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Kurti, Linda, Susan Rudland, Rebecca Wilkinson, Dawn DeWitt y Catherine Zhang. "Physician's assistants: a workforce solution for Australia?" Australian Journal of Primary Health 17, n.º 1 (2011): 23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/py10055.
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Significant medical workforce shortages, particularly in rural and remote locations, have prompted a range of responses in Australia at both state and Commonwealth levels. One such response was a pilot project to test the suitability of the Physician Assistant (PA) role in the Australian context. Five US-trained and accredited PAs were employed by Queensland Health and deployed in urban, rural and remote settings across Queensland. A concurrent mixed-method evaluation was conducted by Urbis, an independent research firm. The evaluation found that the PAs provided quality, safe clinical care under the supervision of local medical officers. The majority of nurses and doctors who worked with the PAs believed that the PAs made a positive contribution to the health care team by increasing capacity to meet patient needs; reducing on-call requirements for doctors; liaising with other clinical team members; streamlining procedures for efficient patient throughput; and providing continuity during periods of doctor changeover. The Pilot demonstrated that a delegated PA role can provide safe, quality health care by augmenting an established healthcare team. The PA role has the potential to benefit the community by increasing the capacity of the health care system, and to improve recruitment and retention by providing an additional professional pathway. The small size of the Pilot limits the ability to generalise regarding the future efficacy of the PA role in Australia. Further research is required to test training and deployment of PAs in a wider range of Australian clinical settings, including general practice and rural health clinics.
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Richardson, Jeffrey. "Medical Technology and its Diffusion in Australia". International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care 4, n.º 3 (julio de 1988): 407–31. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0266462300000362.
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AbstractThe author examines the Australian health care system by surveying the financing techniques, physical organization, and government activity. He explains the impact of the public and private sectors and comments on the effectiveness of current evaluation procedures. While the author believes that the system is relatively healthy and cost effective, he recognizes a need for more comprehensive and scientific oversight. Using regression analysis and focusing on the installation of medical technology in hospitals, the author attempts to determine the specific factors that influence technology diffusion. He concludes by stressing that further studies analyzing the actual use of specific technologies are vital.
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Schofield, Deborah, Michelle M. Cunich y Lucio Naccarella. "An evaluation of the quality of evidence underpinning diabetes management models: a review of the literature". Australian Health Review 38, n.º 5 (2014): 495. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ah14018.
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Objective There is a paucity of research on the quality of evidence relating to primary care workforce models. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the quality of evidence on diabetes primary care workforce models in Australia. Methods The National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia’s (National Health and Medical Reseach Council; 2000, 2001) frameworks for evaluating scientific evidence and economic evaluations were used to assess the quality of studies involving primary care workforce models for diabetes care involving Australian adults. A search of medical databases (MEDLINE, AMED, RURAL, Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet and The Cochrane Institute), journals for diabetes care (Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, Diabetes Care, Diabetic Medicine, Population Health Management, Rural and Remote Health, Australian Journal of Primary Health, PLoS Medicine, Medical Journal of Australia, BMC Health Services Research, BMC Public Health, BMC Family Practice) and Commonwealth and state government health websites was undertaken to acquire Australian studies of diabetes workforce models published 2005–13. Various diabetes workforce models were examined, including ‘one-stop shops’, pharmacy care, Aboriginal services and telephone-delivered interventions. The quality of evidence was evaluated against several criteria, including relevance and replication, strength of evidence, effect size, transferability and representativeness, and value for money. Results Of the14 studies found, four were randomised controlled trials and one was a systematic review (i.e. Level II and I (best) evidence). Only three provided a replicable protocol or detailed intervention delivery. Eleven lacked a theoretical framework. Twelve reported significant improvements in clinical (patient) outcomes, commonly HbA1c, cholesterol and blood pressure; only four reported changes in short- and long-term outcomes (e.g. quality of life). Most studies used a small or targeted population. Only two studies assessed both benefits and costs of their intervention compared with usual care and cost effectiveness. Conclusions More rigorous studies of diabetes workforce models are needed to determine whether these interventions improve patient outcomes and, if they do, represent value for money. What is known about the topic? Although health systems with strong primary care orientations have been associated with enhanced access, equity and population health, the primary care workforce is facing several challenges. These include a mal-distribution of resources (supply side) and health outcomes (demand side), inconsistent support for teamwork care models, and a lack of enhanced clinical inter-professional education and/or training opportunities. These challenges are exacerbated by an ageing health workforce and general population, as well as a population that has increased prevalence of chronic conditions and multi-morbidity. Although several policy directions have been advocated to address these challenges, there is a lack of high-quality evidence about which primary care workforce models are best (and which models represent better value for money than current practice) and what the health effects are for patients. What does this paper add? This study demonstrated several strengths and weaknesses of Australian diabetes models of care studies. In particular, only five of the 14 studies assessed were designed in a way that enabled them to achieve a Level II or I rating (and hence the ‘best’ level of evidence), based on the NHMRC’s (2000, 2001) frameworks for assessing scientific evidence. The majority of studies risked the introduction of bias and thus may have incorrect conclusions. Only a few studies described clearly what the intervention and the comparator were and thus could be easily replicated. Only two studies included cost-effectiveness studies of their interventions compared with usual care. What are the implications for practitioners? Although there has been an increase in the number of primary care workforce models implemented in Australia, there is a need for more rigorous research to assess whether these interventions are effective in producing improved health outcomes and represent better value for money than current practice. Researchers and policymakers need to make decisions based on high-quality evidence; it is not obvious what effect the evidence is having on primary care workforce reform.
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Dineen-Griffin, Sarah, Victoria Garcia-Cardenas, Kris Rogers, Kylie Williams y Shalom Isaac Benrimoj. "Evaluation of a Collaborative Protocolized Approach by Community Pharmacists and General Medical Practitioners for an Australian Minor Ailments Scheme: Protocol for a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial". JMIR Research Protocols 8, n.º 8 (9 de agosto de 2019): e13973. http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/13973.
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Background Internationally, governments have been investing in supporting pharmacists to take on an expanded role to support self-care for health system efficiency. There is consistent evidence that minor ailment schemes (MASs) promote efficiencies within the health care system. The cost savings and health outcomes demonstrated in the United Kingdom and Canada open up new opportunities for pharmacists to effect sustainable changes through MAS delivery in Australia. Objective This trial aims to evaluate the clinical, economic, and humanistic impact of an Australian Minor Ailments Service (AMAS) compared with usual pharmacy care in a cluster randomized controlled trial (cRCT) in Western Sydney, Australia. Methods The cRCT design has an intervention group and a control group, comparing individuals receiving a structured intervention (AMAS) with those receiving usual care for specific health ailments. Participants will be community pharmacies, general practices, and patients located in Western Sydney Primary Health Network (WSPHN) region. A total of 30 community pharmacies will be randomly assigned to either intervention or control group. Each will recruit 24 patients, aged 18 years or older, presenting to the pharmacy in person with a symptom-based or product-based request for one of the following ailments: reflux, cough, common cold, headache (tension or migraine), primary dysmenorrhea, or low back pain. Intervention pharmacists will deliver protocolized care to patients using clinical treatment pathways with agreed referral points and collaborative systems boosting clinician-pharmacist communication. Patients recruited in control pharmacies will receive usual care. The coprimary outcomes are rates of appropriate recommendation of nonprescription medicines and rates of appropriate medical referral. Secondary outcomes include self-reported symptom resolution, health services resource utilization, and EuroQoL Visual Analogue Scale. Differences in primary outcomes between groups will be analyzed at the individual patient level accounting for correlation within clusters with generalized estimating equations. The economic impact of the model will be evaluated by cost-utility and cost-effectiveness analysis compared with usual care. Results The study began in July 2018. Thirty community pharmacies were recruited. Pharmacists from the 15 intervention pharmacies were trained. A total of 27 general practices consented. Pharmacy patient recruitment began in August 2018 and was completed on March 31, 2019. Conclusions This study may demonstrate the efficacy of a protocolized intervention to manage minor ailments in the community and will assess the clinical, economic, and humanistic impact of this intervention in Australian pharmacy practice. Pharmacists supporting patient self-care and appropriate self-medication may contribute to greater efficiency of health care resources and integration of self-care in the health system. The proposed model and developed educational content may form the basis of a national MAS service in Australia, using a robust framework for management and referral for common ailments. Trial Registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) ACTRN12618000286246; http://www.anzctr.org.au/ACTRN12618000286246.aspx International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/13973
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Comino, Elizabeth J., Nicholas A. Zwar y Oshana Hermiz. "The Macarthur GP After-hours Service: a model of after-hours care for Australia". Australian Health Review 31, n.º 2 (2007): 223. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ah070223.
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Introduction: The Macarthur GP After-hours Service (MGPAS) was established to streamline the provision of after-hours medical care in an outer-urban community. This paper reports on a process evaluation of the MGPAS. Methods: A mixed methods approach involving surveys, stakeholder interviews and analysis of administrative data was used. Results and discussion: This model of care was well accepted and regarded by general practitioners, Macarthur Health Service staff and the community. The MGPAS was found to be an acceptable and efficient model of after-hours medical care. Areas that required further review included the need for telephone triage, home visiting and improved communication and referral to the health service. The financial viability of the MGPAS depends on supplementary funding due to the constraints of the Medicare rebate, and limited opportunities to reduce costs or increase revenue. Further research, including an economic evaluation to identify opportunity costs of the service, is needed.
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Horrocks, Peter, Vivienne Tippett y Peter Aitken. "An Evaluation of the Self-Reported Knowledge Base of Disaster Management Core Competencies of Australian Paramedics". Prehospital and Disaster Medicine 34, s1 (mayo de 2019): s129—s130. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1049023x19002814.
