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They say many hands make light work, and the same is true for innovation.
That’s why the Darling Downs Health Innovation and Research Collaborative (DDHIRC) is enabling the brightest minds in health research and health service delivery across the region to bring the fourth annual DDHIRC 2024 Research Symposium to Toowoomba on Friday 1 November.
The Research Symposium is an opportunity for health researchers, clinicians and consumers to come together and network, develop a research pitch, and hear presentations about health research relevant to the Darling Downs and South West region.
Darling Downs Health Director of Research and member of the DDHIRC steering committee coordinating the event Dr Anna Tynan said the theme for this year’s DDHIRC symposium centres around one of the key research priorities for DDHIRC: Perspectives and innovations in rural and regional health workforce.
“The DDHIRC symposium brings together tertiary health service staff, local university researchers, primary health staff, and private hospital staff from across the Darling Downs and South West region to contribute to, and collaborate on, research projects that are meaningful to the local areas,” Dr Tynan said.
“It is well known that a strong connection between health and medical researchers and the delivery of health care services is integral for improving health outcomes for the community.”
Dr Anna Tynan
A major highlight of the Research Symposium is the Shark Tank session at the end of the day, when attendees will have the opportunity to pitch their developed research idea for the chance at one of two $10,000 research grants available.
Some of the key outcomes from previous DDHIRC Research Symposiums include a tele-oncology project, which aims to improve access to oncology treatment for patients in rural and remote areas, as well as a systems mapping project to address obesity in the region.
South West Hospital and Health Service Executive Director Medical Services and Clinical Governance Dr Carl de Wet will deliver a keynote address on 'Heat, heroes and horseshoes: what it is like working in South West Queensland'.
Dr de Wet said symposiums like this were essential for guiding the necessary adaptations and implementations of new innovations for better health outcomes in the community – particularly in rural and regional areas.
“This research symposium provides a valuable opportunity for key stakeholders to meet in person and identify opportunities for collaboration, share personal experiences and practical learning points, and strengthen positive synergy,” Dr de Wet said.
The second keynote address, titled ‘Health Workforce – is it time for a revolution, not an evolution?’, will be delivered by The University of Queensland’s EvolveHealth Health Workforce Optimisation Program Director Professor Lisa Nissen.
“As part of this workforce revolution, I would like to see more of a focus on needs-based workforce planning, looking at a whole-of-workforce approach to understanding and supporting our health practitioners,” Professor Nissen said.
The DDHIRC 2024 Research Symposium will be held from 8:30am-4pm on Friday 1 November at the Toowoomba Showgrounds.
For more information about the 2024 Research Symposium, visit www.ddhirc.com.au/events.