2021 has been another unique and challenging year for everyone during the COVID 19 pandemic. Despite this, PREDICT research has continued to progress and there has still been significant work accomplished across our network. This year also marks the second year of our 2020-2024 NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence (CRE) collaboration which will continue to support a program of excellent research in the years to come.
Please join us in reflecting on these and other outstanding achievements:
- PREDICT now has 179 members – in the past year we welcomed 20 new members. This year a survey of members was undertaken to gain an understanding of how members perceive network activities deemed critical for network success and to determine how we can best meet the needs of PREDICT members in the future. Findings of the survey will inform future work next year.
- PREDICT has continued working actively with consumers in our research. Our mental health consumer group recruited for “The Kids are not Okay” program of research has been actively involved in the development and fine tuning of the Mental Health Delphi project, the PEACHY O and M studies, and the Prospective Observational study. The Perth Children’s Hospital ED consumers have been involved in our PROMPT Bolus and our Research Priorities studies. We are also about to commence a “Codesign” project that involves parents, youths and consumers working in partnership to develop discharge materials for children with mild head injury/concussion. Lots of valuable insight has been gained to date.
- 58 hospitals across Australia and New Zealand have been actively involved in PREDICT research!
- The Acute Head Injury Guidelines are completed and are available on our website! Supplementary materials, including a video on use of the head injury algorithm, and other education modules, are in development and will be available soon.
- A mRNA Vaccine Chest Pain guideline has been developed in collaboration with ATAGI (Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation), IMAC (Immunisation Advisory Centre NZ) and CSANZ (Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand) to support an approach to the initial assessment and workup of children and adolescents presenting to the ED with vaccine-related symptoms. This is available on our website now.
- Our two committed teams undertaking Cochrane reviews continue to progress work on:
“Triage tools for detecting cervical spine injury in paediatric trauma patients”
“Parenteral medication for the management of acute severe behavioural disturbance (ASBD) in the emergency department” - A number of new studies have commenced recruitment this year after significant preparatory work. These include: The Sepsis Observational (SENTINEL) study, currently enrolling in Australia (5 sites). The PEACHY O and PEACHY M RCT studies which focus on the care of children with acute severe behavioural disturbance in the ED (7 sites).
- The Western Australia Adaptability study and the Bronchiolitis Sustainability study are now both underway and will contribute to our knowledge of implementation in the Emergency Department setting.
- Data analysis is complete and paper submitted for the BellPIC RCT. The PERN pneumonia and the PARIS II project data collections are complete and analysis is well underway!
- We continue to undertake work collaboratively with the international PERN Pediatric Emergency Research Network) group on the PERN COVID 19 project, the PERC BIPED study (Dexamethasone and Adrenalin for bronchiolitis), and the PAINT study (Pain Management and Sedation in Pediatric Ileocolic Intussusception: A Global, Multicenter, Retrospective Study).
- Other international studies include the PROMPT Bolus Study (US and Canada) and the SONIC study (Study of neck injuries in children: A prospective observational study to develop a new or validate existing international clinical decision rules for children presenting to the emergency department with suspected cervical spine injuries). Both of these studies are up and running – congratulations to the teams involved.
- The PREDICT Executive reviewed and endorsed 8 new projects, most of which are now in various stages of development.
- We continue to mentor 8 PhD scholars and one MD.
- Twenty-four papers were published in various Journals including JAMA Paediatrics, Archives of Disease in Childhood, Journal of Neurology, BMC Health Services Research, Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, Emergency Medicine Journal, BMC Paediatrics, Medical Journal Australia and others!
- The annual PREDICT members meeting was held in October online via zoom and attended by 57 members.
Thank you to all members and collaborators for your contributions and support.