Name: SA Health
Price range: $

The RAH ICU works with and delivers a number of services in conjunction with other departments, including trauma, perioperative management and Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO).

Clinical Services

Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)

ECMO is an advanced life support therapy for severe respiratory or cardiac failure. It's used when standard intensive care treatments aren't effective. ECMO involves circulating blood outside the body, oxygenating it with an artificial lung, and returning it to the patient.

This provides oxygen to all organs, giving the heart or lungs a chance to rest and recover.

Services

At The Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH), our ECMO service offers Veno-venous (VV), Venous-Arterial (VA), and Extra cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) based on the patient's condition. It's a high-risk procedure requiring skilled clinicians.

Our team provides on-site training with a structured education program.

Team

Medical Lead: Michael Farquharson
Email: Michael.Farquharson@sa.gov.au
Nursing Lead: Sophie Dohnt
Email: Sophie.dohnt@sa.gov.au
ECMO Research Lead: Ben Reddi
Email: Benjamin.Reddi@sa.gov.au

Resources

Tracheostomy service

The RAH ICU tracheostomy team is a multi-disciplinary service that supports the assessment and management of patients with a tracheostomy in-situ. The team includes senior medical and nursing staff from the ICU as well as the Ear, Nose and Throat surgery and Oral & Maxillofacial surgical teams.

The team is well supported by a multi-disciplinary group of senior allied health staff with expertise in physiotherapy and speech pathology. The team conducts a weekly review of in-patients and ad-hoc reviews to guide the process of weaning, decannulation and support of speech and swallow with an in-situ tracheostomy.

Contact:

Gary Richards: Gary.Richards@sa.gov.au

ICU Nurse Unit Manager – Equipment

Medical emergency response service

The Medical Emergency Response (MER) Service provides timely critical care level response to acutely deteriorating inpatients, visitors and staff. The MER team is Physician led, with dedicated General Medical Trainees, Intensive Care based Nurses, and supported by Intensive Care registrars. The MER Team has dedicated Intensive Care, and Physician, based Consultant support. The Service undertakes regular practical skills, multi-disciplinary simulation and case-based training, clinical review, quality and research activities, including higher degree candidates.

Contacts:

A/Prof Arthas Flabouris, Medical Lead
Email: Arthas.Flabouris@sa.gov.au
Lisa Thiele, Nursing lead
Email: Lisa.thiele@sa.gov.au

Is the emergency department the best place for you?

Clinical services