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Is the CV relevant today?

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]When I asked our HR Business Partner why I was interviewing this candidate, I was told to ‘just wait until you meet her’. Fifteen minutes into the interview, I knew why. She just had it. And by had it, I mean she had the innate leadership talent we look for, despite her lack of relevant experience. We hired her and never looked back.

I’ve been telling this story quite frequently over the past few weeks after Stryker was named #2 on the Great Places to Work list; our third year in the top two. I’ve been asked what the secret to this success is.

For Stryker, the foundation of our people strategy is how we recruit. Hiring is the single most important decision a manager can make. Get it right and it pays back in spades. Get it wrong and you pay for it for years to come. This isn’t rocket science and I would think most organisations buy into this approach. The hard part is living it day in, day out. To help us, we focus on 3 key areas:

  • Our hiring philosophy is centred around hiring for talent and not for experience. Therefore, when we recruit we look for the things you can’t teach an individual. When you take this philosophy into your hiring process, you automatically widen your potential pool of candidates. In addition, it also opens you up to finding people that are better suited to the role.
  • Our method has been based on a long-term partnership with the Gallup organisation studying exceptional performance in roles and what makes the best the best. For example, we study what the best people managers do and know that unless you inherently care about your team and want to see people develop then you’re likely to not succeed.
  • Lastly, while we may have a strong talent philosophy and method, it takes a huge amount of organisational discipline to stick to it. If you set your talent bar high, recruiting takes time and it should be hard.

So, does our formula mean the CV is dead? Absolutely! The CV is dead as the key and major driver for a successful application at Stryker. Talent is our key focus, so apply and bring your whole person to the interview.

By using a talent philosophy, developing a method to identify it and then sticking to it in an uncompromising fashion, you open the organisation up to the possibility of:

  • Avnish, a former Physiotherapist now a Robotics Product Specialist
  • Tim, a former Park Ranger now leading a team that builds Operating Theatres
  • Sarah, formerly in the Fashion Industry, now a HR Co-ordinator
  • And myself, a former Youth Worker now running Stryker for Australia and New Zealand.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Maurice Ben-Mayor is the President of Stryker South Pacific.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color=”white”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Fully Funded MRI Licences

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Government and the Opposition in recent times have been making a series of announcements regarding where new MRI licences would be made available.

The Opposition got the ball rolling when in May it announced that in government it would provide for 20 new licences, 10 for public hospitals and 10 for private hospitals.

Last weekend, the Government upped the ante by announcing they would fund an additional 30 MRI licences with Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, naming the first ten localities to receive them from November this year.  This also follows on from the review Minister Hunt ordered into how MRI licences are allocated.

Up until recently, there had been a total of 5 new MRI licences since 2013, and 2 of them were announced during the election campaign.

The flurry of activity by both the Opposition and the Government can be traced back to the Senate inquiry into diagnostic imaging that reported in February of this year.

By putting the issue of MRI licences in the political and public spotlight, it was only a matter of time before both major parties started making the commitments they have.

It is also testament to the power and influence that a Senate inquiry can have in that in 5 years only 5 new licences were made available, but in the space of 5 months since the inquiry, access to 50 new licences have been announced.

The other telling point is that health remains and will be a front and centre political issue between now and the federal election.

Both sides are competing for votes and know health can be a deciding factor in how many people decide to vote.  Access to MRIs has shown itself to be the latest battleground in the ongoing health debate.

While Labor and the Government seek to outdo each other on announcing new MRI licences, the big winner is patients.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging is amazing medical device technology, and the more people that can have access to it when needed, can only be good for the community as a whole.[/vc_column_text][vc_zigzag][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”1915″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jody Fassina is the Managing Director of Insight Strategy and has been an strategic adviser to MedTech and pharmaceutical stakeholders.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

FACT SHEET – ATRIAL FIBRILLATION

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What is atrial fibrillation and how common is it?

Atrial Fibrillation (also known as AF) is a prevalent and dangerous arrhythmia problem that affects almost half a million Australians. (AF) is a heart condition whereby the top chambers of your heart (the atria) beat fast and erratically. In Atrial Fibrillation, your heart may not pump blood around the body as well as it should. If left untreated, AF may lead to serious health complications, such as stroke and heart failure.

Why is AF a problem if it’s left untreated?

In people with atrial fibrillation, blood may become trapped in the heart chambers and cause a clot. This blood clot can then travel to the brain, blocking the blood supply to the brain and causing a stroke.

