Evaluation of an Australian Rehabilitation Dataset

Summary

Associate Professor Fary Khan is a Principal Fellow of the Department of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences at the University of Melbourne. She is also the Director of the Rehabilitation Medicine Department Royal Melbourne Hospital and Honorary Fellow at the Department of Epidemiology at Royal Melbourne Hospital.

In the last five years she is the recipient of 4 major grants of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians: 2009 Vincent Fairfax Fellowship award, 2008 Inaugural Excellence in Academic & Research Mentoring Award, 2007 GlaxoSmithKline Neurology Research Fellowship Award and 2006 Ipsen Rehabilitation Medicine Research Fellowship Award. She has published over 75 papers in peer reviewed journals and has a special interest in rehabilitation for persons with Multiple sclerosis.

Just three of Associate Professor Khan clinical and research contributions over the last five years, include:

• Establishing a MS Rehabilitation Research program at the Royal Melbourne Hospital
• Completing one of the largest trials that showed reduction in disability up-to 12 months following rehabilitation, and
• Undertaking the largest and first ever Australian study of chronic pain in persons with MS

The Inaugural Travelling Fellowship will enable Associate Professor Khan to:

• Meet and deliberate with world experts in MS research and MS management
• Learn new techniques that can be brought back to Australia
• Establish relationships with key scientists that may spur new international collaborations
• Accelerate the delivery of management for people with MS

Associate Professor Khan plans to continue her work in Rehabilitation care for persons with MS. The study of health service framework models elsewhere (such as the National Services Framework in the UK) can contribute to the development of good practice locally to improve health and social care services for persons with long term neurological conditions, and their carers. The aims are to improve quality of life and independence by ensuring coordinated individualized care and support based on their needs.

Associate Professor Khan will visit key experts specializing in MS care at Kings College London, Queen Square Institute of Neurology UK and Valens Hospital Switzerland.

In addition, Associate Professor Khan will represent Australia at the prestigious International Forum on Quality and Safety in Health care in Nice (France) in April 2010. This conference is an opportunity to showcase the Australian MS Rehabilitation program, the quality improvements and its initiatives to improve patient care.

The knowledge and collaboration Associate Professor Khan gains as a result of the Ian Ballard Travel Fellowship will enable innovation and improved patient care, enhancing and protecting wellbeing of persons who are vulnerable and have complex needs in our community.

Updated: 30 June 2012