معرفی
Dr. Milly Bell is a Lecturer in Physiotherapy at La Trobe University, where she has been teaching since 2018. She completed her PhD in 2023 focusing on barriers and facilitators of physical activity in knee osteoarthritis. In addition to her academic role, she serves as an Academic Integrity Advisor and Physiotherapy Honours Coordinator at La Trobe University. Clinically, she works as a Senior Physiotherapist at both Cabrini and Epworth Hospitals.
Dr. Bell's educational background includes:
- PhD from La Trobe University (2023)
- Bachelor of Physiotherapy Advanced Research (Honours) from Monash University (2016)
Her primary research interests focus on knee osteoarthritis management, physical activity interventions, back pain treatment, and sports medicine, particularly in field hockey. She specializes in systematic reviews, qualitative research, and randomized controlled trials. Dr. Bell has developed expertise in digital care pathways, as evidenced by her work on the Backtrac project implementing a digital care pathway for emergency department patients with back pain. Her research often bridges clinical practice and academic inquiry, with a strong emphasis on patient-centered approaches and improving healthcare outcomes through evidence-based practice.
Dr. Bell's recent publications demonstrate a clear trajectory in knee osteoarthritis research, with a particular emphasis on the GLA:D® program and physical activity interventions. She has increasingly focused on digital health solutions, as seen in her BackTrAC project for back pain management in emergency settings. Her work consistently applies mixed methods approaches to understand both quantitative outcomes and patient experiences. A notable trend is her development of the SUMIT (Supported Motivational Interviewing) approach to improve physical activity adherence in osteoarthritis patients.
Dr. Bell has successfully secured research funding, including a grant from the Transport Accident Commission for "Healthcare of the future: The development of an innovative co-created perioperative digital care pathway to improve patient surgical outcomes" (2024-2025).
As an educator, Dr. Bell has supervised two completed Honours students and currently mentors two additional Honours students. She has been instrumental in curriculum development, designing physiotherapy workshops, lectures, and practical skill resources. Her teaching spans subjects including Research Project Planning, Applied Physiotherapy, Community Practice, and Physiotherapy Essentials. She serves as the Physiotherapy Honours Coordinator at La Trobe University.
Dr. Bell leads a field hockey injury surveillance study, which represents the first of its kind in Australia. She also collaborates with Northern Health on implementing digital care pathways for back pain patients in emergency departments through the Backtrac project.
