The founder of a revolutionary approach to treating wounds using advanced technology has been awarded the 2025 Health Minister's Award for Nursing Trailblazers, as a leading, evidence-based demonstration of nurse-led innovation.
The Minister for Health and Ageing, Mark Butler has named Professor of Wound Care and Skin Integrity at the University of Sydney and Sydney Local Health District, Michelle Barakat-Johnson, the winner of the sixth annual awards at the Australian College of Nursing National Nursing Forum in Canberra today.
Professor Barakat-Johnson's RPA Virtual Wound Care Command Centre is a nurse-led hub designed to provide prompt access to specialised wound care through advanced technology and specialist nursing support. Launched in 2023 at the Royal Prince Alfred Virtual Hospital, it is Australia's first hybrid model of specialist wound care. The centre includes integrated virtual consultations, AI-powered wound imaging, remote monitoring, and real-time collaboration between nurses, patients, carers, GPs, and specialists.
ACN CEO, Adjunct Professor Kathryn Zeitz FACN said the Australian College of Nursing congratulates Professor Barakat-Johnson for her pioneering work, as an outstanding example of how nursing innovation can address the most pressing healthcare challenges – to benefit patients directly and the broader health system.
"Chronic wounds have debilitating consequences for individuals, and – despite being a largely unseen health issue – are estimated to affect more than 450,000 Australians, costing over $6.6 billion in public expenditure," Adjunct Professor Zeitz said. "Professor Barakat-Johnson's work is having a measurable affect for patients, significantly reducing wound care wait times, increasing care accessibility for urban, rural, and remote communities, and consistently achieving high patient satisfaction.
"The calibre of applicants for the Nursing Trailblazer Award was outstanding.
"We particularly want to recognise runners-up, Kaitlyn Cook and Dr Andrea Taylor, whose work shows the power of nurses to innovate and lead for more sustainable and higher quality healthcare systems.
We are so proud of the expertise and commitment to quality improvement in our profession," said Adjunct Professor Zeitz.
The Health Minister's Award for Nursing Trailblazers was founded by the then Federal Health Minister in 2019, and is Australia's only award specifically recognising nurses who are transforming the nation's health and aged care systems through leadership and innovation.
