The RMH Surgical Spectrum: From GP Referral to Patient Care Pathways

Join NWMPHN and the Royal Melbourne Hospital to discuss planned surgical and non-surgical programs at this information session. Led by the Orthopaedic Head of Unit, alongside an Orthopaedic Surgeon and the Colorectal Head of Unit, they will offer insights into the patient journey from referral to treatment. It will include the specialist clinic processes, surgery wait times and introduce three key non-surgical pathways available at RMH.

This session will provide a comprehensive overview of the patient journey at RMH from initial referral to treatment, whether surgical or non-surgical.

Attendees will gain an understanding of the surgical specialist clinic processes, including available clinics, referral triage, and key information required for efficient referrals. The session will also provide an overview of placement of patients on the preparation list, urgency categorisation, and the role of the pre-admission clinic. Current wait times for specialist clinic appointments and surgical procedures will be provided to support effective patient planning and expectation management. 

In addition, the session will introduce three non-surgical programs, highlighting evidence-based alternatives to surgery, with an overview of commonly managed conditions and interventions offered through these pathways.

General practitioners and health care professionals with an interest in surgical and non-surgical care are encouraged to attend. There will be dedicated time for questions and answers.

Speakers:

Dr Chris Kondogiannis is an experienced orthopaedic surgeon with over 20 years of expertise in knee sports orthopaedics and arthroplasty. Chris is Head of the Orthopaedic Department at The Royal Melbourne Hospital, overseeing a diverse Team of Surgeons, Junior Doctors and Allied Health Staff. He is a Board Member of Australian Orthopaedic Association and serves as the Federal Chair of Education and Training . His clinical interests include cruciate ligament reconstruction, complex multi-ligament knee injuries, patellofemoral disorders, and joint replacement surgery. Dr Kondogiannis completed his medical training at the University of Melbourne, followed by subspecialty fellowships in knee surgery, sports orthopaedics, and orthopaedic trauma in Bristol, United Kingdom.

Dr David Love is a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and has a primary interest in hip and knee replacements.

David was involved in extra subspecialty training over a two year period in Ontario, Canada, in joint replacement surgery, and in Melbourne in trauma emergency surgery and limb deformity correction. At the Royal Melbourne Hospital, he is one of the primary surgeons in orthopaedic emergency acute trauma patients, and arthroplasty surgery of the hip and knee. 

David is actively involved with medical advisory roles with Epworth, the Australian Orthopaedic Association (AOA) and the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS). More recently he has undertaken new interests in exploring issues that affect surgeons and doctors in general via his podcast, Life in Medicine. David actively teaches training doctors in competency-based training in orthopaedic surgery.

Dr Tim Chittleborough is a consultant colorectal surgeon at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, Royal Women’s Hospital, and also does private consulting at Cancer Specialists.

Tim obtained his medical degree at Monash University, completed his general surgery training through the Royal Melbourne Hospital, and undertook subspecialist colorectal fellowships in Christchurch, NZ, and Perth, WA, before commencing consultant practice in the Parkville medical precinct.  

He undertook a Doctorate of Medical Science at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, undertaking research into inherited colorectal cancer. He has an ongoing interest in surgical research, and is an Honorary Clinical Lecturer at The University of Melbourne.

Tim is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, member of Colorectal Surgical Society of Australia and New Zealand, and a member of General Surgeons’ Australia.

Dr Caitlin Farmer is an advanced practice physiotherapist and clinical lead at RMH, with a PhD from Monash University. 

Hayley O Sullivan is an experienced senior hand therapist and clinical lead for hand therapy at RMH. 

Ella Pipkorn is senior podiatrist at RMH and played a key role in setting up the Feet First Clinic.  

Learning outcomes:

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Describe what is expected from GPs when referring, the referral process, triage, and preparation processes for patients accessing RMH surgical services.

• Explain the process of a patient being added to the surgical preparation list, describe how urgency categorisation is determined, and understand the role of pre-admission clinics in patient management.

• Interpret wait time data for specialist clinics and surgery to better inform patient education and expectation management, and subsequent referral. 

• Explain and describe some of the key non-surgical care programs available at RMH and evaluate their patients’ suitability for these programs.