Alfred Hospital Clinic

Over the last 2 years the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne has been host to a large scale clinical trial in its cardio-thoracic surgery ward, utilising Endeavour massage and MST students. The study used massage as an intervention to investigate the effects on pain, anxiety and tension and effects on blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate on post-surgical cardio-thoracic patients.
The research project was completed at the end of 2010 and research findings indicated positively that massage was of great benefit in reducing levels of pain, anxiety and tension. The research will be published in 2011, and represents the largest massage study to ever have been completed in Australia and one of the largest massage studies completed internationally.
The positive results prompted the Alfred to offer us a permanent position on the cardio-thoracic ward to ensure year-round availability of a post-surgical recovery program. The program is being staffed by Endeavour MST students during semester, and qualified graduates during winter and summer periods. The clinic is the first of its kind in Australia, and represents an amazing milestone for MST, Endeavour, and the future of integrative medicine in this country.