KRISTEN CAPRON

To be an exemplary health-care leader, that embarks on new challenges to implement and evaluate new evidence-based models of care.

• Started the first outpatient physiotherapy / exercise service for oncology consumers at Austin Health/ONJ in 2016. The pilot was designed for all patients undergoing chemotherapy for Breast Cancer. The Breast Cancer Education and Exercise Program (BEEP) was awarded a NEMICs grant and was endorsed to become ‘standard care’ by consumers, clinicians and the Physiotherapy Department.
• Building upon BEEP to extend the outpatient service to all tumour streams – increasing the accessibility of exercise support and opportunities for more people with a cancer diagnosis. The ‘Exercise @ ONJ’ program is now staffed by two physiotherapists (PT) and four exercise physiologists (EP); and runs education sessions, gym groups, individualised consults (face-to-face and Telehealth) and motivational phone coaching. The service now engages over 1,800 patients per annum.
• Developed a new education VIDeo for consumers on EXercise during anti-cancer treatment (VIDEX). The aim was to further improve consumer accessibility and flexibility in receiving education on exercise during cancer care. This piece of work received a NEMICs grant, involved consumer co-design methodology and was published in the ‘Journal of Cancer Survivorship’. The video itself, is now a resource that is routinely used by clinicians and consumers in the ONJ.

Publication: Burgess N, Retica S, Capron K, Dionysus A, Edbrooke L, Berney S, Berlowitz D, Graco M. Integrating behaviour change techniques into a video intervention to promote physical activity during cancer treatment (VidEx): a qualitative, theory-informed study. Support Care Cancer. 2025 Jan 2;33(1):66. doi: 10.1007/s00520-024-09048-3. PMID: 39747762.

• Nominated as a ‘working-group’ member of Austin’s ACTER (Australian Centre of Transplant Excellence and Research) strategy. This is aimed at positioning Austin Health as a national leader in organ retrieval, transplantation and patient care.
• Completion of the Allied Health Leadership Program Monash University course – Implementation and innovation in health care with an overall score of >90.
• Participation in the ‘Collaborative Pairs’ Leadership Program (Consumers Health Forum of Australia and Safer Care Victoria) with a consumer; to establish true ‘co-design’ and a collaborative relationship in health-care innovation.
• Consulted on the Victorian Cancer Plan 2024-2028 & 2020-2024 via the Department of Health.
• Building professional relationships/networks within the oncology space, both within and outside of Austin Health/ONJ. This has involved presenting and being a panel member at a number of different conferences / events, including: Austin Health Consumer Engagement Awards (2018), Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) oncology events (2018 & 2019), Annual NEMICs Forum (2019 & 2021), VCCC Psycho-oncology Conference: Advancing Comprehensive Cancer Care (2019 & 2020), Austin Health ResearchFest (2020 & 2023), Austin Health ACTER event (2024).

2012 - Current: AHPRA registration;

2020 - Current: Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre (VCCC) Alliance Membership;

2012 - Current: Attend / present at Physiotherapy Department inservices (Austin Health);

2014 – Current: Attend weekly medical oncology in-services (ONJ);

2024: Austin Health Frontline Leaders Program;

2020: Member of the clinical expert co-design group for TORO: Taking Oncology Rehabilitation Online (a research project by Eastern Health / LaTrobe University);

2019 – 2020: Collaborative Pairs Leadership Program (Consumers Health Forum of Australia and Safer Care Victoria);

2020, 2019, 2018 & 2017: North Eastern Melbourne Integrated Cancer Services (NEMICs) Annual Forums;

2019, 2018 & 2017: Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA): Oncology special-interest events;

2019: Physiotherapy Leadership Symposium (Austin Health);

2019: APA: Spinal Physiotherapy Part A (Cervical);

2019: VCCC Research Conference (Melbourne);

2019: Victorian Psycho-oncology Conference: Advancing Comprehensive Cancer Care (Peter MacCallum Centre);

2019: Surgical Management of Sarcomas (St. Vincent’s Hospital);

2017: ‘Advanced Heamatology’ course (Royal Melbourne Hospital);

2016: Attended the ‘Introduction to Oncology for Allied Health Professionals’ symposium at Peter Maccallum;

2014: Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA) Conference (Melbourne);

2013: Attended the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) conference in Melbourne.

2008-2013: APA member.

2010: Golden Key International Honour Society membership obtained. The Society provides international recognition of academic achievement to the top 15 percent of university students across all faculties.