ABOUT

QUEENSLAND HEART INSTITUTE

Our Purpose

The Queensland Heart Institute (“QHI”) is a not for profit organisation founded on three key principles:

(a) disease and therapy awareness in structural heart disease;

(b) research and future therapy in structural heart disease; and

Since the inception of the St Andrews War Memorial Hospital (“SAWMH”) transcatheter aortic valve implantation (“TAVI”) program, it had become clear that there is a significant lack of awareness, both within the medical community (including GP’s and Specialists) and patients regarding the diagnosis, treatment and multiple safe, reliable therapy options available to treat many of the structural heart conditions such as aortic stenosis.

This continues to be true even after three years of this very successful program at SAWMH.

When the program started, there was limited funding from Medicare for this life-saving therapy, relegating patients at the mercy of hospital generosity or self-funding access to gain access to therapies.

Here at the Queensland Heart Institute, we firmly believe that through this model, more patients can be offered the next generation of treatment so often provided overseas but not yet in Australia.

Management and Governance

A board of directors will be appointed on the establishment of the QHI and will be responsible for managing the company. The board of directors will work with its appointed lawyers and company secretary to ensure the company has all the required legal documentation and governance documents in place.

QHI Activities and Events

Research relating to trials of procedures where new devices and pharmacological agents are utilised to improve patient outcomes in interventional structural heart procedures.

Research funding allowing collaboration with international key opinion leaders, presentation of data in international meetings; stipend support for emerging leaders in the field to train at SAWMH.

clinical data at international meetings

Research funding aims to collaborate with international key opinion leaders, presentation of clinical data at international meetings; stipend support for emerging Cardiology leaders in the field to train at SAWMH.

Specialists awareness meetings.

Patient online resource and education.

GP education meetings, conference presentations, and GP directed online education videos.

Closed group physician Q&A meetings.

Programs and services

The crux of the program is the already nationally regarded heart valve program headed by Dr Alex Incani and Dr Karl Poon. The program has treated almost 300 patients with internationally published and presented data of patient outcomes.

With further funding it is hoped more patients will be made aware of early disease detection, offering hope for treatment when they thought surgical aortic valve treatment was the only option.

Most importantly, the QHI funding will allow patients to access new transcatheter therapy through financial support from industry partners. New transcatheter devices are traditionally not funded by Medicare. These devices are generally very expensive and not affordable for most patients. With collaboration with industry partners and benefactors, it is envisaged patients who otherwise would have no hope will be treated, and their lives improved.

Anticipated programs include:

Tavi related studies with S3 Device and peri-procedural evaluation;
Research and trial procedures of:
- New mitral therapy;
- New tricuspid therapy;
- Renal denervation;
- Balloon pulmonary angioplasty;
- New generation Tavi;
- Leadless pacemakers, and
- Industry-funded registries and feasibility studies.

MEET THE QHI FOUNDING PARTNERS

Dr Alex Incani and Dr Karl Poon are the Founding Partners of QHI.

If you didn’t find you need or want to talk to someone further,
please contact us at 07 3193 8088
Or by email at: [email protected]