The University of Notre Dame Australia is proud to announce that Dr Piers Truter has been awarded the prestigious Raine Foundation Clinician Research Fellowship.
This highly competitive fellowship provides three years of funding to support Dr Truter’s innovative research program aimed at improving fracture care for patients across the South Metropolitan Health Service.
Developed in close collaboration with consumers, the research addresses a growing challenge in our health system: high demand, long wait times, and inconsistent care for musculoskeletal injuries.
Currently, many patients with simple fractures attend hospital orthopaedic clinics, despite international evidence—such as the Netherlands’ successful direct discharge approach—showing these injuries can often be self-managed with appropriate support.
Building on the success of Fiona Stanley Hospital’s virtual fracture clinic, the new FOCUS (Fracture care Optimised for Consumer Uptake and Satisfaction) study will evaluate the introduction of a customised direct discharge model at Rockingham General Hospital in 2026.
This model will empower patients through a mobile app providing guidance and rapid access to help if needed, reducing unnecessary clinic visits while maintaining excellent recovery outcomes.
The FOCUS study has three key objectives:
- RO1: Compare patient recovery, satisfaction, and cost across traditional, virtual, and direct discharge models.
- RO2: Explore Australian patients’ experiences of virtual fracture care.
- RO3: Co-design care pathways for vulnerable patients to ensure equitable access.
Embedded within South Metropolitan Health Service’s innovation process, this research promises immediate translation into impactful service improvements.
Congratulations to Dr Truter on this outstanding achievement—advancing patient-centred care and shaping the future of fracture management in Western Australia.
Media Contact: media@nd.edu.au