Post Crash Rehabilitation and Medical Research

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Whiplash-Associated Disorders (WAD)

In South Australia more than 2,500 people suffer whiplash in road crashes every year, representing approximately 45% of all Compulsory Third Party insurance claims and costing around $130 million. To improve the health outcomes for these patients the MAC, commissioned comprehensive research into the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of acute and chronic whiplash associated-disorders. An independent Best Practice Taskforce (BPT) was established to oversee the development of best practice clinical guidelines for the management of acute and chronic whiplash-associated disorders for use by health professionals. Click here for a copy of these guidelines and associated products.

In early 2008, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) presented Dr Saravana Kumar with the National Institute for Clinical Studies (NICS) Fellowship, sponsored by the Motor Accident Commission of South Australia (MAC).

Dr Saravana Kumar, Research Fellow and Lecturer, Centre for Allied Health Evidence, University of South Australia, will utilise this fellowship to address the internationally recognised issue of improving the management of people with Whiplash-Associated Disorders (WAD) by physiotherapists and chiropractors.

Over the next two-years,  and due for completion in 2010, Dr Kumar aims to improve processes and outcomes of healthcare by implementing MAC’s new clinical guidelines for best practice management of acute and chronic whiplash-associated disorders.   In order to achieve this Dr Kumar will be working with physiotherapists, chiropractors and consumers.   The ultimate goal of the fellowship project is to address the broadening gap between evidence and current practice in the management of WAD.

For more information on the program, visit:

www.implementationcentral.com

The University of Queensland’s Centre of National Research on Disability and Rehabilitation Medicine (CONROD) and NHMRC Centre of Clinical Research Excellence in Spinal Pain, Injury and Health (CCRE Spine) have combined resources to establish the Whiplash Evidence Based Information Resource – a resource providing evidence based information (summaries of current evidence for and against specific whiplash treatments) to consumers and health care professionals about whiplash and its management.  

Medical Research

MAC proudly supported traumatic brain injury (TBI) research conducted by the University of Adelaide research team, which was led by Professor Robert Vink. The research seeks to contribute to drug development and improve rehabilitation outcomes for TBI victims.

In addition to brain injury research, MAC has supported spinal cord injury research.