The Conference Committee, on behalf of the Australian Hand Therapy Association, invite you to join us at the 2020 AHTA National Conference, 20/20 Vision!
The conference will include an exciting line-up of expert clinicians and researchers. Cutting edge presentations and diverse sessions will ensure that therapists take home current practical ideas for clinical intervention, research and practice management.
We are thrilled to announce Gwendolyn van Strien as our International Key Note Speaker. We look forward to learning from Gwendolyn.
Join us in Perth from the 30th October - 01st November 2020, to learn, be inspired, network with colleagues and enjoy everything Perth has to offer.
Gwen van Strien is a physical therapist and hand therapist from TheHague in the Netherlands. After receiving her degree, she went on to attended medical school and received her degree at Leiden University Medical School. She moved to the USA were she received a master’s degree Hand Therapy from VCU in Richmond, Virginia. Currently she holds the position of founder/course director and lecturer at the school for hand therapy at the National Institute for Post Graduate Allied Health Education in Amersfoort, the Netherlands. She is also lecturer in the Department of Rehabilitation at Erasmus University Rotterdam. She has authored numerous articles on hand rehabilitation and was author of chapters in various textbooks on rehabilitation of the hand and on hand surgery. She has served as a corresponding editor for the Journal of Hand Therapy. She has over 30 years of clinical experience in hand rehabilitation, both in private practice and in hospital settings and is the owner and director of her own hand rehabilitation consultancy practice helping to set up hand centers in the Netherlands over the past 30 years and providing HT training and lectures both nationally and internationally. She is the founder of the Dutch Society for Hand Therapy.
Stuart Wilson
- Convenor -
Historical Reflection (earliest Hand Therapy memory): A very senior therapist throwing my poorly made splints in the bin
Insights to the Future (what’s next in Hand Therapy): Relative Motion Flexion Orthosis for Zone 3 extensors and flexors. I’m not there yet…but close.
Romy Steele
- Secretary -
Historical Reflection (earliest Hand Therapy memory): Trying to save a folded piece of thermoplastic following a sugartong mishap during a busy surgeons clinic
Insights to the Future (what’s next in Hand Therapy): Increased access to hand therapy services in developing nations and remote areas.
Taya Klisowski
- Treasurer -
Historical Reflection (earliest Hand Therapy memory): 1. Sustaining a digital nerve laceration in 2009 that enlightened me to the profession of hand therapy
2. Watching surgery on student placement
3. Taking over 2 hours to make a hinged elbow brace on the ward as a new grad
Insights to the Future (what’s next in Hand Therapy): Australian post graduate masters degree in Hand and Upper Limb Therapy.
Laura Cowling
- Marketing & Sponsorship -
Historical Reflection (earliest Hand Therapy memory): In my first year being pulled aside by a surgeon and having a ‘quiet word’ regarding how unprepared I was for a patient. Safe to say I never made that mistake again.
Insights to the Future (what’s next in Hand Therapy): Evidence and published paper to support the use of a below elbow splint post TFCC repair.
Melita Ryan
- Scientific Committee -
Historical Reflection (earliest Hand Therapy memory): Treating one afternoon at SCGH where every patient in the room had a 5th MC fracture.
Insights into the Future (what’s next in Hand Therapy): More emphasis on preventative health care.
Lani McAuliffe
- Scientific Committee -
Historical Reflection (earliest Hand Therapy memory): Being supervised by some of WA’s best hand therapists
Insights into the Future (what’s next in Hand Therapy): Biodegradable/recyclable splinting material.
Jessica Chan
- Social -
Historical Reflection (earliest Hand Therapy memory): Taking so long to make capeners that she almost offered to pay for the patients parking costs to make up for it.
Insights into the Future (what’s next in Hand Therapy): Continuing promoting a strong evidence and research base for our profession. Finally find a way to mold all thermoplastic scraps together to make a full usable sheet.
Sponsoring the AHTA National Conference provides an exciting opportunity for your company or organisation to be part of the unique specialty of hand therapy and their associates in physiotherapy and occupational therapy.
By sponsoring the AHTA National Conference you are giving your organisation an excellent opportunity to promote your name, support your brands and maintain a high profile within the industry before, during and after the conference.
Click below to contact us for more information
The 2019 conference presentations are now available for download. Please use the password that was sent to 2019 conference delegates by the Conference Secretariat.
Open the program by clicking the button below and then hover over the presentation title.
Please note not all Presenters have given permission to share their presentations. The titles in pink have been linked to their presentations.