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Introduction:Evidence-based training and curriculum are seen as vital in order to be successful in preparing paramedics for an effective disaster response. The creation of broadly recognized standard core competencies to support the development of disaster response education and training courses for general health care providers and specific health care professionals will help to ensure that medical personnel are truly prepared to care for victims of mass casualty events.Aim:To identify current Australian operational paramedic’s specific disaster management education and knowledge as it relates to disaster management core competencies identified throughout the literature and the frequency of measures/techniques which these paramedics use to maintain competency and currency.Methods:Paramedics from all states of Australia were invited to complete an anonymous online survey. Two professional bodies distributed the survey via social media and a major ambulance service was surveyed via email.Results:The study population includes 130 respondents who self-identified as a currently practicing Australian paramedic. Paramedics from all states except South Australia responded, with the majority coming from Queensland Ambulance Service (N= 81%). In terms of experience, 81.54% of respondents report being qualified for greater than 5 years. Initial analysis shows that despite the extensive experience of the practitioners surveyed when asked to rate from high to low their level of knowledge of specific disaster management core competencies a number of gaps exist.Discussion:Core competencies are a defined level of expertise that is essential or fundamental to a particular job, and serve to form the foundation of education, training, and practice for operational service delivery. While more research is needed, these results may help inform industry, government, and education providers to better understand and to more efficiently provide education and ongoing training to paramedics who are responsible for the management of disaster within the Australian community.
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Hardie, Rae-Anne, Donna Moore, Derek Holzhauser, Michael Legg, Andrew Georgiou y Tony Badrick. "Informatics External Quality Assurance (IEQA) Down Under: evaluation of a pilot implementation". LaboratoriumsMedizin 42, n.º 6 (19 de diciembre de 2018): 297–304. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/labmed-2018-0050.
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AbstractExternal quality assurance (EQA) provides ongoing evaluation to verify that laboratory medicine results conform to quality standards expected for patient care. While attention has focused predominantly on test accuracy, the diagnostic phases, consisting of pre- and post-laboratory phases of testing, have thus far lagged in the development of an appropriate diagnostic-phase EQA program. One of the challenges faced by Australian EQA has been a lack of standardisation or “harmonisation” resulting from variations in reporting between different laboratory medicine providers. This may introduce interpretation errors and misunderstanding of results by clinicians, resulting in a threat to patient safety. While initiatives such as the Australian Pathology Information, Terminology and Units Standardisation (PITUS) program have produced Standards for Pathology Informatics in Australia (SPIA), conformity to these requires regular monitoring to maintain integrity of data between sending (laboratory medicine providers) and receiving (physicians, MyHealth Record, registries) organisations’ systems. The PITUS 16 Informatics EQA (IEQA) Project together with the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia Quality Assurance Programs (RCPAQAP) has created a system to perform quality assurance on the electronic laboratory message when the laboratory sends a result back to the EQA provider. The purpose of this study was to perform a small scale pilot implementation of an IEQA protocol, which was performed to test the suitability of the system to check compliance of existing Health Level-7 (HL7 v2.4) reporting standards localised and constrained by the RCPA SPIA. Here, we present key milestones from the implementation, including: (1) software development, (2) installation, and verification of the system and communication services, (3) implementation of the IEQA program and compliance testing of the received HL7 v2.4 report messages, (4) compilation of a draft Informatics Program Survey Report for each laboratory and (5) review consisting of presentation of a report showing the compliance checking tool to each participating laboratory.
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Sidhu, Navdeep S., Alwin Chuan y Christopher H. Mitchell. "Recommendations and resources for regional anaesthesia Fellowships in Australia and New Zealand". Anaesthesia and Intensive Care 47, n.º 5 (22 de agosto de 2019): 452–60. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0310057x19861113.
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Regional anaesthesia is a fundamental aspect of anaesthesia practice. Structured Fellowships in regional anaesthesia facilitate the development of expert clinicians, scholars and future leaders. The Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists accredits training sites for the final year of Fellowship training but does not outline specific guidance for subspecialty training. Based on evidence from a systematic literature review and best-practice medical education principles, the ideal structure for a regional anaesthesia Fellowship programme in Australia and New Zealand is outlined in four categories: (a) structure and duration of training; (b) educational aspects; (c) institutional organization; (d) evaluation and improvement. Departments may use this resource to help design, implement and improve their Fellowship programmes while trainees may employ it as a reference to achieve their learning goals at any training stage. Continuing professional education plays a central role in achieving and maintaining mastery of regional anaesthesia competencies.
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Hui, Daphne, Bert Dolcine y Hannah Loshak. "Approaches to Evaluations of Virtual Care in Primary Care". Canadian Journal of Health Technologies 2, n.º 1 (12 de enero de 2022): es0358. http://dx.doi.org/10.51731/cjht.2022.238.
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A literature search informed this Environmental Scan and identified 11 evaluations of virtual care in primary care health settings and 7 publications alluding to methods, standards, and guidelines (referred to as evaluation guidance documents in this report) being used in various countries to evaluate virtual care in primary care health settings. The majority of included literature was from Australia, the US, and the UK, with 2 evaluation guidance documents published by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.
Evaluation guidance documents recommended using measurements that assess the effectiveness and quality of clinical care including safety outcomes, time and travel, financial and operational impact, participation, health care utilization, technology experience including feasibility, user satisfaction, and barriers and facilitators or measures of health equity.
Evaluation guidance documents specified that the following key decisions and considerations should be integrated into the planning of a virtual care evaluation: refining the scope of virtual care services; selecting an appropriate meaningful comparator; and identifying opportune timing and duration for the evaluation to ensure the evaluation is reflective of real-world practice, allows for adequate measurement of outcomes, and is comprehensive, timely, feasible, non-complex, and non–resource-intensive.
Evaluation guidance documents highlighted that evaluations should be systematic, performed regularly, and reflect the stage of virtual care implementation to encompass the specific considerations associated with each stage. Additionally, evaluations should assess individual virtual care sessions and the virtual care program as a whole.
Regarding economic components of virtual care evaluations, the evaluation guidance documents noted that costs or savings are not limited to monetary or financial measures but can also be represented with time. Cost analyses such as cost-benefit and cost-utility estimates should be performed with a specific emphasis on selecting an appropriate perspective (e.g., patient or provider), as that influences the benefits, effects, and how the outcome is interpreted.
Two identified evaluations assessed economic outcomes through cost analyses in the perspective of the patient and provider. Evidence suggests that, in some circumstances, virtual care may be more cost-effective and reduces the cost per episode and patient expenses (e.g., travel and parking costs) compared to in-person care. However, virtual care may increase the number of individuals treated, which would increase overall health care spending.
Four identified evaluations assessed health care utilization. The evidence suggests that virtual care reduces the duration of appointments and may be more time-efficient compared to in-person care. However, it is unclear if virtual care reduces the use of medical resources and the need for follow-up appointments, hospital admissions, and emergency department visits compared to in-person care.
Five identified evaluations assessed participation outcomes. Evidence was variable, with some evidence reporting that virtual care reduced attendance (e.g., reduced attendance rates) and other evidence noting improved attendance (e.g., increased completion rate and decreased cancellations and no-show rates) compared to in-person care.
Three identified evaluations assessed clinical outcomes in various health contexts. Some evidence suggested that virtual care improves clinical outcomes (e.g., in primary care with integrated mental health services, symptom severity decreased) or has a similar effect on clinical outcomes compared to in-person care (e.g., use of virtual care in depression elicited similar results with in-person care).
Three identified evaluations assessed the appropriateness of prescribing. Some studies suggested that virtual care improves appropriateness by increasing guideline-based or guideline-concordant antibiotic management, or elicits no difference with in-person care.
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Omelyanovskiy, V. V., E. S. Saybel, T. P. Bezdenezhnykh y G. R. Khachatryan. "The health technology assessment system in Australia". FARMAKOEKONOMIKA. Modern Pharmacoeconomic and Pharmacoepidemiology 12, n.º 4 (18 de febrero de 2020): 333–41. http://dx.doi.org/10.17749/2070-4909.2019.12.4.333-341.
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In Australia, the federal government is in charge of providing the health care to patients. The government agencies determine the list of reimbursable pharmaceuticals and medical services and also define the preferential categories of the population. The states and territories may have their own health care programs in addition to the federal ones. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC) is responsible for the health technology assessment (HTA) and decides which technology is eligible for reimbursement by the federal budget. The drug evaluation process includes five stages: a review of general information about the product, assessment of its clinical efficacy, cost-effectiveness analysis, assessment of financial implications of including the drug in the reimbursement list, and consideration of any other factors that may influence the committee decision. In addition to the full reimbursement of pharmaceuticals, the committee may decide to provide funding based on a managed entry agreement.
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Hale, Andrew R., Danielle A. Stowasser, Ian D. Coombes, Julie Stokes y Lisa Nissen. "An evaluation framework for non-medical prescribing research". Australian Health Review 36, n.º 2 (2012): 224. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ah10986.
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Without robust and credible evidence for the benefits in health outcomes of non-medical prescribing, widespread implementation will be challenging. Our aim is to develop a consistent evaluation framework that could be applied to non-medical prescribing research. An informal collaboration was initiated in 2008 by a group of pharmacists from Australia and New Zealand to assist in information sharing, pilot design, methodologies and evaluation for pharmacist prescribing. Different pilots used different models, methodologies and evaluation. It was agreed that the development of a consistent evaluation framework to be applied to future research on non-medical prescribing was required. The framework would help to align the outcomes of different research pilots and enable the comparison of endpoints to determine the effectiveness of a non-medical prescribing intervention. This article presents the results of a workshop held at The University of Queensland in January 2009. Participants were asked to consider how to evaluate the effectiveness of different models of pharmacist prescribing. What is known about the topic? Little is known about the effectiveness and safety of non-medical prescribing services due to a lack of robust evidence. What does this paper add? This paper adds a methodology for clinicians and healthcare managers to be able to evaluate any new service of non-medical prescribing, either in the pilot phase or once introduced as a new model of care. What are the implications for practitioners? The implication for practitioners is the ability to prove to healthcare providers that non-medical prescribing services are at least as effective as usual care, so informing whether a change should be introduced in the way healthcare is delivered to patients.
