Congratulations to Grace Corcoran (Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist) who recently won a research medal at the prestigious Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland (RAMI) Research Awards held in the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland (Dublin). The RAMI Research Awards are held each calendar year to celebrate the excellence of the Irish medical research community.  This year the awards were hosted by Dr Jeffrey Glennon (School of Mediine, University College Dublin) and celebrated papers published in 2023.

The research medal was awarded to Grace and her colleagues in the Beaumont Pathfinder team for their study investigating the views of 429 people who were treated by the Pathfinder team.  This research was a collaboration between the Physiotherapy Department, Occupational Therapy Department, The National Ambulance Service and the Royal College of Surgeons School of Physiotherapy.

The Pathfinder team respond to 999 calls from older people in Beaumont Hospitals’ catchment and when appropriate assess and treat the patient in their own home rather than transporting them to the Emergency Department. Pathfinder treat two thirds of all emergency care calls they attend in the persons own home.  The service was established in Beaumont in 2020 and has been expanded to 8 sites nationally. The team consists of Advanced Paramedics, Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists. The team are currently finalising a cost analysis academic paper in collaboration with a Health Economist.    

Corcoran G, Bernard P, Kenna L, Malone A, Horgan F, O'Brien C, Ward P, Howard W, Hogan L, Mooney R, Masterson S. "Older People Want to Be in Their Own Homes": A Service Evaluation of Patient and Carer Feedback after Pathfinder Responded to Their Emergency Calls. Prehosp Emerg Care. 2023;27(7):866-874.

Congratulations to Grace who was presented with her medal by Dr Jeffrey Glennon (School of Mediine, UCD)