Accuracy beyond perception: 

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“The irony of my name is not lost on me,” says Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr Hamish Gray. “Life usually is not black and white, but rather shades of grey. The trick is getting the correct shade for you.” 

In medical science, he says, the concept is called “homeostasis”. 

Everything about the human body has an optimal range of balance. The body works to keep this balance or problems occur. 

“Too cold and you get hypothermia, but too hot and you get heat stroke,” Dr Gray observes. “Similarly, you need hip and knee joints that are tight enough to be stable, but loose enough to move smoothly. 

“The bones and joints need to be lined up correctly and in balance for optimal function.” 

On that note Dr Gray pointed to the blue and pale grey robot that is helping him make operations more reliable.

Meet R2-Knee2

Named “R2-Knee2” by Dr Gray’s youngest daughter, in reference to the famous R2-D2 robot from Star Wars,  the robot helps make operations where great precision is required more accurate than the human eye can manage. 

“It is a tool that can assist a surgeon to make operations more reliable but it cannot perform the operation alone. It helps but doesn’t replace humans,” Dr Gray says. 

“Balance and keeping the people at the centre is important to us as a practice,” Dr Gray says. “Healthcare is becoming ever more effective but more complex, and the risk is that individual patients are reduced to data points, policy and numbers.”

Dr Gray said patients were individuals and must be understood as such.  

“If you push all people into little boxes of five-minute consults and production-line procedures a lot of them will not fit in those boxes. It is about striking a balance between group and individual benefits, between standardisation and customisation, between the science and the art”. 

Dr Gray’s wife, Tanya, is the practice manager. As a doctor herself she doesn’t have a business background, so she puts her focus on the care, experience and needs of their patients. 

Consultations now available at Maleny

Central to this approach is long initial consultations. 

“Many of our patients told us they had challenges leaving the hinterland for specialist appointments on the Coast so we are trialling a clinic in Maleny to relieve the burden of travel. 

“Our approach is to also contribute to our community as well as the individuals within it,” Tanya said. 

Dr Hamish and Tanya believe music connects people and the couple are proud sponsors of the Sunshine Coast Symphony Orchestra. 

They also aim to be as sustainable as possible and have converted to a paperless practice where possible. 

After training in Queensland, Edinburgh and Melbourne, Dr Gray said his family chose to live on the Sunshine Coast for the lifestyle and the friendly people.

“We couldn’t decide whether we preferred swimming in the ocean under the sun or hiking in the hills shaded by the trees, so we chose a balance of both.” 

Combining the services, education, and entertainment opportunities of a big city, with the natural beauty and healthier lifestyle of the country, he believes this is the best part of Queensland.

To book an appointment go to www.sunshinecoastjointsurgery.com.au. Or phone or email 5438 3500 or admin@sunshinecoastjointsurgery.com.au.