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Foster, J’Belle, Diana Mendez, Ben J. Marais, Justin T. Denholm, Dunstan Peniyamina y Emma S. McBryde. "Critical Consideration of Tuberculosis Management of Papua New Guinea Nationals and Cross-Border Health Issues in the Remote Torres Strait Islands, Australia". Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease 7, n.º 9 (19 de septiembre de 2022): 251. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/tropicalmed7090251.
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The international border between Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG) serves as a gateway for the delivery of primary and tertiary healthcare for PNG patients presenting to Australian health facilities with presumptive tuberculosis (TB). An audit of all PNG nationals with presumptive TB who presented to clinics in the Torres Strait between 2016 and 2019 was conducted to evaluate outcomes for PNG patients and to consider the consistency and equity of decision-making regarding aeromedical evacuation. We also reviewed the current aeromedical retrieval policy and the outcomes of patients referred back to Daru General Hospital in PNG. During the study period, 213 PNG nationals presented with presumptive TB to primary health centres (PHC) in the Torres Strait. In total, 44 (21%) patients were medically evacuated to Australian hospitals; 26 met the evacuation criteria of whom 3 died, and 18 did not meet the criteria of whom 1 died. A further 22 patients who met the medical evacuation criteria into Australia were referred to Daru General Hospital of whom 2 died and 10 were lost to follow-up. The cross-border movement of people from PNG into Australia is associated with an emergent duty of care. Ongoing monitoring and evaluation of patient outcomes are necessary for transparency and justice.
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Crossland, Lisa y Craig Veitch. "After-hours service models in Queensland Australia: A framework for sustainability". Australian Journal of Primary Health 11, n.º 2 (2005): 9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/py05016.
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This paper outlines the key features of after-hours primary medical care service sustainability in Queensland. It describes the development of these into a practical framework designed to assist either those in the early stages of service development or the evaluation of existing service models. A representative sample was drawn from over 120 separate formal after-hours services identified across Queensland. Semi-structured interviews were held with staff and key informants from 16 services and other local service providers in Queensland. Reviews of documents relating to operating and management procedures and protocols were also completed. Data were assembled and thematically analysed using the QSR NUD.IST qualitative data analysis package. Five key factors related to sustainability commonly featured in the after-hours primary medical care services studied: business management and promotion; collaborative service arrangements; effective protocols and guidelines; recruitment and retention strategies; and remuneration. These issues can be summarised in a table format that demonstrates the interaction between the identified key factors of sustainability and the various model types. The purpose of the diagram is to illustrate the interplay of factors which impact on the development and sustainability of after-hours primary medical care services currently extant in Queensland. It is the complex interaction of all these factors that ultimately determines the sustainability of an after-hours service model.
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Walter, Garry, Ken Kffikby, Isaac Marks, Harvey Whtteford, Gavin Andrews y Richard Swinson. "Outcome Measurement: Sharing Experiences in Australia". Australasian Psychiatry 4, n.º 6 (diciembre de 1996): 316–18. http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/10398569609082075.
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There is growing attention to evidence-based medicine both in informing medical education and in guiding clinical practice. The result is increasing emphasis on evaluating treatment efficacy, the structure of health care delivery, the allocation of the health dollar and the application of information technology to these tasks. Implications are emerging for psychiatric care in Australia from everyday clinical practices to the political level. Collective experience in this area, as discussed at a conference forum in Sydney [1], is summarized in this paper. This information is presented to stimulate thought, foster comparisons and encourage a synthesis of clinical, administrative and political directions in this field.
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Cordato, Nicholas J., Sabari Saha y Michael A. Price. "Geriatric interventions: the evidence base for comprehensive health care services for older people". Australian Health Review 29, n.º 2 (2005): 151. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ah050151.
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Specialist geriatric services apply a comprehensive, multidisciplinary evaluation and management approach to the multidimensional and usually interrelated medical, functional and psychosocial problems faced by at-risk frail elderly people. This paper examines currently available data on geriatric interventions and finds ample evidence supporting both the efficacy and the cost-effectiveness of these specialist interventions when utilised in appropriately targeted patients. It is proposed that substantial investment in these programs is required to meet the future demands of Australia?s ageing population.
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Ellerton, Kirrily, Harishan Tharmarajah, Rimma Medres, Lona Brown, David Ringelblum, Kateena Vogel, Amanda Dolphin et al. "The VRIMM study: Virtual Reality for IMMunisation pain in young children—protocol for a randomised controlled trial". BMJ Open 10, n.º 8 (agosto de 2020): e038354. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-038354.
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IntroductionPain caused by routine immunisations is distressing to children, their parents and those administering injections. If poorly managed, it can lead to anxiety about future medical procedures, needle phobia and avoidance of future vaccinations and other medical treatment. Several strategies, such as distraction, are used to manage the distress associated with routine immunisations. Virtual reality (VR), a technology which transports users into an immersive ‘virtual world’, has been used to manage pain and distress in various settings such as burns dressing changes and dental treatments. In this study, we aim to compare the effectiveness of VR to standard care in a general practice setting as a distraction technique to reduce pain and distress in 4-year-old children receiving routine immunisations.Methods and analysisThe study is a randomised controlled clinical trial comparing VR with standard care in 100 children receiving routine 4-year-old vaccination. Children attending a single general practice in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia will be allocated using blocked randomisation to either VR or standard care. Children in the intervention group will receive VR intervention prior to vaccination in addition to standard care; the control group will receive standard care. The primary outcome is the difference in the child’s self-rated pain scores between the VR intervention and control groups measured using The Faces Pain Scale-Revised. Secondary outcomes include another measure of self-rated pain (the Poker Chip Tool), parent/guardian and healthcare provider ratings of pain (standard 100 mm visual analogue scales) and adverse effects.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval has been obtained in Australia from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners National Research and Evaluation Ethics Committee (NREEC 18-010). Recruitment commenced in July 2019. We plan to submit study findings for publication in a peer-reviewed journal and presentation at relevant conferences.Trial registration numberACTRN12618001363279.
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Rai, Sumeet, Rhonda Brown, Frank van Haren, Teresa Neeman, Arvind Rajamani, Krishnaswamy Sundararajan y Imogen Mitchell. "Long-term follow-up for Psychological stRess in Intensive CarE (PRICE) survivors: study protocol for a multicentre, prospective observational cohort study in Australian intensive care units". BMJ Open 9, n.º 1 (enero de 2019): e023310. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-023310.
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IntroductionThere are little published data on the long-term psychological outcomes in intensive care unit (ICU) survivors and their family members in Australian ICUs. In addition, there is scant literature evaluating the effects of psychological morbidity in intensive care survivors on their family members. The aims of this study are to describe and compare the long-term psychological outcomes of intubated and non-intubated ICU survivors and their family members in an Australian ICU setting.Methods and analysisThis will be a prospective observational cohort study across four ICUs in Australia. The study aims to recruit 150 (75 intubated and 75 non-intubated) adult ICU survivors and 150 family members of the survivors from 2015 to 2018. Long-term psychological outcomes and effects on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) will be evaluated at 3 and 12 months follow-up using validated and published screening tools. The primary objective is to compare the prevalence of affective symptoms in intubated and non-intubated survivors of intensive care and their families and its effects on HRQoL. The secondary objective is to explore dyadic relations of psychological outcomes in patients and their family members.Ethics and disseminationThe study has been approved by the relevant human research ethics committees (HREC) of Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Health (ETH.11.14.315), New South Wales (HREC/16/HNE/64), South Australia (HREC/15/RAH/346). The results of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed medical journal and presented to the local intensive care community and other stakeholders.Trial registration numberACTRN12615000880549; Pre-results.
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Mueller, Evelyn, Georg Bollig, Gerhild Becker y Christopher Boehlke. "Lessons Learned from Introducing Last Aid Courses at a University Hospital in Germany". Healthcare 9, n.º 7 (16 de julio de 2021): 906. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9070906.
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In recent years, so called “Last Aid courses”, concerning end-of-life care for people dying, have successfully been established in community settings in several European countries, Australia, and South-America. To date, they have not been evaluated in hospital settings, where educational needs (concerning care of the dying) are especially high, and may differ from the general population. To evaluate if Last Aid courses are feasible in hospital settings, and if informational needs of hospital staff are met by the curriculum, we introduced Last Aid courses at a university hospital. Five courses were offered; participants of courses 1 and 2 completed surveys with open-ended questions; the answers were used to develop the evaluation questionnaire employed in courses 3–5. In these three courses, 55 of the 56 participants completed an evaluation survey to explore their learning goals and obtain feedback. Courses were fully booked; participants were heterogeneous with regard to their professional background. The most prevalent learning goals were “preparation for emotional aspects in care of dying” (65.5% ratings “very important”), “preparation for medical/care aspects in care of dying” (60.0%), and “knowledge of supportive services and facilities” (54.5%). Overall, the evaluation showed that Last Aid courses were more suitable to educate non-medical hospital staff about care of the dying. Medical staff, in contrast to non-medical staff, more often requested courses with an extended curriculum in order to meet their learning goals. Last Aid courses were well accepted and helped to reduce information deficits on care of the dying in a heterogeneous population of hospital staff.
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Zurynski, Yvonne. "Integrated care for children with medical complexity living in rural Australia – an evaluation of family experiences using the Paediatric Integrated Care Survey". International Journal of Integrated Care 21, S1 (1 de septiembre de 2021): 116. http://dx.doi.org/10.5334/ijic.icic20530.
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Sved Williams, Anne y Jill Poulton. "Supporting Mental Health in the Community: New Systems for General Practice". Australian Journal of Primary Health 12, n.º 2 (2006): 105. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/py06029.
