September 2018 - BallaratOSM | Ballarat Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine

6 Steps to add Ballarat OSM Appointment Page to your Mobile Device

How to add the Ballarat OSM Appointment Page to your Mobile Device in 6 Easy Steps

Without having to continuously search through your internet browser and navigate our website, we have made it quicker and easier for you to book an appointment online from your mobile device. Here are 6 steps on how to add the Ballarat OSM appointment page to your mobile device.

Step 1

Using your Internet browser on your mobile device, visit/type ballaratosm.com.au

Step 2

Once on the Home Page, Click on the picture of the “Book Online” slider.

Step 3

If on an iPhone, Click on the icon at the bottom of your screen that features an Upwards Arrow within a Box.

Step 4

On the bottom list of your screen, Scroll Right…

Step 5

…Scroll right until “Add to Home Screen” appears within the list. Select it.

Step 6

When the above screen appears, select Add.

DONE!

Congratulations, you are now a tech wiz! The ability to book appointments at Ballarat OSM is now available at the press of a button on your mobile device’s Home Screen.

The results are in on the ASPREE trial – and not what was expected

A study in Australia and the US was commenced almost a decade ago to assess whether being on long term aspirin increased a perfectly healthy patient’s chance of survival. Aspirin is traditionally expected to reduce cardiovascular disease such as heart attacks or strokes, there have been studies showing a reduced cancer risk, and only a tiny increase in bleeding risk causing death.

Ballarat OSM back in Madagascar

Julie (second from the right) in Madagascar

Julie (BOSM Practice Nurse) has recently returned from another aid trip to Madagascar.

As a member of Australian Doctors for Africa (ADFA), Julie joined forces with Richard McMullin (Ballarat Urologist), Michael Shaw (Ballarat Anaesthetist), Berni Toscolaro (Paediatric Surgeon, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne) and Wendy Williams (Logisitic Coordinator, Ballarat).

The focus of this trip was Prostate Surgery & Paediatric Hernia Repair.

Julie (Centre) with the surgeons in Madagascar

As a team they were able to treat approximately 90 patients in outpatient clinics and perform 50 surgical procedures.

ausdocafrica.org

Durolane is now our preferred Hyaluronic injection

Ballarat OSM is now using Durolane instead of Synvisc injections

Hyaluronic injections are an established treatment of early arthritis.

Joints have a natural lubricating fluid – synovial fluid that contains “hyaluronic acid, (HA)”. Viscosupplementation involves injecting the knee with a commercial version of HA. In joints that are very swollen, the existing fluid fluid is removed (often 50-80 mls), before injecting the HA. Not only is the existing fluid tight and uncomfortable, it contains inflammatory mediators “cytokines” that need to be removed.

HA (Hyaluronic Acid) is either made completely synthetically (Durolane) or using chicken related products (Synvisc). Both work equally, indeed McGrath’s paper in a randomised controlled trial demonstrating Durolane reduces analgesic use up to nine months after the injection. A disadvantage of the Synvisc is the potential to allergy.

The HA is not funded by the PBS or Medicare, so costs the patients approx $475 in addition to appointment fees. The $475 cannot be claimed from Medicare or any private health insurance policy. The knee joint can be injected at BallaratOSM – you just need an appointment with one of the doctors/surgeons who does the injections. The hip joint can also be injected, but under CT control with one of a radiology colleagues.

References:

McGrath et al. A Comparison of Intra-Articular Hyaluronic Acid Competitors in the treatment of Mild to Moderate Knee Osteoarthritis. J Arthritis 2013, 2(1)

Agerup et al, Non-Animal Stabilised Hyaluronic Acid – a new formulation for the treatment of osteoarthritis. Biodrugs 2004 19(1): 23-30