through the Department of Health and Ageing's healthemergency website.
The Department also has some useful tips for protecting yourself and others.
HealthInsite has a topic page on swine flu (also known as swine influenza, the Influenza A (H1N1 Virus), and Pandemic (H1N1) 2009). For other useful information about swine flu, please refer to our May newsletter.
Australia's independent medicines regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration, announced on 18 September that it will register the swine flu vaccine developed by CSL. This decision paves the way for a national vaccination program to start later this month.
The Federal Health Minister, The Hon Nicola Roxon, issued a media release on 18 September that provides more details regarding the roll-out, with the initial focus to be on front-line health workers and those people identified as being vulnerable to serious adverse effects.
National Stroke Week
Stroke is Australia's second greatest killer after coronary heart disease, and a leading cause of disability. In 2009, Australians will suffer around 60,000 new and recurrent strokes - that's one stroke about every ten minutes. One in five people having a first-ever stroke die within one month, and one in three die within a year. Close to 20% of all strokes occur in people under the age of 55, and strokes kill more women than breast cancer.
One of HealthInsite's Information Partners, the National Stroke Foundation, coordinated National Stroke Week last week (14 - 20 September) with events being held around the country to promote the new FAST campaign and help people recognise the early warning signs of stroke.
- Face: Check their face. Has their mouth dropped?
- Arms: Can they lift both their arms?
- Speech: Is their speech slurred? Do they understand you?
- Time: Time is critical. If you see any of these signs, call 000 immediately!
Acting FAST is vital because early treatment could mean the difference between death or severe disability, and a good recovery.
HealthInsite has a topic area on stroke, and provides links to information on prevention, treatments, support services, and living with the effects of stroke.
Appraising new surgical procedures
The Australian Safety and Efficacy Register of New Interventional Procedures - Surgical (ASERNIP-S) operates under the auspices of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, and is another of HealthInsite's Information Partners. Under the oversight of ASERNIP-S, researchers:
- undertake systematic literature reviews on the safety and effectiveness of new surgical procedures;
- conduct clinical and research audits or studies;
- identify and assess new and emerging techniques by horizon scanning; and
- provide input into the production of clinical practice guidelines.
Some recent systematic literature reviews include:
- permanent and semi-permanent dermal fillers;
- the effect/s of fatigue on surgical performance; and
- treatments for varicose veins.
The exhaustive catalogue of reviews is available through the Publications page of the ASERNIP-S website, and is also accessible through HealthInsite.
yourHealth website
The Department of Health and Ageing has launched the yourHealth website to coincide with the recent release of the report from the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission: A healthier future for all Australians.
It has been designed to elicit the views of Australians interested in providing feedback to the Commonwealth Government about options for reforming and improving the health system, and provides an integrated set of formal and informal consultation tools built on Web 2.0 principles. We would encourage you to follow one of the links and join the conversation about issues that are important to all of us!
Jargon in medical consent forms
Research just published in the Medical Journal of Australia indicates that much of the consent documentation provided to patients to inform treatment decisions is incomprehensible without specialist medical knowledge, and suggests that many patients may be giving consent without properly understanding exactly what they have agreed.
Clinicians are responsible for ensuring that patients (or those legally responsible for a patient's care) volunteer consent in relation to intended procedures, having understood the nature and purpose of the procedure, the material risks associated with the procedure, and any alternative treatment options. The researchers recommend that these represent minimum requirements for consent documentation.
Follow the link to read the full report. HealthInsite also has a topic page on Informed Consent.
