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| Dr Ai Li Yeo |
Electronic Medical Records Benefits Fellow Dr Ai Li Yeo has
received a competitive Monash Health emerging research fellowship in
recognition of her research into unnecessary pathology testing.
Dr Yeo, who is also a Rheumatology Fellow and MPhil student at
Monash University, will use the $15,000 fellowship to investigate the core
systemic and behavioural drivers of unnecessary pathology testing at Monash
Health.
“Unnecessary pathology testing is a key challenge for Monash
Health, resulting in increased patient length of stay, inappropriate healthcare
resource utilisation and a poor patient experience due to false positive
results,” Dr Yeo said.
“As a Monash Health clinician, I am committed to conducting
translational research which contributes to a sustainable healthcare system by
targeting unwarranted variation in clinical care such as unnecessary pathology
testing.”
“Monash Health is on the verge of implementing a world class
integrated electronic medical record (EMR).”
“This has the potential to address many of the increasing
challenges faced by the healthcare system; the pressure on the hospital budget
due to an ageing population, advances in medical treatments (rarely less
expensive) and increasing consumer expectations,” Dr Yeo said.
Monash Health is about to embark on a $100 million implementation
of EMR.
Dr Yeo said the results of this project can be easily incorporated
for economic benefit and improvement of patient care with immediate
translational outcomes.
“As pathology test ordering is not only a problem for hospital
inpatients, this study will characterise both inpatient and outpatient costs to
a tertiary hospital,” Dr Yeo said.
“With our growing and ageing population, greater
numbers of patients are receiving more frequent pathology testing.”
“This is an increasing burden on the government
and hospitals, in terms of both cost and the infrastructure required to process
such tests.”
This research will hopefully change the way we
think about ordering investigations for our patients.”
The findings from this Monash Health project will not only assist staff
and patients at Monash Health but could be scaled to other healthcare networks
to treat patients in a safer and more efficient manner.
Dr Yeo said she is honoured to have received recognition of her
research idea through this fellowship, allowing her an opportunity to work in a
field in which she is passionate.
She acknowledges the support of Associate Professor Ronnie
Ptasznik, Associate Professor Michael Franco, Dr Suong Le, Professor Eric
Morand and Professor Michelle Leech.