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General practitioners (GPs) manage nearly one-third of Australians seeking help for mental health problems, and frequently express their need for consultant psychiatric support in this work. The introduction of new Medical Benefits Schedule Item Numbers 291 and 293 to provide "one-off" psychiatric assessments on referral from GPs offered the potential for providing this support, and a single point-of-entry scheme was organised to provide ease of access to appointments. The aims were to establish a single point of entry for psychiatrist assessment using Item 291, to evaluate the take-up rates of Item 291 in South Australia (SA) through this service and to evaluate the acceptability to GPs and psychiatrists of a psychiatric primary care consultation-liaison (c-l) model. Results were: 26 psychiatrists joined the project; 64 GPs referred 78 patients for assessment, providing 24% of the Australian take-up rate for Item 291, for 8% of the population; evaluation showed high approval ratings from GPs who particularly appreciated the single contact point; and positive evaluation by psychiatrists of the primary care c-l model. The conclusions were that a single contact point provided ease of access to psychiatrists for GPs; GP and psychiatrist groups evaluated Item 291 very positively; and consumer and carer evaluation are essential for further primary care c-l development.
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Brand, Caroline A., Marcus P. Kennedy, Bellinda L. King-Kallimanis, Ged Williams, Christopher A. Bain y David M. Russell. "Evaluation of the impact of implementation of a Medical Assessment and Planning Unit on length of stay". Australian Health Review 34, n.º 3 (2010): 334. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ah09798.
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Objective.The Medical Assessment and Planning Unit (MAPU) model provides a multidisciplinary and ‘front end loading’ approach to acute medical care. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of a 10-bed MAPU in Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH) on hospital length of stay. Methods.A pre-post study design was used. Cases were defined as all general medical patients admitted to the RMH between 1 August 2003 and 31 January 2004. MAPU patients were defined as general medical patients who had been discharged from RMH MAPU unit as part of their RMH inpatient admission. Historical controls were defined as all general medical patients admitted to the RMH between 1 August 2002 and 31 January 2003. Results.There was a reduction in median length of stay that did not reach statistical significance. During the study period, median emergency department length of stay for MAPU patients was 10.3 h compared with 13.2 h for non-MAPU patients who were admitted directly to general wards. Conclusions.The reductions in length of stay are likely to be of clinical significance at the emergency department (ED) level. The MAPU model also contributes to providing care appropriate care for older admitted patients. What is known about the topic?There is increasing interest in models of acute medical management in public hospitals in Australia. One of the key factors driving interest in these models has been the need to improve patient flow to improve hospital efficiency and contribute to reducing bed access block. There are very little published data pertaining to the effectiveness of these models of care. What does the paper add?The paper reports non-statistical, but probably important clinical reductions in hospital and ED length of stay using a before and after cohort analysis. It highlights the difficulties evaluating these models of care in the absence of well designed controlled studies and suggests evaluation of length of stay needs to be powered to detect small changes in ED efficiency rather than overall hospital length of stay. What are the implications for practitioners?Practitioners in the area can draw on the results of this paper to design an acute medical planning unit and develop an evaluation framework.
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Cadilhac, Dominique A., Tara Purvis, Monique F. Kilkenny, Mark Longworth, Katherine Mohr, Michael Pollack y Christopher R. Levi. "Evaluation of Rural Stroke Services". Stroke 44, n.º 10 (octubre de 2013): 2848–53. http://dx.doi.org/10.1161/strokeaha.113.001258.
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Background and Purpose— The quality of hospital care for stroke varies, particularly in rural areas. In 2007, funding to improve stroke care became available as part of the Rural Stroke Project (RSP) in New South Wales (Australia). The RSP included the employment of clinical coordinators to establish stroke units or pathways and protocols, and more clinical staff. We aimed to describe the effectiveness of RSP in improving stroke care and patient outcomes. Methods— A historical control cohort design was used. Clinical practice and outcomes at 8 hospitals were compared using 2 medical record reviews of 100 consecutive ischemic or intracerebral hemorrhage patients ≥12 months before RSP and 3 to 6 months after RSP was implemented. Descriptive statistics and multivariable analyses of patient outcomes are presented. Results— Sample: pre-RSP n=750; mean age 74 (SD, 13) years; women 50% and post-RSP n=730; mean age 74 (SD, 13) years; women 46%. Many improvements in stroke care were found after RSP: access to stroke units (pre 0%; post 58%, P <0.001); use of aspirin within 24 hours of ischemic stroke (pre 59%; post 71%, P <0.001); use of care plans (pre 15%; post 63%, P <0.001); and allied health assessments within 48 hours (pre 65%; post 82% P <0.001). After implementation of the RSP, patients directly admitted to an RSP hospital were 89% more likely to be discharged home (adjusted odds ratio, 1.89; 95% confidence interval, 1.34–2.66). Conclusions— Investment in clinical coordinators who implemented organizational change, together with increased clinician resources, effectively improved stroke care in rural hospitals, resulting in more patients being discharged home.
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Shah, Smita, Jessica K. Roydhouse, Brett G. Toelle, Craig M. Mellis, Christine R. Jenkins, Peter Edwards y Susan M. Sawyer. "Recruiting and retaining general practitioners to a primary care asthma-intervention study in Australia". Australian Journal of Primary Health 20, n.º 1 (2014): 98. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/py12093.
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The need for more evidence-based interventions in primary care is clear. However, it is challenging to recruit general practitioners (GPs) for interventional research. This paper reports on the evaluation of three methods of recruitment that were sequentially used to recruit GPs for a randomised controlled trial of an asthma communication and education intervention in Australia. The recruitment methods (RMs) were: general practices were contacted by project staff from a Department of General Practice, University of Sydney (RM1); general practices were contacted by staff from an independent research organisation (RM2); and general practices were contacted by a medical peer (chief investigator) (RM3). A GP was defined as ‘recruited’ once they consented and were randomised to a group, and ‘retained’ if they provided baseline data and did not notify staff of their intention to withdraw at any time during the 12-month study. RM1 was used for the first 6 months, during which 34 (4%) GPs were recruited and 21 (62%) retained from a total of 953 invitations. RM2 was then used for the next 5 months, during which 32 (6%) GPs were recruited and 26 (81%) were retained. Finally over the next 7 months, RM3 recruited 84 (12%) GPs and retained 75 (89%) GPs. In conclusion, use of a medical peer as the first contact was associated with the highest recruitment and retention rate.
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Tirimacco, Rosy, Briony Glastonbury, Caroline O. Laurence, Tanya K. Bubner, Mark D. Shephard y Justin J. Beilby. "Development of an accreditation program for Point of Care Testing (PoCT) in general practice". Australian Health Review 35, n.º 2 (2011): 230. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ah09792.
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Objectives. To describe the development and evaluation of an accreditation program for Point of Care Testing (PoCT) in general practice, which was part of the PoCT in general practice (GP) Trial conducted in 2005–07 and funded by the Australian Government. Setting and participants. Thirty general practices based in urban, rural and remote locations across South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria, which were in the intervention arm of the PoCT Trial were part of the accreditation program. A PoCT accreditation working party was established to develop an appropriate accreditation program for PoCT in GP. A multidisciplinary accreditation team was formed consisting of a medical scientist, a general practitioner or practice manager, and a trial team representative. Methodology and sequence of events. To enable practices to prepare for accreditation a checklist was developed describing details of the accreditation visit. A guide for surveyors was also developed to assist with accreditation visits. Descriptive analysis of the results of the accreditation process was undertaken. Outcomes. Evaluation of the accreditation model found that both the surveyors and practice staff found the process straightforward and clear. All practices (i.e. 100%) achieved second-round accreditation. Discussion and lessons learned. The accreditation process highlighted the importance of ongoing education and support for practices performing PoCT. What is known about the topic? Currently there is no rebate for Point of Care testing in Australia. Before the Australian Government can consider a rebate it has to be shown that PoCT is safe for patient care. Implementation of a quality framework and an accreditation model for PoCT is vital to ensure that clinical care is not compromised by use of this technology. What does this paper add? This paper provides a model for PoCT accreditation that meets requirements of both the GP and scientific community. It reports on the first government-funded PoCT in general practice trial and illustrates what needs to be considered if the Government decides to fund PoCT in general practice. What are the implications for practitioners? Description of a PoCT accreditation process highlights to practitioners what is entailed in following the interim standards for PoCT currently available. This study is an important piece of work as it shows that PoCT in general practice can be performed safely within a quality framework that meets scientific accreditation requirements.
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Evangelista, Eloisa J., Jo James y Elizabeth Deveny. "Implementing Anticipatory Care Plans in general practice: a practice approach to improving the health literacy of the community and reducing reliance on emergency services during after-hour periods". Australian Journal of Primary Health 22, n.º 5 (2016): 428. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/py15045.
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The objective of this study was to trial a general practice approach to improve the health literacy of patients at risk of utilising medical, emergency or ambulatory services during after-hour periods in Australia. It did so by introducing an anticipatory after-hours care component in all new and revised care plans, known as an Anticipatory Care Plan (AntCaP).The pilot was conducted over a 6-month period in 2013–14. Thirteen general practices were recruited via expressions of interest and were paid a financial grant. Key practice staff were required to attend three workshops conducted by a Medicare Local and to be involved in the evaluation process. A pragmatic qualitative and quantitative evaluation process was conducted during the pilot, and ceased 6 months after the final workshop. The results indicate that the integration of AntCaPs into general practice was generally well received by practice staff and their patients, with early indications that AntCaPs can influence patient behaviour in the after-hours period.
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Keon-Cohen, Zoe M., David A. Story, Juli A. Moran y Daryl A. Jones. "An audit of perioperative end-of-life care practices and documentation relating to patients who died in a surgical unit in three Victorian hospitals". Anaesthesia and Intensive Care 50, n.º 3 (18 de marzo de 2022): 234–42. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0310057x211032652.
