Australian entrepreneur, Lauren Barber, turned her nursing background into the role of an inventor and launched a medical device into the Australian healthcare industry.
Lauren began her career as a nurse at the Sydney Adventist Hospital and later moved into cosmetic dermatology, leading her to start her own company. Her journey as an entrepreneur has been challenging, but she has learned skills in resilience and crisis management. She still works as a nurse for 1-2 days a week to maintain her clinical skills. Her inspiration for this career path stems from a personal experience with a needle stick injury that led her to explore the relationship between needle-phobia and a person’s health.
NeedleCalm has now launched a new, world-leading medical device in Australia to improve vaccination rates and calm the nerves of the approximately six million Australians who fear injections. The Class 1 medical device, which recently received approval from the TGA, works by using a technique referred to as “closing the gate” between the needle injection site and pain receptors in the brain.
“Our technology is a game-changer and can be used in an estimated 76 million needle procedures in Australia each year. It’s easy to dismiss needle phobias, but they affect approximately 25% of Australians, while a local study found one in five patients with a fear of needles reported avoiding healthcare.”, says Lauren.
And today in Adelaide at the Australian College of Nursing’s National Nursing Forum, Lauren Barber was awarded the winner of the Health Minister’s Award for Nursing Trailblazers. The award acknowledges nurse-led innovations and models of care which significantly improve health outcomes for the Australian community through evidence-based processes.
With the support of her family and over 10 mentors who specialise in various areas, Lauren has overcome struggles in finance and fundraising. She has learned from her mistakes and now seeks advice from multiple sources before making a decision. In this reflection segment with Australian Health Journal, Lauren talks about the challenges of bringing a medical device to market, not just in company formation, regulatory approvals but also in selling to the health care procurement departments in hospitals.
No journey is linear for an entrepreneur, but Lauren has travelled considerable distance from a nursing student to a successful entrepreneur illustration her determination and passion to help those with needle phobias. Lauren’s work with NeedleCalm is making a positive impact in the healthcare industry and improving the experiences of patients and clinicians alike.
Adapted from Charles Sturt article “Lauren launches world-leading medical device to improve healthcare access”
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Addressing Wound Management
The cost of chronic wounds in Australia is estimated to be $3 Billion per year, impacting 420,000 Australians. Not only is this a national economic concern, but more importantly, is the suffering the person may be going through.
Australian Health Journal met with Hayley Ryan, Board Director and Chair at Wounds Australia and Director at WoundRescue to hear her work in chronic wound management, palliative wounds and pressure injury prevention to comfort those living with a wound.
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Updated handbook on chronic kidney disease management in primary care
Kidney Health Australia’s latest kidney disease guide for primary care practitioners is expected to be pivotal in slowing down the rates of kidney failure, which have doubled in the past 20 years and if left unchecked will grow by a further 42% by 2030, according to the health charity.
With specific reference to new kidney treatments and culturally safe kidney care for First Nations Australians, the 5th edition of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Management in Primary Care handbook, known as the ‘kidney bible’, is a significant step-up in enabling earlier diagnosis of kidney disease for GPs and other front-line healthcare professionals.
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Cardiologist broadens Tasmania’s surgical abilities
Dr Heath Adams is a Tasmanian born, bred and educated interventional and structural cardiologist who works at Hobart Private and Royal Hobart Hospital and is a researcher through the Menzies Research Institute.
Dr Adams clinical interest and expertise is in the management of aortic stenosis, valvular heart disease and acute coronary syndromes. Dr Adams performs coronary interventions including stenting, and structural heart interventions including TAVI, mitral edge to edge repair, mitral valve replacement and left atrial appendage closure. In 2020, Heath performed the first TAVI in Tasmania, is the clinical lead for the local program at the Royal Hobart Hospital and is a nationally accredited TAVI practitioner.
