About Us

Our services

1. Telephone advice: Our critical care coordinators are available to advise on the clinical care of critically ill patients 24 hours a day and can provide advice irrespective of whether a retrieval is required.

2. Retrieval of critical and time critical patients: We evaluate the practicality and clinical needs involved in transferring a critically ill or time critical patient (eg. acute neuro surgical emergencies) from the source hospital. If a transfer is necessary, we organise transport and the appropriate clinical staff to accompany the patient and arrange a suitable critical care bed at the receiving hospital.

3. Bed coordination: We liaise closely with public and private hospital critical care units (ICU/HDU/CCU/ED) to facilitate access to critical care beds when required. We monitor the availability of critical care beds in the state and seek to optimise the use of critical care resources.

4. Major Trauma Advice: ARV manages this service, connecting referral hospitals to appropriate receiving trauma services. ARV will also facilitate early activation of retrieval systems where required, ensuring major trauma patients reach a trauma service rapidly.

Who we are

The medical director (Dr Marcus Kennedy) oversees a team of doctors who work as critical care coordinators and retrieval physicians.

Retrieval physicians are experienced doctors who accompany a patient from the source hospital to the destination hospital. These doctors are experienced clinicians in emergency medicine, intensive care or anaesthesia and have specialised training in aeromedical and retrieval medicine. Rural-based retrieval specialists are available part time to support service delivery.

MICA paramedics form an integral component of Victoria's retrieval system. A retrieval team will be comprised of medical and/or paramedic staff working as one crew to meet the clinical needs of each patient.

 

ARV Staff

  • Marcus Kennedy

    Marcus is an emergency physician who has broad experience in clinical emergency care, retrieval medicine and critical care. His interests include systems design, development and improvement, and he has a successful career in management and administration. Marcus has worked across the health sector, in rural, regional, metropolitan and tertiary settings and in clinical, administrative and executive roles.

  • Mark Putland

    Mark is an a retrieval physician and a critical care coordinator for ARV.  Mark also works in emergency medicine at Bendigo and The Western Hospitals in addition to his work at ARV.

  • Matthew Maiden

    BM BS, DRANZCOG, FCICM, FACEM. Intensive care physician - Royal Adelaide Hospital. Emergency physician - Geelong Hospital. PhD candidate - University of Adelaide.

  • Michael Reade

    Michael Reade is an intensive care physician at the Austin and Northern Hospitals in Melbourne who has worked with ARV since 2009. He is an active clinical academic, with publications ranging from applied molecular biology to statistical methodology and clinical trials. He has a doctorate from the University of Oxford and an MPH from the University of Pittsburgh.

  • Nick Jansen

    Nick has been with the retrieval service since 2004.  He also works as an Anaesthetist at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Royal Women's Hospital where he has sub speciality interests in trauma, neuro and obstetric anaesthesia.  He also is a Field Emergency Medical Officer with the FEMO Program under the State Health Emergency Response arrangements.

  • Stephen Warrillow

    Stephen has been with ARV since 2009. His professional interests include medical education, quality & safety and clinical research.  Other interests include amateur radio and outdoor pursuits. Stephen  is also the Deputy Director of Intensive Care at Austin Health.

John Moloney

John has been involved with retrieval services in Victoria since 1996.  His current roles at ARV include Critical Care Coordination, Retrieval Physician and Clinical Advisor.  He also works as an Anaesthetist at The Alfred, where he is Head of Trauma Anaesthesia.  He is the Senior Field Emergency Medical Officer with the FEMO Program, part of the State Health Emergency Response arrangements.

 

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