Drew was a Policeman who moved into being a financial adviser. He is an author and speaker who specialises in helping successful business owners and their families, protect themselves, their purpose and their business mission. He also runs "Unusual Risks", a niche organisation providing life insurance for clinicians who are dealing with the risk of transmissable diseases, such as HIV, as well as unique products for diabetics. 

It seems almost redundant to say that communication pathways for the public between any emergency provider and the public have evolved since the invention of the telephone. Yet, we remain exceptionally reliant on the phone network, even in the digital age. In this short episode, I talk about some of the challenges that lie ahead for emergency service communication centres in the evolving and diverse world of digital communication.

Ageing population, hospital diversion, "sandwich generation" All aspects of modern society but often the children of the aged are the ones who really need help. Phill Tsingos talks about the heart break of "loving neglect" and the need to help the elderly stay at where they want to be: at home. About my guest: Phill Tsingos is a Registered Nurse for more than twenty years, with experience worked in intensive care, emergency, children, rural and remote, community care as well as with...

"Ambos in Action" was produced and broadcast by ABC Canberra radio in 1997, and later broadcast on ABC Radio National. It follows members of the ACT Ambulance Service on a typical night for the paramedic crews working in Canberra. In this final episode, a young woman is short of breath and calls an ambulance. Also, one of the crew talks about what makes a good ambo.

"Ambos in Action" was produced and broadcast by ABC Canberra radio in 1997, and later broadcast on ABC Radio National. It follows members of the ACT Ambulance Service on a typical night for the paramedic crews working in Canberra. The ACT Ambulance Service respond to a multi-vehicle accident on Northbourne Avenue in this recording from 1997.

"Ambos in Action" was produced and broadcast by ABC Canberra radio in 1997, and later broadcast on ABC Radio National. It follows members of the ACT Ambulance Service on a typical night for the paramedic crews working in Canberra. This episode looks at the paramedic response to the collapse of an elderly man.

"Ambos in Action" was produced and broadcast by ABC Canberra radio in 1997, and later broadcast on ABC Radio National. It follows members of the ACT Ambulance Service on a typical night for the paramedic crews working in Canberra. This episode follows a crew responding to a toddler with breathing difficulties.

"Ambos in Action" was produced and broadcast by ABC Canberra radio in 1997, and later broadcast on ABC Radio National. It follows members of the ACT Ambulance Service on a typical night for the paramedic crews working in Canberra. This episode concentrates on what happens in the Ambulance Triple Zero Emergency Call Centre, or ComCen.

Craig chats with Assistant Professor Jamie Ranse about the clinical and operational planning that sits behind mass gatherings. Using World Youth Day 2008 as a case study, Jamie discusses the need to engage a cross section of health and healthcare providers. International perspectives are also discussed with the underlying messaging being that progress toward improved health planning at mass gathers relies on shared definitions and data points and moving away from purely descriptive journal...

Prof Paul Middleton discussed what the future of pre-hospital ambulance care. And it isn’t ‘go faster’! While reflecting upon advances in clinical care, changes to operational responses and response times. Paul also reflects upon telehealth and the ground breaking Take Heart Australia organisation. About my Guest: Clinical Associate Professor Paul Middleton is a specialist in prehospital and emergency medicine, and has worked in critical care retrieval in helicopters, fixed wing aircraft...

For more information, visit www.operationalhealth.com Make no mistake, the "DREAM Collaboration" is an exciting and unique approach to examining the Emergency patient that will make dramatic impact upon the future of emergency healthcare. DREAM is an abbreviation for "Distributed Research in Emergency and Acute Medicine". By using a fundamentally new approach, it seeks to explore a problem which is still only partially recognised or appreciated. That is; to expand the epidemiology knowledge...

Dr Martin Sosa is a General Surgeon who has been deployed on multiple missions with Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors without Borders). However, over his work with MSF, he found himself in emergency situations were surgery was not the only medical specialty required. Martin is an example of the work being done by organisations, like MSF, that rapidly adapt to the immediate clinical need, in extremely difficult operational environments.  I spoke with Martin about his experiences in Yemen and...

It's a new season of Operational Health, where I examine emergency medical services, from ambulance to the hospital. Talking to paramedics, nurses and doctors providing health and disaster medicine from remote health care, war zones and prehospital.  Series two will start to be released in early June with new episodes every two weeks. For thirty weeks, join my conversations with people providing healthcare around the globe.

