Top minds in health and medical research are meeting in Brisbane today to discuss ways to beat chronic diseases, the nation’s leading cause of death.

The Diamantina Health Partners Meeting of the Minds forum at Woolloongabba has attracted health professionals, researchers and academics wanting the latest developments in chronic diseases and ageing.

Diamantina Health Partners Chairman Dr David Theile said among non-communicable and non-cancer diseases, diabetes and cardio-vascular diseases were the most prevalent and increasing as a result of the ageing population and lifestyle influences.

“Obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and dementia are national health priorities,” Dr Theile said.

“The focus of the forum today is translating research and transferring knowledge to transform services in the care of the aged and those suffering from chronic diseases,” he said.

“We have invited prominent academics from the United States to join with our own world-class researchers, scientists and academics to explore what is happening in these areas and map out better pathways for delivering improved health services.”

The forum will be opened by Queensland Minister for Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts, Ian Walker at 8.30am.

Among the presentations today:

• revolutionising the treatment of aged patients with the use of internet and video-conferencing
• measuring ‘frailty’ to target care for vulnerable older people
• how obesity is everyone’s challenge.

Dr Theile said among the highlights of the day will be presentations by international keynote speaker Dr Victor M. Montori from the Mayo Clinic in the United States.

“Dr Montori will be asking whether it is possible that the health system we build to improve outcomes might be overwhelming our patients,” Dr Theile said.

“He is an internationally recognised researcher focusing on understanding and improving the process by which clinicians and patients use knowledge to make better decisions and improve patient outcomes,” he said.

“Dr Montori is based at the Mayo Clinic Rochester, which is a highly successful academic health science centre, and one of the few on which Diamantina Health Partners is based.”

The forum will turn its focus to cancer care in Queensland and overseas tomorrow.

Diamantina Health Partners is a partnership between the Translational Research Institute, the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Mater Health Services, University of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology, Metro South Addiction and Medical Health Services, University of Queensland Health Care and Inala Indigenous Health Services.

For more information on Diamantina Health Partners visit www.diamantina.org.au.

For more information:  
Michelle Bordignon, I AM Events
Phone: 0402 315 944
Directions:         

Translational Research Institute, 37 Kent Street, Woolloongabba (within Princess Alexandra Hospital Campus). Reception and taxi drop-off: Diamantina Rd West, (enter via O’Keefe St), Woolloongabba