WFH Summit: what can POC-US tell us?

ELISE MOSEY

Elise Mosey is Senior Physiotherapist at Queensland Children’s Hospital, Brisbane

I recently attended the WFH Comprehensive Care Summit in Dubai and was honoured to represent Haemophilia Foundation Australia (HFA) alongside my physiotherapy colleague Ali Morris from Perth Children’s Hospital.

A DIVERSE PROGRAM

Over three full days, the program was divided into three streams:

• Medical
• Musculoskeletal
• People with bleeding disorders.

Plenary sessions covered an impressive range of topics, including rare bleeding disorders, the integration of AI (artificial intelligence) and digital health technologies, musculoskeletal management in the context of novel therapies, lived experiences of women with bleeding disorders, and the global disparities in access to care. There were also insightful debates around optimal treatment strategies for haemophilia A and B in light of emerging therapies, and interactive multidisciplinary case discussions.

A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH

What stood out most was the genuine sense of cohesion between the streams. Despite being organised by specialty, there was significant crossover in both content and participation. Haematologists contributed meaningfully to musculoskeletal sessions, and people with bleeding disorders shared powerful personal experiences during Q&A sessions in the medical stream. The spirit of collaboration was tangible, and colleagues from around the world generously shared knowledge from their many decades of experience and were always interested in learning about our clinical practice in Australia.

POINT-OF-CARE ULTRASOUND (POCUS)

Point of care ultrasound
Chairs ~ Gianluigi Pasta, Italy; Annette von Drygalski, USA
Value of POC US in hemophilia care ~ Cindy Bailey, USA
Tips and pitfalls in pediatric US evaluation ~ Carlo Martinoli, Italy
Subclinical bleeds detection by US in CWHP ~ Carla Daffunchio, Argentina

One of the most relevant topics for my current work was the discussion around point-of-care ultrasound (POC-US), which we are in the process of introducing at Queensland Children’s Hospital.

Clinicians who use POC-US routinely described identifying chronic synovial changes in joints even in the absence of documented bleeds, highlighting the potential of POC-US to provide valuable insights into joint health.

This also drew attention to the challenge of detecting and addressing subclinical bleeds. Carla Daffunchio, a physiotherapist from Argentina and Chair of the WFH MSK Committee, presented compelling data showing that 16% of children with haemophilia on prophylaxis without reported bleeds had MRI evidence of subclinical bleeding. This was surprising and has prompted reflection on our own assessment protocols.

THE POWER OF PERSONAL STORIES

Equally enriching were the conversations I had with men and women living with bleeding disorders from across the globe. Hearing their stories, particularly those reflecting on childhood experiences and the impact of haemophilia on participation in sport and extracurricular activities, gave me a deeper appreciation for the treatment access we have in Australia. Working at a children’s hospital, these perspectives were especially meaningful, and I left with renewed motivation to advocate for inclusive, proactive care.

Elise Mosey was funded by HFA to attend the WFH Comprehensive Care Summit as a representative of the Australia And New Zealand Haemophilia Physiotherapy Group (ANZHPG).