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The number of older, frail patients undergoing surgery is increasing, prompting consideration of the benefits of intensive treatment. Despite collaborative decision-making processes such as advance care planning being supported by recent Australian legislation, their role in perioperative care is yet to be defined. Furthermore, there has been little evaluation of the quality of end-of-life care in the surgical population. We investigated documentation of the premorbid functional status, severity of illness, intensity of treatment, operative management and quality of end-of-life care in patients who died in a surgical unit, with a retrospective study of surgical mortality which was performed across three hospitals over a 23-month period in Victoria, Australia. Among 99 deceased patients in the study cohort, 68 had a surgical operation. Preoperative functional risk assessment by medical staff was infrequently documented in the medical notes (5%) compared with activities of daily living (69%) documented by nursing staff. Documented preoperative discussions regarding the risk of death were rarely and inconsistently done, but when done were extensive. Documented end-of-life care discussions were identified in 71%, but were frequently brief, inconsistent, and in 60% did not occur until 48 hours from death. In 35.4% of instances, documented discussions involved junior staff (registrars or residents), and 43.4% involved intensive care unit staff. Palliative or terminal care referrals also occurred late (1–2 days prior to death). Not-for-resuscitation orders were frequently changed when approaching the end of life. Overall, 57% of deceased patients had a documented opportunity for farewell with family. We conclude that discussions and documentation of end-of-life care practices could be improved and recommend that all surgical units undertake similar audits to ensure that end-of-life care discussions occur for high-risk and palliative care surgical patients and are documented appropriately.
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Sheehan, Lusi, Sheldon Dias, Michael Joseph, Sahil Mungroo, Jake Pantinople y Kenneth Lee. "Primary Care Wound Clinics: A Qualitative Descriptive Study of Patient Experiences in Community Pharmacies". Pharmacy 10, n.º 4 (17 de agosto de 2022): 99. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy10040099.
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The expansion of primary care wound services serves to alleviate secondary and tertiary care utilization. However, patient satisfaction is required to ensure service uptake. In recent years, various community pharmacies in Australia have begun to offer dedicated wound clinics; however, evaluations of patient experiences have yet to be conducted. Thus, the present study seeks to explore: (1) the experiences and satisfaction of patients who have received wound care consultations for their acute wounds in a community pharmacy setting; and (2) how current pharmacy-based wound services can be improved. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with patients across five pharmacy-based wound care clinics in Western Australia. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and imported into QSR NVivo 12 Plus. Interview transcripts were coded and thematically analyzed using the framework method. Twelve interviews were required to reach data saturation. Five key themes emerged: the accessibility of wound services, the comprehensiveness of wound care services, confidence in wound care consultants, the awareness and promotion of wound services, and the expansion of wound care services. Overall, participants were satisfied with the accessibility and comprehensiveness of pharmacy-based wound service delivery, trusted the health care providers, and wanted the service to be expanded. The reported patient satisfaction, confidence in the health care provider, and desire to expand the service suggests there is potential for the service to grow in Australia. Due to the growing costs of wound care globally, there is scope to further evaluate and expand wound care services in the primary care setting on an international level.
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Davis, Jenny, Amee Morgans y Joan Stewart. "Developing an Australian health and aged care research agenda: a systematic review of evidence at the subacute interface". Australian Health Review 40, n.º 4 (2016): 420. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ah15005.
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Objective The aim of the present study was to systematically review articles describing recent interventions that aimed to improve access and outcomes for older people at the interface between health and aged care, with a focus on subacute care programs of palliative care, rehabilitation, geriatric evaluation and management (GEM) and psychogeriatrics. Methods Australian studies published between 2008 and 2013were evaluated using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (NHMRC) guidelines. Included studies were summarised according to focus areas and results discussed in the current Australian subacute health care context. Results Eleven Australian research articles were identified. Three did not achieve any NHMRC rating level because of methodological approach. Focus areas included: discharge planning; information management or communication; rehabilitation; hospital treatment in residential care; screening and intervention; and Telehealth. Interventions were primarily system centred; only three studies featured patient-level outcome measures. Conclusions There is limited high-quality research investigating the effectiveness of interventions at the health and aged care interface of subacute care. Further research is needed. What is known about the topic? Subacute care offers important healthcare programs for older people, operating at the interface between health and aged care. However, for the most part this has not been subject to research scrutiny. What does this paper add? Identified studies were predominantly hospital oriented and designed to avoid hospital admission and associated costs. Locally integrated, collaborative and multidiscipline based interventions improve system-level outcomes. Alternative and individualised models of care, particularly when provided in their home setting, yields positive outcomes for older people. What are the implications for practitioners? Health and aged care reforms and related research agenda must include the perspectives and experiences of patients and/or carers accessing subacute care programs, yet these are under-reported. The present review highlights opportunities to improve the quality of existing evidence and create a research agenda for the future.
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Cox, Keith, Deme Karikios, Jessica K. Roydhouse y Kate White. "Nurse-led supportive care management: a 6-month review of the role of a nurse practitioner in a chemotherapy unit". Australian Health Review 37, n.º 5 (2013): 632. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ah13069.
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Objectives This case study evaluates the oncology nurse practitioner (NP) role in a chemotherapy unit. Background The NP works in the cancer centre of a major metropolitan public hospital. The NP role was established in the chemotherapy unit in 2007. The NP reviews all patients that have an unscheduled presentation to the unit, with symptoms relating either to their disease or treatment. Methods All unscheduled occasions of service provided by the NP in the chemotherapy unit over 6 months were recorded. Data were collected on patient demographic characteristics, medical problems and reason for presentation. Data on duration of care, interventions and outcomes administered by the NP were captured. Results There were 87 occasions of service (72 patients) during the study period. Nausea, vomiting or dehydration were the most common presenting problems and most presenting problems were moderate or severe (n = 73, 84%). The median time to review for the NP was 5 min and nearly all consultations (n = 83, 96%) took 30 min or less. Following NP consultation, most occasions of service did not require subsequent hospital admission (n = 52, 60%), medical advice (n = 61, 70%) or medical review (n = 75, 86%). Conclusions The NP is a valuable asset to a busy department, increasing access to timely and appropriate healthcare for patients on chemotherapy. What is known about the topic? Models of care for oncology NP roles are being developed in Australia, but few published reports and descriptions of the work of oncology NP exist. What does this paper add? This paper presents a description and evaluation of occasions of service for an oncology NP in a chemotherapy unit and the impact of the NP’s role on the hospital and clinical workload. What are the implications for practitioners? This paper can inform the development of other oncology NP roles in Australian chemotherapy units, and highlights potential areas of evaluation for new NP roles in cancer care.
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Detering, Karen M., Kimberly Buck, Marcus Sellars, Helana Kelly, Craig Sinclair, Ben White y Linda Nolte. "Prospective multicentre cross-sectional audit among older Australians accessing health and residential aged care services: protocol for a national advance care directive prevalence study". BMJ Open 9, n.º 10 (octubre de 2019): e031691. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-031691.
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IntroductionAdvance care planning (ACP), an ongoing communication and planning process, aims to clarify a person’s values and preferences, so these guide decision-making if the person becomes unable to make his or her own decisions. Ideally, ACP results in completion of advance care directives (ACD), documents completed by competent people outlining their values, treatment preferences and/or appointment of a substitute decision-maker (SDM). ACDs are most effective at the point of care, where they can be used to inform treatment decisions. Australian governments fund initiatives and have developed policy to increase ACD completion rates. However, little is known about the prevalence of ACDs at the point of care in Australian health services, making ACP evaluation efforts difficult. This study aims to determine the prevalence of ACDs in records of older people in Australian hospitals, aged care facilities and general practices.Methods and analysisThis is a national multicentre cross-sectional prevalence study in selected aged care facilities, hospitals and general practices. Following a 2017 feasibility study, a new protocol incorporating key learnings was developed. Sites will be recruited via expression of interest process. Health records of people aged ≥65 years, admitted to or attending services on study day(s) will be audited by trained staff from sites. Site-level data will be collected during the expression of interest. The primary outcome is the presence of at least one ACD in the health record. Secondary outcomes include prevalence of other documented outcomes of ACP (by health practitioner(s)/family/SDM), assessment of ACD quality and content and concordance between the person’s documented preferences and any medical treatment orders. Individuals and sites characteristics where ACDs are present will be explored.Ethics and disseminationProtocol approval by Austin Health Human Research Ethics Committee, Melbourne, Australia (reference: HREC/18/Austin/109). Results will be disseminated via peer-reviewed journals and conferences. Participating sites and jurisdictions will receive individualised reports of findings.
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Barnett, Stephen, Joan Henderson, Adam Hodgkins, Christopher Harrison, Abhijeet Ghosh, Bridget Dijkmans-Hadley, Helena Britt y Andrew Bonney. "A valuable approach to the use of electronic medical data in primary care research: Panning for gold". Health Information Management Journal 46, n.º 2 (12 de octubre de 2016): 51–57. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1833358316669888.
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Background: Electronic medical data (EMD) from electronic health records of general practice computer systems have enormous research potential, yet many variables are unreliable. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare selected data variables from general practice EMD with a reliable, representative national dataset (Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health (BEACH)) in order to validate their use for primary care research. Method: EMD variables were compared with encounter data from the nationally representative BEACH program using χ2 tests and robust 95% confidence intervals to test their validity (measure what they reportedly measure). The variables focused on for this study were patient age, sex, smoking status and medications prescribed at the visit. Results: The EMD sample from six general practices in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia, yielded data on 196,515 patient encounters. Details of 90,553 encounters were recorded in the 2013 BEACH dataset from 924 general practitioners. No significant differences in patient age ( p = 0.36) or sex ( p = 0.39) were found. EMD had a lower rate of current smokers and higher average scripts per visit, but similar prescribing distribution patterns. Conclusion: Validating EMD variables offers avenues for improving primary care delivery and measuring outcomes of care to inform clinical practice and health policy.
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James, Rodney, Caroline Chen, Kirsty Buising, Karin Thursky y Courtney Ierano. "From Little Things Big Things Grow: The Development of an Auditing Program to Assess the Quality of Antimicrobial Prescribing". Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology 41, S1 (octubre de 2020): s237. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/ice.2020.792.
