ROLE OF COMMUNITY PARAMEDICINE IN NON-EMERGENCY PRESENTATIONS
Dr Robbie King
Lecturer in paramedicine and researcher, Australian Catholic University (ACU) Brisbane &
Senior Advanced Care Paramedic/Community Paramedic,
Sunshine Coast District, Birtinya Station,
Queensland Ambulance Service, Australia
RESEARCHER PROFILE
Filmed in Brisbane, Queensland | November 2024
Dr Robbie King is a Lecturer in paramedicine and researcher at the Australian Catholic University (ACU) Brisbane. He also continues to provide clinical care as a registered paramedic for community members served by a jurisdictional ambulance service. Dr King has gained significant experience working in an advanced practice, community paramedic style role, holding expert clinical insight into the nuances of paramedic-led community-based healthcare for non-emergency presentations. This often involves adopting a biopsychosocial approach, rather than following the biomedical model more associated with emergency medicine and paramedic culture.
To encourage a patient-centred approach to paramedic-led healthcare by exploring the unmet needs of people requesting unscheduled emergency ambulance care, Dr King advocates for greater consumer engagement in paramedic research. He completed his PhD in early 2024 which explored the patient perspective of paramedic-led healthcare when patients were not transported to hospital. This research generated a theory that describes a process of patients ‘restoring self-efficacy’ when their vulnerabilities are validated, and they receive clinically competent and compassionate care.
Dr King has presented at professional symposium internationally, and in Australia where he continues to encourage greater consumer involvement in research to inform development of paramedic education and ambulance service models of healthcare delivery. Dr King is a Fellow of the Australasian College of Paramedicine and member of various professional research and Community Paramedic working groups. His research focus includes exploring the role of community paramedics in improving health literacy, self-efficacy, and addressing the psychosocial needs of patients requesting emergency ambulance services.
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Earlier identification and early intervention for children who are deaf or hard of hearing
As Director of NextSense Institute, Professor Leigh is responsible for leading the not-for-profit organisation’s world-class research and education programs and facilities. He has held a variety of positions in the education of children who are deaf or hard of hearing before entering academia. He holds a degree in Special Education from Griffith University, a Master of Science (Speech and Hearing) from Washington University and a PhD in Special Education from Monash University. In 2001, he was made a Fellow of the Australian College of Educators and in 2014, he was invested as an Officer in the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished services to the deaf and hard of hearing community.
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CASE STUDY: Transforming surgical waitlist into a ‘preparation list’
The DIAMONDS initiative aims to transform the surgical waitlist into a “preparation list,” enabling healthcare professionals to optimise patient care in the months leading up to elective surgery starting at pre-admission phase.
Patients are will be able to complete pre-admission forms online, receive timely updates, and access educational resources to ensure thorough preparation. This will allow staff to spend more time with patients.
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Systems genetics to determine risk of developing diabetes complications
Professor Morahan invented the term “Systems Genetics” for the science field that examines how genetic variants can affect whole networks of genes and whole systems; there are now several laboratories and institutes of systems genetics around the world. He also developed the next-generation genetic resource, The Gene Mine, the most powerful of its type in the world, used globally in rapid mapping and identification of genes. Collaborators nationally and internationally have tested The Gene Mine for traits and diseases in which they specialise.
