In 2021, Dr Paul Secombe was awarded an ICF grant for $70,000 to support the ANZICS Patient Reported Outcomes and Experience Measures (PROEMS) Program.  The pilot program is a world-first in collating national patient and family experiences in the ICU, as well as capturing patients’ perceived quality-of-life at a point in time beyond ICU stay. The pilot was launched by the Northern Territory Chief Minister at Alice Springs Hospital where Paul Secombe is the ICU Director. The launch included media coverage to promote the program, with a patient perspective provided by ex-footballer Cyril Rioli who supported the opportunity for patients and their carers to provide feedback on their ICU experience to clinical staff. A further 21 sites are undertaking the pilot phase of the PROEMS program which will help inform the future roll out of the program to all Australia and New Zealand ICUs in late 2024.

The program allowed Rioli, father of Hawthorn champion Cyril ‘Junior Boy’ Rioli, to continue to give feedback on how he is doing after leaving hospital.
Alice springs ICU director Paul Secombe said ICU procedures could be “traumatic and invasive”, but the research was vital in improving trust in the healthcare system.
“As the most remote ICU in the country, and treating patients who are among the most vulnerable in the country, to be the vanguard ICU in launching this program is an honour,” Dr Secombe said.