Flinders will support a new $5.25 million research project with industry leader Wound Innovations and global partner Paul Hartmann Pty Ltd.
Building on work done by the Wound Innovation CRC, the new Cooperative Research Centres Project (CRC-P) centres on a $1.5 million grant from the Australian Government to use smart 3D camera automation to improve pressure injury diagnosis and treatment in aged care patients.
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research Impact) Professor John Spoehr and director of the (AITI) based at Flinders at Tonsley will assist the project with independent monitoring and evaluation.
This project will collect 3D diagnostic data on pressure injury in a unified best practice environment.
Wound Innovation chief executive Dr Anthony Dyer says the AITI at Flinders has a track record in evaluating research projects in aged care and will work with all partners to assess and underpin the translational impact of the project.
“We are delighted to work with our partners to improve the plight of many older Australians who unnecessarily suffer from pressure injuries,” he says.
The focus on effective wound management in the aged care sector continues to increase. Earlier this year pressure injuries (usually bed sores) became a key reportable quality metric for all Australian aged care facilities.
“The nation needs to have advanced tools, training and devices to ensure older Australians do not suffer or die from these avoidable and treatable injuries,” Dr Dyer says.
The results will enable clinical decision making, empower nurses in residential aged care, and inform new standards. Project duration is 18 months with $1.5 million funding and total value of $5.25 million.
Hartmann is a global leader in advanced wound care products. Their engagement in this project will enable a range of clinically proven dressing to be used across a range of wounds and in particular pressure injuries
The partnership will conduct research into 3D measurement systems and the data used to map the cavitation of pressure injuries, producing a novel understanding and methods for automated quantitative diagnosis.
The outcomes of this research will improve early detection and management, enable qualitative diagnosis and yield new information on the 3D measurement of pressure injuries.
This information will be widely disseminated through a large network of aged care facilities throughout Australia, leveraging up to $6.4 million of resources to the critical issue of pressure injury diagnosis, reporting and management in aged care.
‘Transforming pressure injury diagnosis and healing in aged care through smart 3D camera automation’ is one of 16 new projects – including 77 industry and research partners – announced under round 7 of the Australian Government’s CRC-P grants.
The (CRC) Program supports industry-led collaborations between researchers, industry and the community.
CRCs are developing new technologies, products and services that are improving people’s lives, the economy and the environment.