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Background: An important aspect of antimicrobial stewardship is the qualitative assessment of antimicrobial prescribing. Owing to lack of standardized tools and resources required to design, conduct and analyze qualitative audits, these assessments are rarely performed. Objective: We designed an audit tool that was appropriate for all Australian hospital types, suited to local user requirements and including an assessment of the appropriateness of antimicrobial prescribing. Methods: In 2011, a pilot survey was conducted in 32 Australian hospitals to assess the usability and generalizability of a qualitative audit tool. The tool was revised to reflect the respondents’ feedback. A second study was performed in 2012 in 85 hospitals. In 2013, following further feedback and refinement, an online auditing tool, the Hospital National Antimicrobial Prescribing Survey (NAPS), was developed. Early audits demonstrated that surgical prophylaxis had the highest rates of inappropriate prescribing. In 2016, the Surgical NAPS was developed to further investigate reasons for this, and the NAPS program was further expanded to audit antimicrobial prescribing practices in Australian aged-care homes (ie, the Aged Care NAPS). Results: Between January 1, 2013, and November 12, 2019, 523 Australian public and private hospitals (53.8%) utilized the Hospital NAPS; 215 (22.1%) have utilized the Surgical NAPS; and 774 of Australian aged-care homes (29.0%) have utilized the Aged Care NAPS. National reporting has identified key target areas for quality improvement initiatives at both local and national levels. The following initiatives have been outlined in 14 public reports: improved documentation; prolonged antimicrobial prophylaxis; compliance with prescribing guidelines; appropriateness of prescribing; access to evidence-based guidelines; and improved microbiology sampling. Conclusions: By utilizing the Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle for healthcare improvement and by involving end users in the design and evaluation, we have created a practical and relevant auditing program to assess both quantitative and qualitative aspects of antimicrobial prescribing in a wide range of settings. This voluntary program is now endorsed by the National Strategy for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance, partners with the Antimicrobial Use and Resistance in Australian Surveillance System, and is utilized by facilities to meet mandatory national accreditation standard requirements. With the success of the NAPS program in Australia, it has now been implemented in New Zealand, Canada, Malaysia, Fiji, and Bhutan, with plans for other countries to implement the program soon. Current research is being conducted to expand the program to include audits for family physicians, veterinarians, and remote indigenous communities, and for antifungal use.Disclosures: NoneFunding: None
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Sturgiss, Elizabeth, Nilakshi Gunatillaka, Lauren Ball, Tina Lam, Suzanne Nielsen, Renee O'Donnell, Chris Barton et al. "Embedding brief interventions for alcohol in general practice: a study protocol for the REACH Project feasibility trial". BJGP Open 5, n.º 4 (28 de abril de 2021): BJGPO.2021.0037. http://dx.doi.org/10.3399/bjgpo.2021.0037.
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BackgroundAlcohol is a major source of harm in Australia that disproportionately affects low-income communities. Alcohol brief interventions (ABIs) combine an assessment of a person’s alcohol use with advice to reduce health risks. Despite their effectiveness, ABIs are not routinely performed by clinicians. This article presents a protocol for a feasibility trial of pragmatic implementation strategies and a new set of resources to support clinicians to complete ABIs in Australian general practices.AimTo explore the facilitators and barriers to increasing the uptake of ABIs in primary care, including acceptability, reach, adoption, fidelity, and sustainability.Design & settingA mixed-methods evaluation of the uptake of ABIs in general practice clinics serving low-income communities in Melbourne, Australia. The approach is informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and Normalisation Process Theory (NPT).MethodThe implementation strategies and resources will be trialled in five general practices over 12 months. The primary outcome will be change in the proportion of adult patients with a complete alcohol history in their electronic medical records. Baseline data collection includes a practice survey to describe practice routines for ABIs and de-identified patient medical record data on completed alcohol histories (repeated at 3, 6, 9, and 12-months post-intervention). Survey and interview data will also be collected from clinicians, patients, and primary health network staff to assess acceptability and feasibility of the intervention.ConclusionThe study will explore how the implementation strategies and resources can improve alcohol screening and management among low-income patients in general practice.
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Mac, Olivia A., Amy Thayre, Shumei Tan y Rachael H. Dodd. "Web-Based Health Information Following the Renewal of the Cervical Screening Program in Australia: Evaluation of Readability, Understandability, and Credibility". Journal of Medical Internet Research 22, n.º 6 (26 de junio de 2020): e16701. http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/16701.
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Background Three main changes were implemented in the Australian National Cervical Screening Program (NCSP) in December 2017: an increase in the recommended age to start screening, extended screening intervals, and change from the Papanicolaou (Pap) test to primary human papillomavirus screening (cervical screening test). The internet is a readily accessible source of information to explain the reasons for these changes to the public. It is important that web-based health information about changes to national screening programs is accessible and understandable for the general population. Objective This study aimed to evaluate Australian web-based resources that provide information about the changes to the cervical screening program. Methods The term cervical screening was searched in 3 search engines. The first 10 relevant results across the first 3 pages of each search engine were selected. Overall, 2 authors independently evaluated each website for readability (Flesch Reading Ease [FRE], Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook [SMOG] index), quality of information (Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool [PEMAT] for printable materials), credibility (Journal of the American Medical Association [JAMA] benchmark criteria and presence of Health on the Net Foundation code of conduct [HONcode] certification), website design, and usability with 5 simulation questions to assess the relevance of information. A descriptive analysis was conducted for the readability measures, PEMAT, and the JAMA benchmark criteria. Results Of the 49 websites identified in the search, 15 were eligible for inclusion. The consumer-focused websites were classed as fairly difficult to read (mean FRE score 51.8, SD 13.3). The highest FRE score (easiest to read) was 70.4 (Cancer Council Australia Cervical Screening Consumer Site), and the lowest FRE score (most difficult to read) was 33.0 (NCSP Clinical Guidelines). A total of 9 consumer-focused websites and 4 health care provider–focused websites met the recommended threshold (sixth to eighth grade; SMOG index) for readability. The mean PEMAT understandability scores were 87.7% (SD 6.0%) for consumer-focused websites and 64.9% (SD 13.8%) for health care provider–focused websites. The mean actionability scores were 58.1% (SD 19.1%) for consumer-focused websites and 36.7% (SD 11.0%) for health care provider–focused websites. Moreover, 9 consumer-focused and 3 health care provider–focused websites scored above 70% for understandability, and 2 consumer-focused websites had an actionability score above 70%. A total of 3 websites met all 4 of the JAMA benchmark criteria, and 2 websites displayed the HONcode. Conclusions It is important for women to have access to information that is at an appropriate reading level to better understand the implications of the changes to the cervical screening program. These findings can help health care providers direct their patients toward websites that provide information on cervical screening that is written at accessible reading levels and has high understandability.
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Laka, Mah, Drew Carter y Tracy Merlin. "OP70 Gaps In The Evaluation Of Clinical Decision Support Software (CDSS): Interviews With Australian Policymakers". International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care 38, S1 (diciembre de 2022): S26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0266462322001192.
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IntroductionClinical Decision Support Software (CDSS) can improve the quality and safety of care by providing patient-specific diagnostic and treatment recommendations. However, robust evaluation is required to ensure that the recommendations provided are clinically valid, up-to-date, and relevant to a specific clinical context. Most evaluation studies assess CDSS performance from the perspective of end-user requirements. But only occasionally is CDSS subject to stringent pre- and post-market evaluation, making it difficult to determine the safety and quality in practice. This study aimed to assess CDSS evaluation in Australia to identify gaps in evaluation approaches.MethodsWe conducted 11 semi-structured interviews with different policymakers from committees involved in digital health activities in Australia. Data were thematically analyzed using both theory-based (deductive) and data-driven (inductive) approaches.ResultsOur findings indicated that evaluating CDSS as a purely technical intervention has overly narrowed the assessment of benefits and risks by inadequately capturing the sociotechnical environment. Existing evaluation methods, adopting a static view of the implemented system, cannot discern the impact of the dynamic clinical environment and rapidly evolving technology on CDSS performance. The timeframe of evaluation studies are also incongruent with fast software upgrade cycles, with clinical practices and software potentially changing by the time evaluation is complete. The regulation of software as a medical device depends on the intended use. CDSS are exempt from regulation because they only ‘produce advice’; however, this ignores the fact that they can transition to specifying a diagnosis and treatment after a software update. There is no framework for continuous post-market monitoring, and this is especially important when a CDSS algorithm can change and impact on patient management.ConclusionsThe sociotechnical environment is a significant factor influencing the impact of CDSS on clinical practice, therefore evaluation approaches must acknowledge the dynamic nature of clinical and organizational contexts. Pragmatic and data-driven methodologies are required for CDSS evaluation that acknowledge the evolving landscape of clinical practice and its relationship to technology.
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Anderson, Ian, Harriet Young, Milica Markovic y Lenore Manderson. "Koori Primary Health Care in Victoria: Developments in Service Planning". Australian Journal of Primary Health 6, n.º 4 (2000): 24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/py00031.
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The Alma Ata 1978 Declaration on primary health care has conventionally been applied in developing countries, where medically trained personnel and other highly skilled health professionals and medical infrastructure are limited. Although such concepts have salience in relatively resource rich countries such as Australia, it is in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health policy that they have become pivotal. A growing national focus on the development of Aboriginal primary health care capacity followed the release of the National Aboriginal Health Strategy (NAHS) in 1989 (Anderson, 1997). This focus consolidated further, following the evaluation of the National Aboriginal Health Strategy implementation in 1994 which preceded the transfer of administrative responsibility for the Commonwealth Aboriginal health program from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) to the Commonwealth Health portfolio (DHFS, 1994). Within the strategic framework provided by federal state agreements, the development of primary health care services is a priority. In the current national policy framework domains of policy and strategy development have been identified as key developmental themes.
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Mathew, Christine, Amy T. Hsu, Michelle Prentice, Peter Lawlor, Kwadwo Kyeremanteng, Peter Tanuseputro y Vivian Welch. "Economic evaluations of palliative care models: A systematic review". Palliative Medicine 34, n.º 1 (19 de diciembre de 2019): 69–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0269216319875906.