People with atrial fibrillation are five-to-seven times more likely to suffer a stroke, and three times more likely to develop heart failure. For this reason, early diagnosis and appropriate treatment are essential. There are a number of treatment options available to help manage symptoms and lower your risk of heart failure and stroke. Many people with atrial fibrillation have no symptoms, but others experience a racing heart, thumping in the chest, chest pain or discomfort, fatigue, tiredness, loss of breath, or dizziness.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

What is happening during Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Week?

As part of AF Awareness Week, hearts4heart is setting up testing stations in hospitals, PG Clinics and pharmacies across the nation for free testing for Atrial Fibrillation. This is a wonderful opportunity for people to have comprehensive screening for AF in addition to assessing their risk of developing AF. However, we encourage Australians, particularly for those over the age of 65 to visit their GP for regular screening for AF to reduce the risk of stroke. We encourage all Australians to visit one of our sites providing free screening during AF Awareness Week to reduce your risk of Stroke. You can visit the Hearts4Hearts website at hearts4heart.org.au for a full list of locations.

Why is it so important to be screened for AF?

30% of people living with AF are undiagnosed and are at risk of stroke. For people living with atrial fibrillation, the risk of stroke is 5-6 times greater than the general population and up to 80% of these strokes are preventable.

What final message do you have for the community to coincide with Atrial Fibrillation Awareness week?

While AF can affect anyone at any age, the risks increase as you get older.  The most common causes of atrial fibrillation are abnormalities or damage to the structure of the heart over time because of a heart attack or long-term high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, sleep apnoea or obesity. Managing lifestyle factors such as limiting alcohol intake, stopping smoking, managing a healthy diet and regular physical activity can significantly reduce the risk of developing AF.

Finally, we also encourage Australians and in particular medical professionals to visit the Heart Foundations’ website for the new Australian AF Clinical Guidelines recently launched at the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand annual conference.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

METECH18 LESS THAN 50 DAYS AWAY

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The two-day conference is split into four themes:

  • The power of Politics
  • Let’s talk Patients front and centre
  • Innovation gets Personal
  • Public Perception gets real

One of the big issues to be discussed will be the challenges of regulating software as a medical device. We’ve just seen last week Apple launch the next generation Apple Watch that has FDA approved electrocardiogram (ECG) app, capable of tracking and recording electrical signals from your heart in 30 seconds. Unfortunately, this will not be available in the Australian model due to not having TGA approval.

Given the barrier to entry for these apps is so low how does industry and regulators ensure the quality of the technology can be directly linked to clinical evidence sufficient to demonstrate an appropriate level of safety and performance when used for the intended purpose? Timothy Plante Assistant Professor, Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont has claimed this area of digital health apps is no better than “snake oil”.

 Another issue that will be a focus of discussion on day two will be the innovation of medical technology through physician collaboration. Invention that is wholly original certainly takes place, but often in medical technology the innovation is incremental, modifying, upgrading, or improving existing devices.

Physicians as the primary users of medical technology which means much of the feedback that spurs the creation of the next generation of innovative products comes from physicians who share with manufacturers their real-world experience.

One of those speaking on this issue is Professor Hala Zreiqat who was earlier in the year announced as the 2018 NSW Women of the Year. The award recognises NSW women who have excelled in their chosen career, field or passion and Professor Zreigat is a perfect example of Australia’s multicultural success story.

 Hala Zreiqat grew up, studied and worked in Jordan before moving to Sydney to do a PhD in Medical Sciences – a decision that transformed her life.

Today she is recognised internationally for her extraordinary contributions to regenerative medicine and translational orthopaedic research.

She’s Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Sydney, where she founded the Tissue Engineering and Biomaterials Research Unit in 2006. Pioneering the invention of new biomaterials and biomedical devices, the unit’s work is giving NSW a place at the table in the highly competitive global orthopaedic market.

Described as a trailblazer in championing opportunities for women, Hala was the first female president of the Australian and New Zealand Orthopaedic Research Society. A Senior Research Fellow of the National Health and Medical Research Council for the last 10 years, she was also the first person in NSW to receive a prestigious Radcliffe Fellowship from Harvard University.

She was recently involved with Allegra Orthopaedics successful application for Commonwealth funding through the BioMedTech Horizons program. The project seeks to commercialise a fully synthetic spinal cage which works by regenerating bone under spinal load conditions and be completely resorbed by the body, leaving it and the intervertebral space free of foreign materials – making it a one-of-a-kind innovation. The device is 3D-printed from a synthetic bone bioceramic (Sr-HT-Gahnite) invented at The University of Sydney.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

CHRONIC PAIN CONCERNS OVER PHI REFORMS

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]On September 11 the Private Health Insurance Legislation Amendment Bill 2018 (the Bill) and two related Bills passed the Parliament.

