Dr Graeme Duke has joined VAHI as Data Analytic Fellow, bringing his vast experience as an intensive care practitioner and researcher to support the development of VAHI’s analytics capacity.
Dr Duke is Deputy Director, Eastern Health Intensive Care Services in Melbourne, and clinical lead for intensive care research. He has worked in intensive care for 30 years.
His role at VAHI will include helping to design and report mortality measures, especially a hospital standardised mortality ratio (HSMR). He will also advise on developing reporting for critical care and other safety and quality outcome measures including Hospital Acquired Complications (HACs).
Dr Duke said joining VAHI was the next step in an ongoing partnership, one based on shared interest and knowledge in data analytics, coding and measure development.
“As a member of the SCV Intensive Care Data Committee (ICDC) we have a long-standing relationship with VAHI,” Dr Duke said. “We have a long history of research and development in clinical indicators. Two examples - we are confident we have discovered how to use the HSMR correctly and solved the riddle of what HAC means.”
Key recent work includes the use of the Hospital Outcome Prediction Equation (HOPE) and Critical Care Outcome Prediction Equation (COPE) models to assist the Department of Health to analyse health service performance during the pandemic.
HOPE acts as the ICDC’s hospital standardised mortality ratio, and COPE is a subset of HOPE which applies to critical care separations admitted to an accredited ICU.
VAHI is looking to build its new fellowship program in the future, with Dr Duke providing advice on the future direction of the program as its inaugural member. Further news and opportunities will be shared through VAHI news and other information forums in due course.