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Background: Palliative care aims to improve quality of life by relieving physical, emotional, and spiritual suffering. Health system planning can be informed by evaluating cost and effectiveness of health care delivery, including palliative care. Aim: The objectives of this article were to describe and critically appraise economic evaluations of palliative care models and to identify cost-effective models in improving patient-centered outcomes. Design: We conducted a systematic review and registered our protocol in PROSPERO (CRD42016053973). Data sources: A systematic search of nine medical and economic databases was conducted and extended with reference scanning and gray literature. Methodological quality was assessed using the Drummond checklist. Results: We identified 12,632 articles and 5 were included. We included two modeling studies from the United States and England, and three economic evaluations from England, Australia, and Italy. Two studies compared home-based palliative care models to usual care, and one compared home-based palliative care to no care. Effectiveness outcomes included hospital readmission prevented, days at home, and palliative care symptom severity. All studies concluded that palliative care was cost-effective compared to usual care. The methodological quality was good overall, but three out of five studies were based on small sample sizes. Conclusion: Applicability and generalizability of evidence is uncertain due to small sample sizes, short duration, and limited modeling of costs and effects. Further economic evaluations with larger sample sizes are needed, inclusive of the diversity and complexity of palliative care populations and using patient-centered outcomes.
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Park, Chunjong, Hung Ngo, Libby Rose Lavitt, Vincent Karuri, Shiven Bhatt, Peter Lubell-Doughtie, Anuraj H. Shankar et al. "The Design and Evaluation of a Mobile System for Rapid Diagnostic Test Interpretation". Proceedings of the ACM on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable and Ubiquitous Technologies 5, n.º 1 (19 de marzo de 2021): 1–26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/3448106.
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Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) provide point-of-care medical screening without the need for expensive laboratory equipment. RDTs are theoretically straightforward to use, yet their analog colorimetric output leaves room for diagnostic uncertainty and error. Furthermore, RDT results within a community are kept isolated unless they are aggregated by healthcare workers, limiting the potential that RDTs can have in supporting public health efforts. In light of these issues, we present a system called RDTScan for detecting and interpreting lateral flow RDTs with a smartphone. RDTScan provides real-time guidance for clear RDT image capture and automatic interpretation for accurate diagnostic decisions. RDTScan is structured to be quickly configurable to new RDT designs by requiring only a template image and some metadata about how the RDT is supposed to be read, making it easier to extend than a data-driven approach. Through a controlled lab study, we demonstrate that RDTScan's limit-of-detection can match, and even exceed, the performance of expert readers who are interpreting the physical RDTs themselves. We then present two field evaluations of smartphone apps built on the RDTScan system: (1) at-home influenza testing in Australia and (2) malaria testing by community healthcare workers in Kenya. RDTScan achieved 97.5% and 96.3% accuracy compared to RDT interpretation by experts in the Australia Flu Study and the Kenya Malaria Study, respectively.
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Wand, Timothy, Natalie D'Abrew, Catherine Barnett, Louise Acret y Kathryn White. "Evaluation of a nurse practitioner-led extended hours mental health liaison nurse service based in the emergency department". Australian Health Review 39, n.º 1 (2015): 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ah14100.
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Objective To evaluate a nurse practitioner (NP)-led extended hours mental health liaison nurse (MHLN) service based in the emergency department (ED) of an inner city teaching hospital in Sydney and to explicate a model of care that is transferable across a broad range of ED settings, both in metropolitan and rural contexts. Methods This mixed-methods evaluation encompassed descriptive data on ED mental health presentations, quantifying waiting times for MHLN involvement and interviews with MHLN team members at the commencement of the evaluation and 12 months later. Interviews were also conducted with a snapshot of ED patients, and a sample of ED and psychiatry staff. Results The expanded MHLN service was rapidly incorporated into the ED structure, enthusiastically endorsed by ED patients and highly valued by staff and the organisation. The MHLN team saw 55% of referred patients within the first hour of arrival (frequently before medical assessment), thereby initiating and expediting co-ordination of care at an early stage of the ED process. Conclusions An NP-led extended hours MHLN team based in the ED provides prompt and effective access to specialised mental health care for people with ‘undifferentiated health problems’, and removes a significant workload from nursing and medical staff. Embedding the NP-led MHLN service within the ED structure was pivotal to the success and sustainability of this model of care. What is known about the topic? Mental health liaison nurse (MHLN) services have existed in emergency departments (EDs) in Australia and internationally for many years. However, there is great variation in the way these services are structured and no standardised model of care has been explicated. What does this paper add? Findings from this evaluation indicate that a nurse practitioner-led extended hours MHLN service integrated within the ED team structure provides prompt access to specialised mental health care to people with undifferentiated health problems, and removes a significant workload from ED nursing and medical staff. What are the implications for practitioners? Mental health nurse-led service provision based in the ED is a safe, flexible and effective method of enhancing access to health care that is adaptable to broad range of settings. ED ownership of this model of care is pivotal to the successful implementation and sustainability of MHLN services.
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Moore, Lynne, Gabrielle Freire, Anis Ben Abdeljelil, Melanie Berube, Pier-Alexandre Tardif, Eunice Gnanvi, Henry Thomas Stelfox et al. "Clinical practice guideline recommendations for pediatric injury care: protocol for a systematic review". BMJ Open 12, n.º 4 (abril de 2022): e060054. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-060054.
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IntroductionEvidence suggests the presence of deficiencies in the quality of care provided to up to half of all paediatric trauma patients in Canada, the USA and Australia. Lack of adherence to evidence-based recommendations may be driven by lack of knowledge of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs), heterogeneity in recommendations or concerns about their quality. We aim to systematically review CPG recommendations for paediatric injury care and appraise their quality.Methods and analysisWe will identify CPG recommendations through a comprehensive search strategy including Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, Excerpta Medica dataBASE, Cochrane library, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials and websites of organisations publishing recommendations on paediatric injury care. We will consider CPGs including at least one recommendation targeting paediatric injury populations on any diagnostic or therapeutic intervention from the acute phase of care with any comparator developed in high-income countries in the last 15 years (January 2007 to a maximum of 6 months prior to submission). Pairs of reviewers will independently screen titles, abstracts and full text of eligible articles, extract data and evaluate the quality of CPGs and their recommendations using Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II and AGREE Recommendations Excellence instruments, respectively. We will synthesise evidence on recommendations using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) Evidence-to-Decision framework and present results within a recommendations matrix.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval is not a requirement as this study is based on available published data. The results of this systematic review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal, presented at international scientific meetings and distributed to healthcare providers.PROSPERO registration numberInternational Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42021226934).
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Wiles, Louise K., Peter D. Hibbert, Jacqueline H. Stephens, Enrico Coiera, Johanna Westbrook, Jeffrey Braithwaite, Ric O. Day, Ken M. Hillman y William B. Runciman. "STANDING Collaboration: a study protocol for developing clinical standards". BMJ Open 7, n.º 10 (octubre de 2017): e014048. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-014048.
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IntroductionDespite widespread availability of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs), considerable gaps continue between the care that is recommended (‘appropriate care’) and the care provided. Problems with current CPGs are commonly cited as barriers to providing ’appropriate care'.Our study aims to develop and test an alternative method to keep CPGs accessible and up to date. This method aims to mitigate existing problems by using a single process to develop clinical standards (embodied in clinical indicators) collaboratively with researchers, healthcare professionals, patients and consumers. A transparent and inclusive online curated (purpose-designed, custom-built, wiki-type) system will use an ongoing and iterative documentation process to facilitate synthesis of up-to-date information and make available its provenance. All participants are required to declare conflicts of interest. This protocol describes three phases: engagement of relevant stakeholders; design of a process to develop clinical standards (embodied in indicators) for ‘appropriate care’ for common medical conditions; and evaluation of our processes, products and feasibility.Methods and analysisA modified e-Delphi process will be used to gain consensus on ‘appropriate care’ for a range of common medical conditions. Clinical standards and indicators will be developed through searches of national and international guidelines, and formulated with explicit criteria for inclusion, exclusion, time frame and setting. Healthcare professionals and consumers will review the indicators via the wiki-based modified e-Delphi process. Reviewers will declare conflicts of interest which will be recorded and managed according to an established protocol. The provenance of all indicators and suggestions included or excluded will be logged from indicator inception to finalisation. A mixed-methods formative evaluation of our research methodology will be undertaken.Ethics and disseminationHuman Research Ethics Committee approval has been received from the University of South Australia. We will submit the results of the study to relevant journals and offer national and international presentations.
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Moshi, Magdalena, Jacqueline Parsons, Rebecca Tooher y Tracy Merlin. "OP143 Assessment Of mHealth Apps: Is Current Regulation Policy Adequate?" International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care 35, S1 (2019): 33. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0266462319001697.
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IntroductionAustralians are adjusting to mobile health (mHealth) applications (apps) being used in clinical care. The nature of apps presents unique challenges (e.g. rapid lifecycle) to mHealth regulation. The risks they pose are mainly through the information they provide and how it is used in clinical decision-making. This study explores the international regulation of mHealth apps. It assesses whether the approach used in Australia to regulate apps is consistent with international standards and suitable to address the unique challenges presented by the technology.MethodsA policy analysis was conducted of all nine member jurisdictions of the International Medical Device Regulator's Forum (IMDRF), to determine if their regulatory agencies addressed the IMDRF recommendations relevant to the clinical evaluation of mHealth apps. Case-studies (submission to regulatory agencies) were also selected on varying types of regulated apps (standalone, active implantable, etc.) and assessed relative to the principles in the IMDRF's software as a medical device (SaMD): Clinical evaluation (2017) guidance document.ResultsAll included jurisdictions evaluated the effectiveness of mHealth apps, assessing the majority of the key sub-categories recommended by SaMD: Clinical evaluation. The submissions and jurisdictional regulatory bodies did not address the IMDRF safety principles in terms of the apps’ information security (cybersecurity). Furthermore, by failing to use the method recommended by the IMDRF (risk-classification), none of the submissions or jurisdictions recognized the potential dangers of misinformation on patient safety.ConclusionsNone of the approaches used by global regulatory bodies adequately address the unique challenges posed by apps. Australia's approach is consistent with app regulatory procedures used internationally. We recommend that mHealth apps are evaluated for cybersecurity and are also classified using the IMDRF risk-categories so as to fully protect the public.
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Cheng, Fung Kei. "Using Acupuncture in Labor Pain and Childbirth-Related Issues: A Narrative Review". International Journal of Childbirth 9, n.º 3 (1 de septiembre de 2019): 120–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.1891/ijcbirth-d-19-00014.
