mDRIFT: multidisciplinary Device Related InFection Team

Chief Investigators: Michael Schuetz, Andrew Foster, Paul Chapman, Bonnie Woods, Kevin Tetsworth, Andrej Trampuz, Beat Schmutz

Patients with orthopaedic implant or trauma related infection are a complex population. Between 2006 and 2017, MNHHS treated more than 2,300 patients with orthopaedic-device related infections, costing over $70 million. Many live out of the Metro North catchment with no local access to the expertise required for their complex needs.

mDRIFT was set up in 2020 by the Jamieson Trauma Institute at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital to help combat this difficult clinical complication through effective coordination of patient care. The team consists of orthopaedic surgeons, plastics/reconstructive surgeons, infectious disease physicians, microbiology, nursing, allied health and pharmacy. This initiative, the first to provide this service in Australia, has delivered improved patient outcomes and cost-effectiveness.

The research program around mDRIFT addresses several aspects including clinical evaluation, patient outcomes, health economics and innovation for remote patient follow-up.