CONSULTANT PHYSICIANS
Dr. Garry Lane Dr Stephen Guy Dr Adrian Tramontana
Registrars 2012
Dr Christina Mateevici Dr Ohide Otime
The Infectious Diseases Unit provides the following services of Western Health:
A consultative service to other units within the health service to assist in the management of infection related problems in their patients.
Investigation and management of the Infectious Diseases Unit's own inpatients at the Western Hospital campus.
Three outpatient clinics at Western Hospital for patients with infection related problems.
A program to help minimise the inappropriate use of antibiotics within the health service.
Active consultant physician support to the nurses who are infection control practitioners for the health service, in their work to minimise the transfer of infection between patients, staff and visitors.
Education in the fields of infectious diseases, antibiotics and infection control to medical students from the University of Melbourne, in addition to postgraduate doctors, nursing and allied helath staff from Western Health.
Conduct of research and audit projects related to the management of infections, with the goal of further improving the quality of service provided to patients with infection related problems.
Infection Control Staff
Richard Bartolo Bernadette Brogan Robyn Starr Jenney Wong
Hand Hygiene Project Nurse: Narelle Calvi
The Infection Control team works to minimise the transmission of infections within the Western Health hospital setting. Western Health has specialist nurses on each campus that monitor for infection within the hospital and supports the clinical staff with education and advice. The nurses in collaboration with the ID consultants and registrar, advise on how to safely care for those patients that may be infectious to others, and help to keep our network environment as safe as possible for all patients, staff and visitors. The Infection Control team also collect and compile information related to hygiene and general preventative measures. This information is examined carefully by the Infection Control Committee, which meets regularly, to help ensure that the highest standards of infection control are provided within Western Health. The committee is comprised of nurses, doctors, pharmacists and others from across the health service.
Training in Infectious Diseases
The Infectious Diseases has 1 post for a registrar accredited by the Royal Australasian College of Physicians for advanced training in Infectious Diseases. This is a busy clinical position which will provide the trainee at any stage of their training with a broad range of clinical experience. Areas of particular interest within the department are:
- Tuberculosis - The trainee will gain experience in management of pulmonary, extra-pulmonary, latent, active and drug resistant tuberculosis.
- Hepatitis - Western Health is involved in clinical trial work and offers an outpatient clinic for chronic viral hepatitis. The trainee will gain experience in complications of the disease and treatment including antiviral and interferon based therapies for both Hepatitis B and C.
- Nosocomial Infection - The ID unit offers a consultation service across 3 campuses of Western Health, providing experience in the majority of common nosocomially acquired infections.
- Community acquired Infection - The ID unit treats a wide range of infections, either in its own right, or in providing assistance to other units. These infections reflect the economically and culturally diverse population that Western Health serves.
- Antibiotic Stewardship Program - The ID Unit enthusiastically supports the rational use of antibiotics, and has a busy program to implement this, overseen by the ID registrar on weekdays and the ID consultants after hours and on weekends. Progress is being made to transform this into an electronically based system.
- Infection Control - The ID registrar and consultants work closely with the nurse Infection Control Practitioners of Western Health. Both the ID Head of unit and registrar are members of the health service's Infection Control Committee.
- Travel related Infection - Western Health serves a diverse cultural community, as it continues to expand with immigration from different countries, thus providing a rich training ground in travel and tropical infection, in addition to other issues related to refugee health.
- ID meetings across Melbourne and beyond - Regular attendance and participation, further increase of clinical knowledge and networking is actively encouraged for the Unit's registrar and consultants.
The Infectious Diseases trainee will be given protected study time on a weekly basis and is expected to initiate and complete a research project during their appointment. They will make regular contributions to the Units weekly journal club, as well as presentation at hospital and city wide meetings. They take part in the on call roster, subject to negotiation, but it is anticipated that they would cover one week night on call plus occasional weekends with consultant supervision. The trainee actively participates in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. Due to our small but collaborative team, excellent opportunities are availalbe for first hand interesting case experience. If the trainee is in the middle years of training, we can accomodate most areas of clinical work to further your experience, such as Infection Control or ICU consults, in addition to the speciality services mentioned above. For the more senior trainee you would be given autonomy appropriate to your experience, to enhance your skills before becoming a consultant. All Western Health positions are advertised through this website in the 'careers' section. The head of the ID unit is happy to speak with all prospective trainees at any time.
Outpatient Clinics
| DAY CLINIC | |
|---|---|
MONDAY AFTERNOON1st FLOOR - WESTERN HOSPITAL** Referral from your GP is required to attend this clinic** |
Infectious Diseases |
MONDAY AFTERNOON1st FLOOR - WESTERN HOSPITAL**Referral from your GP is required to attend this clinic** |
Viral Hepatitis |
WEDNESDAY MORNING2nd FLOOR - WESTERN HOSPITAL**Referral from your GP is required to attend this clinic** |
Tuberculosis |