AROC architect and ambassador - In recognition of your role in the creation, design and unconditional support of AROC
Associate Professor Ben Marosszeky has served as Clinical Director of the Australian Rehabilitation Outcomes Centre (AROC) since its inception in 2002. Over his 12 years in the role Ben’s contributions to the development and growth of AROC were inspired and invaluable.
Ben has always had a strong belief in the use of objective functional assessment tools in rehabilitation programs. Ben was personally responsible for bringing the Functional Independence Measure (FIM™), the primary functional assessment tool used by AROC to measure functional gain of each person’s rehabilitation program, to Australia. He negotiated with the developers of the tool, USDmr, participated in training in the USA, and then brought his knowledge back to Australia. He and his colleague Dr Garry Pearce sought and achieved funding from the Commonwealth Department of Health to purchase the license for FIM™ for Australia and to develop the original rehabilitation minimum dataset upon which the current AROC dataset is based.
Again with his colleague Dr Garry Pearce, Ben was instrumental in developing AROC in 2002, and encouraging all rehabilitation clinicians to become AROC members and participate in national outcome benchmarking. Due in no small part to his never flagging enthusiasm, AROC has grown to include as members almost all Australian inpatient rehabilitation units, all New Zealand inpatient rehabilitation units, and a growing number of ambulatory rehabilitation services. AROC is now widely recognised not only as the rehabilitation clinical registry for Australia and New Zealand but as a strong advocate for rehabilitation.
Aside from AROC, Ben has been a pioneer in the field of rehabilitation medicine in Australia. From his early life in Hungary, he has evolved (with a lot of hard work) into a distinguished and respected member of the rehabilitation community.
Ben instigated the development of the Diploma of Rehabilitation Medicine in Australia in the early 1970s. He was a key player in developing the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Westmead Hospital in 1979. He was also instrumental in establishing the Australian College of Rehabilitation Medicine, and became the first Honorary Secretary of that College, remaining in the position for nine years. He also played a role in establishing the College of Sports Physicians and had a significant role in development and growth of Paediatric Rehabilitation Medicine in Australia.
Ben has been active in many areas of rehabilitation medicine over the years, having been a Councillor on the AFRM Inaugural Council, Chairman of the AFRM Paediatric Rehabilitation Advanced Training Committee and NSW/ACT Branch Committee, and an active member in many special interest groups.
Ben has always been a pleasure to have around. For all his bright effervescent nature he is an exceptionally determined person, although a humble human being. AROC would not be where it is today without Ben.
We wish him well in his future ventures and want him to know that he will always be a special part of AROC.