Australia needs a national concussion assessment, research and treatment centre.
Concussion is undoubtedly a major issue for society in general and sport, in particular, today, and health authorities agree its detection and management are critical to improving outcomes.
Likewise, independent research is the cornerstone to a new understanding of the disease and to formalising “Best Practice” management wherever and whenever it occurs.
As of 2019, there is not a single dedicated full-time Concussion Centre at any public or private hospital anywhere in the country, prompting an undeniable need for a viable model and its urgent implementation.
Australia needs a national concussion assessment, research and treatment centre.
National Concussion Clinic Model
Based on overseas systems, a fully-integrated, multi-disciplinary outpatient clinic will be set up at a major metropolitan teaching hospital with strong university affiliations.
Staffing
This Concussion Centre will have available the skills of:
- Nurse Specialists (full-time)
- Neurologists
- Neurosurgeons
- Neuropsychology
- ENT Surgeons
- Ophthalmologists
- Paediatricians
- Emergency Physicians
- Sports Medicine Physicians
- Rehab Physicians
- Physiotherapists
- Occupational Therapists
- Researchers
- Epidemiologists
SERVICES
Services to be offered will include:
- Concussion Assessment and Monitoring
- Concussion Baselines and ongoing monitoring
- Cognitive Assessment and Therapy
- Vestibular Assessment and Therapy
- Ocular Assessment and Therapy
- Radiology (X-ray, CT, MRI, fMRI)
- Transcranial magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
- Clinical Biochemistry
- Impact monitoring and biosensors
- Biomarkers
- Pathology
- Concussion Passport (online eHealth record)
POTENTIAL STAKEHOLDERS
- State and Federal Health Departments
- State and Federal Sports Departments
- State and Federal Education Departments
- State and Federal Institutes of Sport
- Local Health and Sports Services
- Australian Winter Olympic and Paralympic Committees
- Australian Football League (AFL)
- National Rugby League (NRL)
- Football Federation Australia (FFA)
- Australian Rugby Union (ARU)
- Australian Rugby League (ARL)
- Country Rugby League (CRL)
- Boxing Australia
- Martial Arts Associations
- Snow sports
- State sporting bodies
- Other Sports Peak Bodies
- Smart Head Play
- Headsafe
- Headway
- Head Injury Australia
- HeadSmart
- Sports Medicine Australia
- Sporting Doctors Association of Australia
TREATMENT OPTIONS
Treatments to be offered will include:
- Physical rehab therapy
- Vestibular-ocular rehab
- Cognition therapies (MyBrainSolutions)
- EEG Biofeedback (ElMindA, Versus)
- Pharmacotherapy (including N Acetyl Cysteine, Glutathione)
- Nutritional supplementation (Medium Chain Triglycerides)
