Medicine
Since its formation in 1955 the Department of Anaesthesia at St. Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne has excelled in patient care, teaching and research. With the members of the Department demonstrating commitment to the hospital, its patients and to the anaesthetic community worldwide. Our directors have been Dr Ralph Clarke (1955 -1984) who established the Department, A/Professor Michael Davies (1985-2009), Professor David A Scott (2010-2022) and currently A/Professor Brian Cowie.
The Department of Anaesthesia is well known for its use of regional anaesthesia. Around 20% of operations are performed using these techniques. Regional anaesthesia offers greater comfort for patients post-operatively, and facilitates early return home to their families. The hospital benefits also from the reduced cost of the anaesthetic technique and shorter hospital stay. Regional analgesia including epidurals, nerve blocks and fascial plane blocks for post-operative pain relief are used widely and managed by our advanced Acute Pain Service. Evidence supports that this approach improves satisfaction, reduces post-operative complications and time in hospital.
Members of the Department are well known for their leadership and development of blood conservation techniques, neuroanaesthesia, cardiovascular monitoring, and Transoesophageal Echocardiography.
Teaching
Anaesthetic Registrar training is considered to be one of the best in Australia. Our pass rate for the final FANZCA has been 100% in 12 of the last 15 years. Prizes for the best Australasian candidate have been earned 4 times for the Primary FANZCA and 4 times for the final FANZCA in the past 14 years.
The Department runs continuing medical education workshops for the Anaesthetic community and Departmental meetings which are of a very high standard. Members of the Department give an average of 10 international, 6 national and 6 local conference presentations each year.
The St. Vincent’s Anaesthetic Nursing course was the first in Melbourne and has continued to develop rapidly over the past 5 years.
Research
Our Department has an active research program which contributes significantly to the quality of anaesthetic research worldwide. Our research has attracted research funding from ANZCA, NHMRC, St. Vincent’s Hospital and pharmaceutical companies. In the past 10 years there have been an average of 9 ongoing projects a year.
Administration and Service to the professional community
The Quality Assurance program run by the Department is recognised as one of the best in Australia because of the method of collection and its correlation.
The Department contributes to the Research, Pharmacy, Resuscitation, Day Surgery, Theatre and Senior Medical Staff Committees.
Service to the professional community has been achieved by involvement of members of the Department with the ANZCA Examination Committee, CVP Special Interest Group, Victorian Regional Committee and Extracorporeal Perfusion Group. They also have executive roles with the Victorian Regional Branch and the AMA, the Victorian Perioperative Consultative Council (previously the Victorian Consultative Council on Anaesthetic Mortality and Morbidity), and the Victorian Transoesophageal Echocardiography Group.
Community Service
Service to the professional community has been achieved by involvement of members of the Department with the ANZCA Examination Committee, CVP Special Interest Group, Victorian Regional Committee and Extracorporeal Perfusion Group.
They also have executive roles with the Victorian Regional Branch and the AMA, the Victorian Consultative Council on Anaesthetic Mortality and Morbidity, and the Victorian Transoesophageal Echocardiography Group.
Patient Care
The Department of Anaesthesia is well known for its use of regional anaesthesia. 35-40% of operations are performed using these techniques. Regional anaesthesia means greater comfort for patients post-operatively and facilitates early return home to their families. The hospital benefits also from the reduced cost of the anaesthetic technique and shorter hospital stay.
Epidurals for post-operative pain relief are used widely. There is reasonable evidence that this reduces post-operative complications and time in hospital.
Members of the Department are well known for their leadership and development of blood conservation techniques, cardiovascular monitoring, and Transoesophageal Echocardiography. Our perfusionists are leaders in the conduct, teaching and research of Cardiopulmonary bypass.
