Implementation Central
iCAHE's Dr Saravana Kumar has been awarded the prestigious national
Fellowship:
Improving the management of whiplash-associated disorders
 |
|
Visit the Implementation Central website dedicated to this project: www.implementationcentral.com
iCentral Updates in iCAHE's newsletters: Dr Saravana Kumar provides a monthly summary of Implementation Central's updates in the iCAHE newsletter
|
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has presented
iCAHE's Dr Saravana Kumar with the National Institute for Clinical Studies (NICS)
Fellowship, co-sponsored by TRACsa: Trauma and Injury Recovery and the Motor
Accident Commission of South Australia (MAC)
Dr Saravana Kumar, Research Fellow and Lecturer, will utilise this fellowship to
address the internationally recognised issue of improving the management of
people with whiplash-associated disorders by physiotherapists and
chiropractors.
Each year in South Australia, these disorders account for 45% of the 6,000
Compulsory Third Party (CTP) claims and a third of costs, which is more than
$120 million. Internationally, whiplash-associated disorders contribute to
approximately 42% of all CTP claims and this figure continues to increase.
People suffering from whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) are currently
offered a range of costly treatment and rehabilitation options, but despite
this many patients remain in constant pain and develop long-term complaints.
Over the next two-year implementation period Dr Kumar aims to improve
patient outcomes by implementing TRACsa's new Clinical guidelines for best
practice management of acute and chronic whiplash-associated disorders. In
order to achieve this Dr. Kumar will be working with physiotherapists,
chiropractors and consumers. The ultimate goal of the fellowship project is
to address the broadening gap between evidence and current practice in the
management of WAD.
As part of his project, Dr Kumar will assess current practice in the
management of WAD and will provide a multi-dimensional strategy to support
guideline implementation by physiotherapists and chiropractors. Recognising
the growing and important role of consumers, this research will provide
consumers with TRACsa's 'guide for injured people' to assist their
understanding of WAD and available treatment options.
TRACsa: Trauma and Injury Recovery is focused on better treatment and recovery for people injured on the road or at work. The Motor Accident Commission (MAC) is SA’s Compulsory Third Party insurer and provides $360 million each year in compensation to road crash victims. The National Institute of Clinical Studies (NICS) is part of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), Australia's leading funding body for health and medical research. NICS role within the NHMRC is to improve health care by getting the best available health and medical research into everyday practice.
Return to Resources