‘EXPERIENCE AND LEARNINGS FROM IMPLEMENTING IMPROVEMENTS IN REFERRAL MANAGEMENT AND DEMAND
With
Nalani Cox,
Program Manger (Assistant Director of Nursing ADON)
Referral Strategy and ”PerformanceGold Coast Health, Queensland Health
PEOPLE IN HEALTH CARE SEGMENT
Filmed in Southport (Gold Coast) | May 2025
Nalani Cox joined Gold Coast Health in 2019 as a Nurse Manager focused on improving referral management processes within the outpatient environment through the implementation of the Clinical Prioritisation Criteria. This work became a focus point for the organisation in 2020 when Nalani led an organisational wide change project introducing Smart Referrals, Refer Your Patient website and HealthPathways which has culminated in her position as the ADON of the Referral Strategy and Performance Department.
Here she continues to improve and support the continuum of care and create improved clinical safety and transparency of referral management processes across Gold Coast Health. Nalani believes that working collaboratively with external care providers and staff across all levels of the organisation to drive change management, clinical redesign and promote shared understanding is critical in improving the patient journey through our complex health environment.
Prior to commencing this work, Nalani participated in the Australian College of Nursing (ACN) Mid-Career Nurse Leadership Program, which she describes as a catalyst for some of the most significant career achievements to date. Nalani is the deputy chair of ACN Brisbane Region Leadership team.
Source: Supplied
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Pharmacist Prescribing Model gets further support from state health
A full scope pharmacist prescriber model allows pharmacists to independently prescribe medicines within their professional competence, without requiring prior doctor authorisation. It extends pharmacists’ role beyond dispensing to include assessment, diagnosis of minor and chronic conditions, initiation and modification of therapy, and ongoing patient monitoring. This model integrates pharmacists into primary care teams, aiming to improve timely access to treatment, reduce pressure on general practitioners, and enhance continuity of care. Pharmacists use their clinical knowledge, patient records, and collaborative pathways to ensure safe prescribing. The model emphasises training, regulation, and accountability to maintain high standards of patient safety.
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Landmark Australian-led study revises thresholds to diagnose and treat anaemia
In 2014, WEHI researchers began a study at the request of the World Health Organization (WHO), to formally review its global anaemia guidelines that were last updated in 1968.
Study lead and Acting WEHI Deputy Director, Professor Sant-Rayn Pasricha, speaking to Australian Health Journal said while anaemia can be diagnosed by measuring the amount of haemoglobin in the blood, there is currently no consensus on the thresholds that should be used to define the condition. -
In development, age specific clinical practice guidelines for early onset bowel cancer
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has agreed to consider for approval the Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Early Diagnosis and Management of Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer (EOCRC), to be developed by Bowel Cancer Australia in collaboration with the Australian Living Evidence Collaboration (ALEC), and funded by Bowel Cancer Australia. ALEC is led by Cochrane Australia and based in the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University.
