During 2010-2011, AV has actively participated in 41 research studies, 39 of which are continuing. AV also has ongoing involvement in three quality assurance registries: the Victorian Ambulance Cardiac Arrest Registry (VACAR), Turning Point Drug and Alcohol Centre – Non-Fatal Overdose Registry and the Victorian State Trauma Outcomes Registry (VSTORM).
The Research and Evaluation Department has continued its important role in research project initiation, supervision, monitoring and publishing of both internal and external research projects.
Victorian Ambulance Cardiac Arrest Registry
The Victorian Ambulance Cardiac Arrest Registry (VACAR) is a quality control initiative, which captures data on all cardiac arrest patients attended by ambulance in Victoria. The registry was started in October 1999 and is funded by the Department of Health.
The data is used to monitor response intervals, treatment protocols and outcomes on cardiac arrest patients. AV operational and clinical data is supplemented by data from hospitals, the Victorian Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages and a quality of life survey at 12 months post arrest.
VACAR is one of the largest pre-hospital cardiac arrest registries in the world and supports a significant research program into the care of cardiac arrest patients by AV.
Drug and Alcohol Attendance Registry
AV provides ambulance attendance data to Turning Point Drug and Alcohol Centre, which collects data on all non-fatal drug-related ambulance cases in Melbourne. The registry is a collaborative project between Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre’s Population Health Research Program and Ambulance Victoria, and is funded by the Victorian Department of Health. Expansion of data collection for ambulance attendances in rural areas has also commenced. (External link)
Trauma Registry
AV provides ambulance attendance data to the Victorian State Trauma Outcomes Registry. VSTORM is managed by Monash University and was designed to capture information on all major trauma patients in Victoria in order to monitor the performance of the State Trauma System. (External link)