The Western Health Orthopaedic Unit runs an active clinical research programme built around routinely collected patient outcome data, randomised trials, and a long-standing collaboration with Victoria University and the Australian Institute for Musculoskeletal Science.
Our approach
We prospectively collect patient-reported outcome measures on our hip and knee replacement patients, at multiple time points out to five years and beyond. That dataset underpins much of our published work and means questions can be answered from our own practice rather than from the literature alone.
Research is embedded in the unit rather than run alongside it. Fellows, registrars, residents and medical students all contribute to projects, supported by a dedicated research coordinator and research assistant.
Main areas of work
- Knee arthroplasty outcomes – coronal alignment, joint line obliquity, tibial slope, patella resurfacing and their effect on patient-reported outcomes
- Hip arthroplasty outcomes – acetabular component orientation, surgical approach, and long-term function
- Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) – wound closure, discharge criteria, readmission, health economics, and delivering ERAS in a culturally and linguistically diverse community
- Robotic and computer-assisted arthroplasty
- Foot and ankle – including long-term hallux valgus outcomes and Lisfranc injury
- Sports knee – ACL reconstruction techniques and routine outcome collection
- Digital health – telehealth follow-up, patient-reported outcome collection, and waitlist support
Collaboration with Victoria University and AIMSS
The unit works closely with Victoria University and the Australian Institute for Musculoskeletal Science, based at Sunshine Hospital. Current joint work spans gait and movement analysis, exercise physiology, musculoskeletal biobanking, nutrition, and applied artificial intelligence in musculoskeletal imaging and prediction.
Professor Phong Tran is Program Director of the Bone (Surgical) research program at AIMSS.
Working with us
We welcome approaches from students, trainees and researchers.
- Medical students and junior doctors seeking a project should contact the unit – we typically have projects at various stages needing a lead
- Fellows complete a primary research project and submit at least one manuscript during their term
- External researchers and industry interested in collaboration should contact the research coordinator