The legislation implements a package of reforms around private health insurance, they include:

  • allowing for age-based premium discounts for hospital cover
  • allowing private health insurers to cover travel and accommodation costs for regional Australians as part of a hospital treatment
  • strengthening the powers of the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman
  • improving information provision for consumers
  • reforming the administration of second tier default benefits arrangements for hospitals
  • allowing insurers to terminate products and transfer affected policy-holders to new products
  • increasing maximum voluntary excess levels for products providing individuals an exemption from the Medicare levy surcharge and
  • removing the use of benefit limitation periods in private health insurance policies.

The Minister for Health, Greg Hunt MP, announced these reforms will make private health insurance simpler and more affordable.

“This new approach will take all existing private health insurance policies and categorise them into a four-tier system – Gold, Silver, Bronze and Basic,” Mr Hunt said.\

Following the passage of the legislation, pain groups have cautioned about potential unintended consequences of placing chronic pain in the highest category of cover.

Changes to the clinical category intended as part of the reforms could disproportionally impact patients with chronic pain and may have far reaching implications for millions of privately insured consumers who rely on existing coverage to access chronic pain management.

Advocacy group Painaustralia has urged the Commonwealth to reflect concerns its members have raised in the rules currently being drafted to give effect to the reforms in the legislation.

Painaustralia’s CEO, Carol Bennett said she welcomed the broad intention of the reforms to simplify private health insurance but cautioned against reforms that could create a situation that forced vulnerable people to drop their health insurance altogether.

“It’s important that [the legislated reforms] don’t negatively impact on people living with chronic pain who are some of the most vulnerable in our community and often unable to work,” Ms Bennett said.

These concerns were also noted by Senator Helen Polley and Senator Richard Di Natale during the second reading of the Bill, with both nothing the changes to clinical categories could adversely impact millions of consumers.

“These rules are not detailed in these bills. Those details are apparently going to come later in the form of regulation. The government claims its new gold, silver and bronze basic system will make private health insurance simpler and more affordable. It also claims that the changes will give consumers more clarity and certainty around their coverage,” Senator Polley said.

Chronic pain is the most common reason that people seek medical heal and one in five Australians live with chronic pain. Pain is also common to many chronic conditions and its impact spans the health, disability and ageing systems.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

MY HEALTH RECORD SYSTEM GETS ADDED PRIVACY PROTECTIONS

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]. The Bill will specifically:

  • remove the ability of the My Health Record System Operator to disclose health information in My Health Records to law enforcement agencies and government agencies without an order by a judicial officer or the healthcare recipient’s consent; and
  • require the System Operator to permanently delete health information stored in the National Repositories Service for a person if they have cancelled their registration with the My Health Record system – that is, they have cancelled their My Health Record.

These amendments are the result of concerns expressed by some healthcare and privacy advocates that the MHR Act permitted the release of information to law enforcement agencies and other government bodies.

On 31 July 2018 the Minister for Health announced his intention to strengthen the MHR Act to make clear that information will not be released without a court order, and that My Health Record information would be permanently deleted if someone cancels their My Health Record.

Former AMA President Prof. Kerryn Phelps reinforced the view that it would be worth a rethink in terms of the technology given how much it has changed.

“We need to think about how far technology has come and how much we’ve learnt about cybersecurity in the meantime. Then I think that we could possibly look at what data would necessarily need to be uploaded so that it could be used in a de-identified way for public health benefit. What I’m seeing in here is much less about the personal benefits of the My Health Record and a lot more about privatisation, monetisation and public health benefits. I think we would all want to see public health benefits—things like containment of epidemics and tracking flu epidemics—but I don’t think any of us wants to see the potential costs in terms of privacy,” Prof Phelps said.

Dr Linc Thurecht, Senior Research Director at the Australian Healthcare and Hospital Association while welcoming the proposed changes also identified the wider healthcare benefits of My Health Record.

“We see it as a vital part of the future health infrastructure to provide better coordinated care for individual patients and to improve safety and quality in their care. For that to happen—I’m not sure if ‘critical mass’ is quite the right phrase—the more people who are part of that, the greater the opportunity there is to reap those kinds of benefits,” Dr Thurecht said.

Ian Burgess, CEO of MTAA believes the development of My Health Record will provide a tremendous opportunity to improve data collection across the whole health system and across the patient journey.

“We believe the government should prioritise consideration of the inclusion of medical device data in the My Health Record,”

“This would allow for improved post-market surveillance. While registries can be invaluable they’re complex and expensive. Ultimately, My Health Record should be the main data infrastructure system, rather than maintaining separate data collection systems,” Mr Burgess said.

