The AFV Centre for Rheumatic Diseases (CRD) was founded in 1995 as a joint venture between the Arthritis Foundation of Victoria, the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the University of Melbourne. The CRD conducts clinical research into rheumatic diseases, as well as into patient education, quality of life and service delivery in the musculoskeletal diseases.

Professor Ian Wicks is the head of the CRD, and Department of Medicine (RMH/WH) senior lecturer Associate Professor Richard Osborne conducts a major research program into the impact of chronic diseases. Although the CRD is not directly responsible for the teaching of undergraduate medical students, staff are involved in the clinical and pre-clinical training of these students. The CRD offers a postgraduate teaching and supervisory program for Doctoral and Masters degree candidates.

Research Interests

Summary of projects being undertaken by Associate Professor Richard Osborne in the CRD and collaborations with other groups:

• Musculoskeletal population health epidemiology.
• The burden of musculoskeletal medicine on the Victorian health care system.
• The Orthopaedic Waiting List (OWL) cohort study.
• Development of the orthopaedic waiting list prioritisation and management tool.
• The efficacy and safety of vertebroplasty for treatment of painful osteoporotic spinal fractures: A randomised trial (with A/Professor R. Buchbinder, Monash University).
• Development and implementation of a National Self-Management Quality and Monitoring System, including the construction and validation of the HEI-Q, Health Education Impact Questionnaire.
• Evaluation of the Chronic Health Self-Management Course delivered to people with arthritis and related disorders.