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BACKGROUNDLatent threats, such as prolonged labor duration and postpartum hemorrhage, endanger women and newborns during and post childbirth, which produce burdens on natal care and public health expenditures. Acupuncture, a traditional Chinese medical practice, has increasingly been used for labor delivery in various countries to cope with these problems.METHODThis narrative review searched 29 English and Chinese electronic databases. Thirty-one empirical studies, carried out in Asia, America, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Australia were reviewed according to inclusion and exclusion criteria.RESULTSAcupuncture is adopted with positive signs toward labor pain relief, delivery mode, labor duration, postpartum hemorrhage, APGAR score (an evaluation for a neonatal evaluation), and birth weight.DISCUSSIONWith support of earlier studies, the satisfactory effects of acupuncture on labor delivery reviewed in this research have been noted by obstetric researchers and scholars, physicians, nurses, and midwives.CONCLUSIONThis review recommends the use of acupuncture in obstetric profession with respect to maternal-related healthcare.
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Wootton, Richard, Helen Gramotnev y David Hailey. "Telephone-supported care coordination in an Australian veterans population: a randomized controlled trial". Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare 16, n.º 2 (11 de diciembre de 2009): 57–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.1258/jtt.2009.090408.
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An evaluation was undertaken on the effectiveness and efficiency of care coordination in delivering health services to Australian veterans with chronic or complex medical conditions requiring multidisciplinary care and who had moderate to high care needs. The veterans participated in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) supported by the Department of Veterans' Affairs. For evaluation of the RCT, information on cost of care and quality of life (QOL) was collected before the commencement of coordinated care and at follow-up after 12 months. Of 525 veterans who were recruited, 481 were surveyed at baseline (243 in the intervention group and 238 controls). At follow-up, 421 were surveyed (213 intervention and 208 controls). There were no significant differences between the coordinated care and control groups of veterans in costs of care or in QOL measurements using the SF-12 Health Survey and the EuroQol Group EQ-5D. These findings are consistent with those reported in earlier studies which suggest that benefits from care coordination programmes may take some time to emerge.
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Grauslyte, Lina, Nathalie Bolding, Mandeep Phull y Tomas Jovaisa. "The use of metaraminol as a vasopressor in critically unwell patients: a narrative review and a survey of UK practice". Journal of Critical Care Medicine 8, n.º 3 (1 de julio de 2022): 193–203. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/jccm-2022-0017.
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Abstract Background Major international guidelines state that norepinephrine should be used as the first-line vasopressor to achieve adequate blood pressure in patients with hypotension or shock. However, recent observational studies report that in the United Kingdom and Australia, metaraminol is often used as second line medication for cardiovascular support. Aim of the study The aim of this study was to carry out a systematic review of metaraminol use for management of shock in critically unwell patients and carry out a survey evaluating whether UK critical care units use metaraminol and under which circumstances. Methods A systematic review literature search was conducted. A short telephone survey consisting of 6 questions regarding metaraminol use was conducted across 30 UK critical care units which included a mix of tertiary and district general intensive care units. Results Twenty-six of thirty contacted centres responded to our survey. Metaraminol was used in 88% of them in various settings and circumstances (emergency department, theatres, medical emergencies on medical wards), with 67% reporting use of metaraminol infusions in the critical care setting. The systematic literature review revealed several case reports and only two studies conducted in the last 20 years investigating the effect of metaraminol as a stand-alone vasopressor. Both studies focused on different aspects of metaraminol use and the data was incomparable, hence we decided not to perform a meta-analysis. Conclusions Metaraminol is widely used as a vasopressor inside and outside of the critical care setting in the UK despite limited evidence supporting its safety and efficacy for treating shock. Further service evaluation, observational studies and prospective randomised controlled trials are warranted to validate the role and safety profile of metaraminol in the treatment of the critically unwell patient.
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Gazey, Angela, Shannen Vallesi, Karen Martin, Craig Cumming y Lisa Wood. "The Cottage: providing medical respite care in a home-like environment for people experiencing homelessness". Housing, Care and Support 22, n.º 1 (6 de noviembre de 2018): 54–64. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/hcs-08-2018-0020.
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Purpose Co-existing health conditions and frequent hospital usage are pervasive in homeless populations. Without a home to be discharged to, appropriate discharge care and treatment compliance are difficult. The Medical Respite Centre (MRC) model has gained traction in the USA, but other international examples are scant. The purpose of this paper is to address this void, presenting findings from an evaluation of The Cottage, a small short-stay respite facility for people experiencing homelessness attached to an inner-city hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Design/methodology/approach This mixed methods study uses case studies, qualitative interview data and hospital administrative data for clients admitted to The Cottage in 2015. Hospital inpatient admissions and emergency department presentations were compared for the 12-month period pre- and post-The Cottage. Findings Clients had multiple health conditions, often compounded by social isolation and homelessness or precarious housing. Qualitative data and case studies illustrate how The Cottage couples medical care and support in a home-like environment. The average stay was 8.8 days. There was a 7 per cent reduction in the number of unplanned inpatient days in the 12-months post support. Research limitations/implications The paper has some limitations including small sample size, data from one hospital only and lack of information on other services accessed by clients (e.g. housing support) limit attribution of causality. Social implications MRCs provide a safe environment for individuals to recuperate at a much lower cost than inpatient admissions. Originality/value There is limited evidence on the MRC model of care outside of the USA, and the findings demonstrate the benefits of even shorter-term respite post-discharge for people who are homeless.
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McBryde, Emma S., Judy Brett, Philip L. Russo, Leon J. Worth, Ann L. Bull y Michael J. Richards. "Validation of Statewide Surveillance System Data on Central Line–Associated Bloodstream Infection in Intensive Care Units in Australia". Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology 30, n.º 11 (noviembre de 2009): 1045–49. http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/606168.
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Objective.To measure the interobserver agreement, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of data submitted to a statewide surveillance system for identifying central line-associated bloodstream infection (BSI).Design.Retrospective review of hospital medical records comparing reported data with gold standard according to definitions of central line–associated BSI.Setting.Six Victorian public hospitals with more than 100 beds.Methods.Reporting of surveillance outcomes was undertaken by infection control practitioners at the hospital sites. Retrospective evaluation of the surveillance process was carried out by independent infection control practitioners from the Victorian Hospital Acquired Infection Surveillance System (VICNISS). A sample of records of patients reported to have a central line-associated BSI were assessed to determine whether they met the definition of central line–associated BSI. A sample of records of patients with bacteremia in the intensive care unit during the assessment period who were not reported as having central line–associated BSI were also assessed to see whether they met the definition of central line-associated BSI.Results.Records of 108 patients were reviewed; the agreement between surveillance reports and the VICNISS assessment was 67.6% (κ = 0.31). Of the 46 reported central line–associated BSIs, 27 were confirmed to be central line–associated BSIs, for a positive predictive value of 59% (95% confidence interval [CI], 43%–73%). Of the 62 cases of bacteremia reviewed that were not reported as central line–associated BSIs, 45 were not associated with a central line, for a negative predictive value of 73% (95% CI, 60%–83%). Estimated sensitivity was 35%, and specificity was 87%. The positive likelihood ratio was 3.0, and the negative likelihood ratio was 0.72.Discussion.The agreement between the reporting of central line–associated BSI and the gold standard application of definitions was unacceptably low. False-negative results were problematic; more than half of central line–associated BSIs may be missed in Victorian public hospitals.
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Ong, Royston, Samantha Edwards, Denise Howting, Benjamin Kamien, Karen Harrop, Gianina Ravenscroft, Mark Davis et al. "Study protocol of a multicentre cohort pilot study implementing an expanded preconception carrier-screening programme in metropolitan and regional Western Australia". BMJ Open 9, n.º 6 (junio de 2019): e028209. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-028209.
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IntroductionPreconception carrier screening (PCS) identifies couples at risk of having children with recessive genetic conditions. New technologies have enabled affordable sequencing for multiple disorders simultaneously, including identifying carrier status for many recessive diseases. The aim of the study was to identify the most effective way of delivering PCS in Western Australia (WA) through the public health system.Methods and analysisThis is a multicentre cohort pilot study of 250 couples who have used PCS, conducted at three sites: (1) Genetic Services of Western Australia, (2) a private genetic counselling practice in Perth and (3) participating general practice group practices in the Busselton region of WA. The primary outcome of the pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility of implementing the comprehensive PCS programme in the WA healthcare system. Secondary outcome measures included evaluation of the psychosocial impact of couples, such as reproductive autonomy; identification of areas within the health system that had difficulties in implementing the programme and evaluation of tools developed during the study.Ethics and disseminationApproval was provided by the Women and Newborn Health Service Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) at King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women (RGS0000000946) and the University of Western Australia (UWA) HREC (RA/4/20/4258). Participants may choose to withdraw at any time. Withdrawal will in no way affect participating couples' medical care. Study couples will be redirected to another participating health professional for consultation or counselling in the event of a health professional withdrawing. All evaluation data will be deidentified and stored in a password-protected database in UWA. In addition, all hard copy data collected will be kept in a locked cabinet within a secure building. All electronic data will be stored in a password-protected, backed-up location in the UWA Institutional Research Data Store. All evaluative results will be published as separate manuscripts, and selected results will be presented at conferences.
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Kermode, Nicole. "Families as Partners: Co-design of a localised model of care for children with medical complexity living in rural Australia and evaluation using the Paediatric Integrated Care Survey (PICS)". International Journal of Integrated Care 20, n.º 3 (26 de febrero de 2021): 92. http://dx.doi.org/10.5334/ijic.s4092.
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Brown, Kristen, Yvonne Zurynski y Lisa Altman. "Families as Partners: Co-design of a localised model of care for children with medical complexity living in rural Australia and evaluation using the Paediatric Integrated Care Survey (PICS)". International Journal of Integrated Care 19, n.º 4 (8 de agosto de 2019): 616. http://dx.doi.org/10.5334/ijic.s3616.
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