The ADHA said in a statement that it welcomes the discussion and will be contributing to the inquiry.

“The Australian Digital Health Agency has been engaged in an important national conversation around My Health Record – its benefits, privacy controls and security protections. As the system operator responsible for the expansion of this system, the ADHA welcomes this discussion,” the statement said.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

CHIEF SCIENTIST’S TERM EXTENDED

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The Australian Government has extended Dr Alan Finkel’s term as Australia’s Chief Scientist for a further two years to the end of 2020. Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, Karen Andrews announced the extension and congratulated Dr Finkel.

“I am delighted to announce Dr Finkel’s extension and look forward to working closely with him. Dr Finkel is a tireless advocate and highly respected champion for science, innovation and technology in Australian public life, with an extensive background and expertise as an entrepreneur, engineer, neuroscientist, educator and communicator,” Minister Andrews said.

“He has played a critical role and helped lead a number of major reviews into key policy areas.”

Dr Finkel commenced as Australia’s eighth Chief Scientist in January 2016. His close work with the Government was key to shaping the recent Budget decision to invest $1.9 billion in critical Australian research infrastructure capability, particularly his leadership on the 2016 National Research Infrastructure Roadmap.

Minister Andrews said Dr Finkel’s leadership had been invaluable in progressing key policy work, including through the Independent Review into the Future Security of the National Energy Market, a review into optimising STEM industry-school partnerships, and Innovation and Science Australia’s 2030 Strategic Plan.

“The Morrison Government is looking forward to working with Dr Finkel as he continues to provide robust and respected advice to Government across a range of issues and emerging trends in science and technology, including artificial intelligence, innovation metrics and precision medicine.

“As a Male Champion of Change for STEM, Dr Finkel also plays an important role in the Government’s agenda to increase the participation of women and girls in STEM education and careers,” she said.

Dr Finkel welcomed the opportunity to continue providing independent advice to Government and advancing priority missions.

“When I took up my post in 2016, I said that I had every confidence in the ambition and ability of Australians,” Dr Finkel said.

“I am delighted to recommit to my promise to back our potential today, and to build new potential through STEM education for tomorrow and into the future–including a science workforce that harnesses the capabilities of all Australians. We are committed to developing our research and innovation capacity, as a blue-chip investment with intergenerational returns.

“I look forward to working with Minister Andrews, her Parliamentary colleagues, and the many Australians who have inspired me with their visions of what this nation could be.”

Prior to becoming Chief Scientist, Dr Finkel was the Chancellor of Monash University and the President of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering.

For more information, including Dr Finkel’s biography and information about the role of the Chief Scientist, visit www.chiefscientist.gov.au

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MEDTECH KERRIN RENNIE AWARDS WELCOMING APPLICATIONS FOR 2018

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Kerrin Rennie was the Managing Director of ConvaTec, a member company of Medical Industry Association of Australia (now MTAA). She was an active and enthusiastic member of the Board and an advocate for greater involvement of women at senior levels in the industry. A trained nurse, Kerrin never lost sight of the central mission of our industry, that of caring for patients.  She was a passionate advocate for the contribution of medical technology in extending life and improving quality of life.  

In recognising the innovative and extraordinary contribution of medical technology in improving health outcomes for Australian patients, the Kerrin Rennie Award is a tribute to Kerrin’s life of service to this industry and to patients.  

Chief Executive Officer of the MTAA Ian Burgess indicated the product must demonstrate evidence of significant contribution to improving patient outcomes by enhancing quality of life, evidence of technical excellence and evidence of innovation.  

“Global advances in medical technology over the past 20 years have resulted in a 56% reduction in hospital stays, 25% decline in disability rates, 16% decline in annual mortality and increased life expectancy of approximately 3.2 years,” Mr Burgess said.  

Last year Medtronic’s Solitaire Platinum device was awarded the 11th Kerrin Rennie Award. The Solitaire Platinum restores the flow of blood to the brain by allowing the clot to be removed and withdrawing it from the body. 

In Australia, there are almost 1,000 cases of stroke each week. Approximately 22% of cases result in death, with two-thirds of survivors disabled. The financial costs of stroke in Australia are estimated at $5 billion per annum with productivity the largest cost component estimated at approximately $3 billion. 

In 2016 MediGroup EBI, Stracos 3D Rib Clip was the winner. The 3D Rib Clip, is a minimally invasive implant that is unique. Flexible to encourage ribs to remodel (heal long term) correctly, and rigid to ensure optimal short-term outcomes such as re-approximation and pain. Using the 3D Rib Clip has been shown to reduce hospital and ICU stay and is associated with reduced complications.  

