'Distance is no obstacle' is a podcast series aimed at providing medical education and information to rural health professionals
Current podcasts cover topics including - sleep, diabetes education in rural WA, mental health conditions among youth, palliative care in the rural setting, drug and alcohol misuse and mental health conditions, assessment and management of patients with dementia and delirium, and screening and treating sexually transmitted infections.
Podcast topics
Click on the links below to find podcasts relating to the topics listed below, or continue scrolling for links to all of the podcasts recorded to date.
Latest releases
Recognising and treating alcohol dependence
Addiction Psychiatrist Dr Kelly Ridley about supporting patients with alcohol dependence.
Falls prevention in older adults
Rachel Mead, Injury Prevention Manager for Injury Matters discussed the impact of falls, falls prevention, medical assessment and screening tools for medical practitioners.
Treating nicotine dependence
Addiction Psychiatrist Dr Kelly Ridley about supporting patients with alcohol dependence.
Recognising and responding to signs of child abuse
Perth Children's Hospital consultant paediatrician, Dr Kate Freeman provides an overview of recognising and responding to signs of child abuse and the 'four Rs' framework approach to child protection: recognise, respond, record and report.
Pallliative care in the rural setting
Dr Alison White, Palliative Care Consultant at Royal Perth Hospital and visiting palliative care physician for the Kimberley region, and Grace Buchanan from Cancer Council WA talk about the challenges and importance of delivering quality end-of-life care in rural settings.
Motivational interviewing
Stavroula Zandes, founder of Health and Wellbeing Training Consultants, talks about the role of motivational interviewing in encouraging patients to make positive changes to their lifestyle. Stav discusses the importance of showing empathy, exploring ambivalence, listening reflectively and helping clients to reframe their perspective.
Breast screening and beyond
Dr Diana Hastrich, breast specialist and surgeon discusses breast screening, breast examinations, treatment options and patient outcomes.
Genetic testing for medical conditions
Genetic Counsellor, Sarah Long from Genetic Services of WA discusses genetic testing, recent advancements, limitations, indications for referral, and clinically meaningful uses.
Anxious adolescents
Dr Vineet Padmanabhan, Director Psychiatry - Child and Adolescent Health for A Country Health Service discusses anxiety disorders, assessment, and overlap with other diagnoses.
Drug and alcohol misuse and mental health conditions
Paul Dessauer, Outreach Coordinator from Peer-Based Harm Reduction WA talks to us about the association between drug and alcohol misuse and mental health conditions, particularly anxiety and depression. Paul shares information on how particular drug and alcohol use may impact on existing mental health conditions.
General urology issues in general practice
Urological surgeon Dr Tom Shannon from the Prostate Clinic about general urology issues that come up in general practice.
Prostate screening and treatment options
Urological surgeon Dr Tom Shannon from the Prostate Clinic discusses prostate cancer screening and treatment.
Diabetes education in rural WA
Gill Denny, Teleservices Manager and Alison Ilijovski, Credentialed Diabetes Educator from Diabetes WA chat to us about how rural medical practitioners and patients can access diabetes education from their own homes through the Diabetes Telehealth Service. Diabetes WA aims to support people living with or affected by diabetes and suffering from related chronic conditions.
Changes to cervical screening programs
Dr Louise Farrell, Head of Colposcopy at King Edward Memorial Hospital discusses changes to cervical screening programs and the impact this has had on the detection and treatment of cervical cancer.
Mental health conditions among youth - Part 1
Senior Clinical Psychologist with Child and Adolescent Health Service, Ivan Salmin discusses self-harm and suicide among adolescents. Suicide is the second most common cause of death in young people worldwide. Prevention of suicide is therefore an important focus for health professionals and the community at large.
Mental health conditions among youth - Part 2
Senior Clinical Psychologist with Child and Adolescent Health Service, Ivan Salmin discusses self-harm and suicide among adolescents. Suicide is the second most common cause of death in young people worldwide. Prevention of suicide is therefore an important focus for health professionals and the community at large.
Giants of Geriatrics - intellectual impairment, instability, immobility and incontinence
WA Country Health Service Lead Geriatrician, Dr Peter Goldswain speaks to Rural Health West Medical Advisor, Dr Olga Ward about the so-called Giants of Geriatrics - intellectual impairment, instability, immobility and incontinence.
Assessment and management of patients with dementia and delirium
WA Country Health Service Lead Geriatrician, Dr Peter Goldswain speaks to Rural Health West Medical Advisor, Dr Olga Ward about dementia and delirium in older people, different types of dementia, medication and prescribing, the Telegeriatric service, and managing and supporting dementia patients living in residential aged care.
Screening and treating sexually transmitted infections
Dr Olga Ward talks to Dr Lewis Marshall, Public Health Physician and Head of Sexual Health Service for Fiona Stanley and Fremantle Hospitals about screening and treating patients with STIs.
Hepatitis C: A new era for treatment and cure
Dr Marissa Gilles, Director Public Health Medicine with WA Country Health Service and Dr Olga Ward discuss managing patients with Hepatitis C, screening, testing, diagnosis, treatment options and decision-making, managing complex and non-compliant patients, and Telehealth support for rural and remote patients.
Emergency medical services in remote locations
Dr Andrew Jamieson, Executive Director of Medical Services at WACHS discusses the challenges of providing emergency medical services in remote locations.
Drug reactions under anaesthesia
Anaesthetists Dr Paul Sadleir, Dr Peter Platt and Dr Russell Clarke from the WA Anaesthetic Drug Reaction Clinic at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital discuss the cause, prevention and management of reactions to anaesthesia drugs. The WA Anaesthetic Drug Reaction Clinic at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital is responsible for investigating cases of suspected perioperative anaphylaxis and provide advice and guidance on how these patients might be managed in future surgeries.
The importance of sleep on health and well-being
Senior Respiratory Scientist from Cardio Respiratory Sleep, Martin McPhilimey discusses the importance of sleep and the clinical impacts of poor sleep.
Sleep apnea - signs and symptoms, clinical implications and treatment options
Senior Respiratory Scientist from Cardio Respiratory Sleep, Martin McPhilimey discusses sleep apnea, signs and symptoms a patient may have sleep apnea and the clinical implications for patients.
Travel medicine - advice and resources for clinicians
WA Country Health Service Clinical Lead Dr Andrew Jamieson discusses the principles of travel medicine, and the need for doctors providing travel medicine to have a good understanding of geography, occupational health, the geopolitical work and tropical medicine.
Travel Vaccines - advice for clinicians
WA Country Health Service Clinical Lead Dr Andrew Jamieson discusses vaccinations for travellers, running vaccine clinics, the most important vaccines to have to hand, and the administration of multiple vaccines and live vaccines.
Future of ED: ED workforce, clinical governance and credentialing
The podcast features Dr Mark Monaghan, Emergency Department Clinical Lead and Director Medical Services for WA Country Health Services - South West presenting at the Rural Emergency Medicine Forum hosted in February 2020.
Environmental change: looking at green hospitals
The podcast features Dr Mark Monaghan, Emergency Department Clinical Lead and Director Medical Services for WA Country Health Services - South West presenting at the Rural Emergency Medicine Forum hosted in February 2020.
Climate change and its impact on our EDs
Emergency physician Dr Mark Monaghan talks about climate change and the impact it is having on our emergency departments. Extreme heat events, cyclones, floods, bushfires and thunderstorms are increasing in frequency and intensity, with each of these natural events placing pressure on hospitals. Dr Monaghan also shares what communities and health professionals can do in response to these increasing and emerging natural events.