Social media in all its forms infiltrates our lives on a daily basis. Whether it be FaceBook, YouTube, Blogs, Twitter, Pinterest or some other platform, social media is a modern communication device for many people. Reporter Rachel Worsley and I explore the use of Social Media by healthcare professionals, from patient engagement through to providing personalised clinical advice. The perceptions of national lead organisations, such as AHPRA (the Australian Health Professional Registration...

In 2014, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs funded a “Think Paper” about the use of new media in disasters. A subsequent meeting in Doha identified that standardisation of social media hashtags and enabling GPS during crisis could have major impact on integrating big-crisis data into emergency response going forward. Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook and other new media (including YouTube) are all in the mix, but it is twitter that is certainly the most...

More info at www.operationalhealth.com In Part Two of my conversation with Dr Laurie Wilson from the Australasian Telehealth Society, we discuss issues surrounding the cross-over between technological and organisational change in healthcare. Laurie reflects upon the potential future of a healthcare system empowered by telehealth and the need for a national telehealth strategy.   About my guest: Laurie Wilson received the PhD degree in Cosmic Ray Physics from the University of Sydney in...

More info at www.operationalhealth.com The Australasian Telehealth Society defines telehealth as "enabling health care services and related processes delivered over distance, using information and communication technologies*. While the Australian Department of Health uses the International Organisation for Standardisation definition: ‘use of telecommunication techniques for the purpose of providing telemedicine, medical education, and health education over a distance”. It is against the...

More info can be found at the Operational Health website Used by all Ambulance Services in Eastern Australia, VACIS brings ePCRs into the prehospital environment. Ambulance Victoria's Solution Delivery Manager, Noelle McCabe, discusses the development of a mobile patient care record and reveals some of the difficulties along the way.   VACIS, the Victorian Ambulance Clinical Information System, is a patient care record computer application specifically designed for Australian ambulance...

More info at www.operationalhealth.com With a background in pre-hospital emergency care, and now a pilot, Adam Starr is a voluntary pilot for Angel Flight. Adam Starr talks about Angel Flight and its role in supporting healthcare service delivery in rural Australia.   About my guest: Adam Starr has a background working in a number of different states and organisations in the pre-hospital emergency care industry before moving into the aviation industry. Adam is a well-known Instructor,...

Full show notes can be found at www.operationalhealth.com About this episode: The experience of working in an Emergency Department is often a daunting one for Doctors and Ward Nurses alike. Welcome to the curious world of Triage! In this special Christmas edition of the podcast, Zuleika Khan explores the sometimes cruel, occasionally pleasant, always stressful world of emergency medicine, nightshift and how she has evolved from performing healthcare to performing cabaret. Huh?...

Full show notes can be found at www.operationalhealth.com About this episode: Dr Nancy Kerr talks about what she believes is the biggest advances in her specialty of Obstetrics/ Gynaecology, and reflects upon its empowering nature. Nancy also contrasts the resource-rich healthcare environment of her usual place of practice to her experiences at the remote Navaho Indian Reservation Health Service and the disaster zone in Haiti. While in Nepal, Nancy and her team developed an amazing device...

Full show notes can be found at www.operationalhealth.com   About this episode: I conclude my conversation with Kate Mears about changes and developments in the Operating Theatre. In this episode, Kate and I reflect upon the operating theatre hierarchy, surgery cancellation, patient advocacy and the use of Time-Out/ Checklists in this critical department. We also discuss the development of safety and quality in healthcare within the Operating Theatre and its impact on both staff and...

More information and show notes can be found at www.operationalhealth.com   The Operating Room, Operating Theatre or Operating Suite is a mysterious place, even for health care staff. Healthcare Management Consultant Kate Mears discusses the changes to technology and management techniques and their impact on the work of the Operating Room.     About my guest: Kate Mears brings more than 30 years experience in Operating Theatre, Peri-Operative Suite and Healthcare Management Consulting to...

Full show notes can be found at www.operationalhealth.com In this follow-up conversation with Jamie Ranse, we explore the financial, industrial and workforce planning issues that can influence healthcare staff support of an emergency or disaster. Jamie also discusses the disaster healthcare education situation in Australia and what that means to having disaster ready, disaster prepared staff to respond to a crisis.    About my guest: Assistant Professor Jamie Ranse of the University of...

Full show notes and references can be found at www.operationalhealth.com.  In this episode, Mark discusses his experience with the University's Global Health program and Gates Foundation in Nepal, and the team's approach to capacity building. He explores the importance of teamwork and how it works in disaster response, in contrast to low- resource environments.   Professor Dr Mark Hauswald works quarter- time at University of New Mexico  as Co-Director of International Health Programs. He...