Gaj Panagoda

Co-founder, Xstitch Health | Connecting specialised healthcare with the community | Paediatric Rehabilitation Physician | MBA Associate @QUT

[Australian Health Journal @AUHealthJournal]

People In Health Care; Dr Gaj Panagoda @DrGajP,
empowering underprivileged communities
Xstitch takes project based approach to
creating community-driven,
sustainable health outcomes

Dr Gaj Panagoda, CEO of Xstitch Health, has a diverse medical background and is working to improve health systems for underprivileged communities. In the @AUHealthJournal's People In Health Care series, he talks about the changes needed in community-based care using a project based approach,

According to Dr Panagoda, there is a need for a shift towards community-based care and collaboration with stakeholders in the healthcare system, and the potential to create a new kind of socially conscious, inspired, community-informed medical specialist is the future of medical specialty care.

Project-based job outcomes are clear, post-COVID community-based health systems are innovative, and the six pillars of Xstitch involve working with communities to identify strengths and challenges, collaborating with stakeholders, and deciding what's needed.

Communities, including underprivileged ones, have untapped strengths that can be harnessed for their own healthcare journeys, and Xstitch Health aims to do something different by focusing on change management, policy, and governance.

“We are looking at a unique model to fund health projects based on community-defined issues and deliverables, with most interest coming from schools”, says Dr Panagoda.

He’s seen, schools in underprivileged areas that are providing services for students with particular needs, are interested in working better with health systems, to address acute issues.

Dr Panagoda believes medical specialists in Australia have untapped potential to address the wider needs of patients and can start taking action on their collective knowledge without waiting for higher positions.

Xstitch Health offers a new kind of job for doctors, combining patient care with system improvement and the opportunity to work in various locations.

Health professionals need support in their role in communities and a collaborative model for medical specialists is being developed to have a big impact across Australia.

[Gaj Panagoda @DrGajP]

Here’s the #ADHD model of care we created @IUIH_ . It involved analysing evidence, client needs, cultural context, doctor workflow and system considerations. We needed to bring the ADHD guideline to life. Guidelines need implementation strategies! https://t.co/QLT6LX0bHM

[Gaj Panagoda @DrGajP]

We're back for another #designthinking workshop, this time in Hobart! Join us for a unique opportunity to tackle real-life #Health system problems with rehabilitation clinicians from all over Australia and New Zealand.
@RMSANZ1
https://t.co/UjfZNI4yIR

[Gaj Panagoda @DrGajP]

Excited / Nervous / Scared / Motivated / Inspired... We've just turned the key on our new #startup, Xstitch Health!
So many people helped get us to this point. Thank you so much, I hope we can achieve the vision of connected, community-driven #Health care. https://t.co/VhsrkPWZ1r

[Dr Georgina Clutterbuck (she/her) @GeorginaPaedsPT]

Questions from @DrGajP from Super Kids Rehab & Erin Carewell from @QLDEducation highlight the presence of potential talent ID opportunities for people with disabilities who do not yet identify as elite athletes. Partnerships essential in this space! @AUSParalympics #YouFor2032

[Gaj Panagoda @DrGajP]

Got to love a multidisciplinary presentation! Nick Draheim, #physiotherapist at Movement Solutions and I spoke about community management of paediatric functional neurological disorder (#FND).
Thanks @qldhealth for opening up the FND Symposium program to non-gov providers.

[Gaj Panagoda @DrGajP]

What an amazing conference @HealthiaLTD ! It was a pleasure to talk about “Network Prescribing” with a room full of engaged #alliedhealth professionals. Combined management and clinical topics are an exciting frontier for #health conferences of the future.

[The Mental Elf @Mental_Elf]

Today @shuichi_suetani & @DrGajP explore the World Federation of #ADHD International Consensus Statement published in 2021, led by @StephenFaraone, which contains “208 evidence-based conclusions about attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder".
https://t.co/lTtT14Q9Iw

[Dr Ari Horton @heartfulpaeds]

Dennis “Moppy” Conlon from the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health with the topic Getting Deadly. #DFTB22 @DFTBubbles a yarn about his life, self sufficiency, service development and opening doors and culturally safe care! How can we do better?!

[Kerrie Evans @Kerrie__Evans]

Excited about https://t.co/VFijaUQ4X2
Open to all @RodWhiteley @TimGabbett @PainRevolution @TrudyRebbeck @alisongrimaldi @MervTravers @Bill_Vicenzino @JaredPowell12 @mmolineux @MBourne5 @DrGajP @NavidAdib1 @craigbpayne @sheree_hurn @DrTehan @behapgood @Michael_McQueen & more!

[Gaj Panagoda @DrGajP]

The 2022 Functional Neurological Disorders Symposium is open for registrations.Community-based #medical and #alliedhealthprofessionals, please attend so we can discuss service improvement in this challenging area.
#FND @PARFoundation
https://t.co/bY8Donw0C2

[Gaj Panagoda @DrGajP]

Functional Neurological Disorders are often missed by clinicians, and for good reason! They can be hard to spot and often don't neatly fit into our pre-defined #health silos. #alliedhealth and #medical professionals should know about #FND . Have a look:
https://t.co/llv4m5cGVp

[Gaj Panagoda @DrGajP]

40 #rehabilitation specialists used #designthinking to answer "How might we improve inter-agency collaboration to achieve..?"
Personas & Empathy Maps got us started. Ideas came to life with acting, pictures & models. #Healthcare improvement needs creativity!
@RMSANZ1 @QUTBusiness

[Gaj Panagoda @DrGajP]

@TessaRDavis Empathic system improvement

[Gaj Panagoda @DrGajP]

@BeckmanEmma Thanks @BeckmanEmma !

[Gaj Panagoda @DrGajP]

Our health hierarchy assumes that when #doctors finish specialist training, they are equipped to manage teams and improve systems. It's not true. On the other hand, medical training makes lifelong learning a habit...

https://t.co/n2mDZD1dNe

[Emma B @BeckmanEmma]

https://t.co/1KW70ptjfa

All systems go! It’s going to be an amazing 11 years

[Gaj Panagoda @DrGajP]

I'm thrilled that there is an appetite to improve young adult #disability management. My topic this conference is "When Systems Don't Fit: Young Adult Rehabilitation".
It's all virtual, with a live session on Saturday July 31.
@RMSANZ1
https://t.co/UGtq3Qit67

[Gaj Panagoda @DrGajP]

The #DFTBAdolescents course is now available online. Great resources on this emerging area of medicine

https://t.co/H7mwwjzwnb

[Gaj Panagoda @DrGajP]

Thanks @kls_kat and the #DFTBAdolescents team! Love your commitment to this important area of medicine

[Kat Priddis @kls_kat]

Learning how to frame your approach to learning disabilities and not to let bias affect your thought process!

The fabulously knowledgeable @DrGajP talking us through how to do the best for your patients!

@DFTBubbles #DFTBAdolescents