Shaun O'Leary

The following five examples evidence translation and impact of my research programs -

1. International Influence on the Management of Neck Pain and other Musculoskeletal Conditions: My collaborative research has influenced the management of neck pain as evident by the uptake of co-authored books distributed widely internationally (adapted to 5 languages), 66 original research and 6 review articles concerning neck pain, 66 clinical seminars and workshops concerning neck pain nationally (41) and internationally (25), and clinically focussed awards internationally (2010 American Physical Therapy Association) and nationally (2009 Australian Physiotherapy Association).

2. Developing and Embedding a State-Wide Advanced Practice Musculoskeletal Health Service Model of Care Physiotherapy Screening Clinics & Multidisciplinary Services (MPSC & MDS): My collaborative research program developing and implementing economic modelling within the state-wide Physiotherapy Screening Clinics & Multidisciplinary Services (MPSC&MDS) resulted in approximately $6.5 million of new investment in service planning across multiple hospitals, attracting a Metro North Hospital Health Service Implementation Research Award in 2018. It also underpinned a 2024 invited health service masterclass for which I was senior author showcasing the developing and embedding the MPSC&MDS state-wide, including key characteristics, research and educational initiatives are described that have collectively underpinned successful expansion and sustainability of the service model.

3. Provision of Telehealth Services at Multiple Hospitals: My collaborative studies with former PhD student Dr Michelle Cottrell supported the implementation of Telehealth in 7 Queensland hospital health services, receiving a 2019 High Commendation in the Metro-North Hospitals, Health Services and Implementation Research Award category. One of the papers in this series has been cited 356 times. These studies additionally supported the ability of these Hospital Health Services to maintain important service delivery during the global pandemic (COVID-19). Dr Cottrell was subsequently sought by national and international service and education providers (eg.Physiopedia) to provide consultancy and develop education material regarding telehealth during the COVID-19 response.

4. Changes to Patient Discharge Practices within Advance Practice Models of Care: A series of studies in our advanced practice musculoskeletal services resulted in changes to patient discharge practices in some public hospitals extending the capacity for physiotherapist clinical leaders to formally discharge patients from Specialist Orthopaedic Services without the need for approval by medical specialists. This was achieved through the demonstration of high rates of successfully discharging patients without the need to see medical specialists (approx. 70%), combined with a very low rate of representation of discharged patients to the service (<5%). This served as an exemplar research strategy that has been taken up by other advanced practice models in Queensland Health.

5. Extending the Scope of Physiotherapy Practitioners: I collaborated in a series of studies that provided initial evidence for the role of extended scope physiotherapy practitioners in Australia. The final study in particular demonstrated that corticosteroid injection for shoulder pain by a suitably qualified physiotherapist was at least as clinically effective, and less expensive, than similar care delivered by an orthopaedic surgeon.