Last year a record number of applications were received, a testament to the industry that is developing and providing the Australian healthcare system with innovative solutions for patients.  

“At the heart and soul of the medical devices industry are 17,700 dedicated professionals, committed to making a positive difference to patients’ lives through medical technology,” Mr Burgess said.  

“It’s inspiring to be part of the medical technology industry that every day is focused on improving the health and wellbeing of patients.”  

Applications for 2018 Kerrin Rennie Award are currently open, along with the Outstanding Achievement Award and the Women in MedTech Champion Award. 

PulseLine will report on those that make the finals. 

https://www.mtaaevents.org.au/medtech18/kerrin-rennie-award-2018/ [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

IMAGING SOLUTIONS: PHILIPS SIGNS STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Under the terms of the two agreements, Philips will provide delivery, upgrade, optimisation, replacement and maintenance services for all major medical imaging solutions.

The partnerships will support precision diagnosis and therapy and drive operational performance across nine hospital sites. This managed service delivery model for medical imaging technology is the first-of-its-kind for Philips in Australia and the ASEAN Pacific region.

Philips will structurally manage the Local Health Districts’ entire inventory of diagnostic and interventional medical imaging equipment and clinical informatics solutions, including those of other vendors, across various clinical areas including radiology, cardiology and nuclear medicine. It will also provide financing services.

Through the partnerships, Philips will help to deliver on the core objectives of each Local Health District: enhancing the patient experience, managing population health, and maintaining responsible and predictable budget management to deliver the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

“These long-term strategic agreements will allow us to innately support our partners’ objectives of providing outstanding, innovative and future-proofed healthcare to their communities, by making them better informed, more efficient and more sustainable,” said Caroline Clarke, CEO Philips ASEAN Pacific.

“This first-of-its-kind service delivery model for Philips in Australia highlights how we are transitioning to becoming an integrated solutions and services provider that teams up in a shared framework to accelerate change in a new era of value-driven care.”

As part of the collaboration, Philips will also support the two Local Health Districts with its integrated data analytics solution, PerformanceBridge Practice.

This service aggregates and connects data from across different imaging modalities and information systems and provides actionable insights into departmental operations to help drive continuous improvement.

Next to this, each Local Health District will be able to monitor and optimise radiation exposure to both patients and their caregivers with DoseWise Portal, a radiation dose management solution.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

WORLD-FIRST STUDY INTO COCHLEAR IMPLANTS AND IMPACT ON SPEECH

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In the study, published today in the journal Ear & Hearing, the experts have found a correlation between a computer model and the speech intelligibility in implant recipients. This might mean that by improving the performance of the model, the performance of individuals with cochlear implants may benefit in ways that have never before been explored.

“Cochlear implants are remarkable devices that have changed lives over the past several decades,” said lead author, PhD candidate Greg Watkins from the University of Sydney’s School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering.

“However, despite this astonishing history, listening to and understanding another person’s speech when there is a lot of background noise is still much more difficult for people with cochlear implants than it is for people with normal hearing.”

Greg, who received a cochlear implant himself in February, explained that: “Computerised speech intelligibility models are powerful tools that allow us to evaluate how a hearing impairment may affect a cochlear implant recipient’s ability to understand speech in background noise.”

The researchers compared the accuracy of four different models of a recipient’s likelihood to understand speech. They discovered that a new model, known as the ‘output signal to noise ratio’ or OSNR was superior in predicting the improvements or decline in sentence recognition of actual cochlear implant recipients.

“The OSNR appears to have the capability to predict what will happen as a result of changing the parameters available to clinicians when tailoring the implant performance to the specific needs of a patient,” said Professor Gregg Suaning, a global leader in implantable bionics from the School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering and co-author of the study.

“The result might be that changes that were never considered as possible improvements may now be used to achieve a better outcome for recipients of cochlear implants.”

Brett Swanson, Principal Research Engineer at Cochlear Limited, highlighted another important aspect of the study.

“A cochlear implant stimulates the auditory nerve directly, so if you’re a researcher with normal hearing, you can’t listen to it yourself. Instead, we rely on dedicated volunteers with cochlear implants who spend hours in sound-proof rooms listening to sentences in noise and telling us what they hear. It is vital work, but mentally draining. OSNR has the potential to drastically reduce the amount of time that we need from our volunteers,” he said.

The next steps in this work include working with cochlear implant recipients to make changes in their implant based on the model predictions and demonstrating the outcome is indeed an improvement in speech recognition in noise.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]