Primary Health Care Research and Information Service (PHCRIS) Collected Works
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ItemFocus on... Tools for measuring change in chronic disease management in primary care(Primary Health Care Research & Information Service, 2006-07)Main Messages: Valid and reliable tools and instruments exist to measure organisational processes relevant to chronic disease management. The tools can be used by GPs, Divisions of General Practice, and other primary care practitioners and organisations as part of routine organisation change, and by researchers as part of specific evaluation or research projects. The use of appropriate tools can monitor progress and contribute to quality improvement and to the evidence base about ways to bring about change. Selection of the appropriate tool should be based on the specific aims of each intervention. The tools most likely to be relevant, valid and useful in Australian primary care are: Assessment of Chronic Illness Care—evaluates utilisation of elements of the chronic care model. Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care—assesses patient’s perception of the use of the chronic care model. Primary Care Assessment Survey—captures patient perspectives on aspects of the doctor patient relationship. General Practice Assessment Questionnaire—covers access, interpersonal aspects of patient care and continuity of care. Team Climate inventory—maps shared perceptions of team functioning.
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ItemThe Closing the Gap Initiative: Successes and ongoing challenges for divisions of general practice( 2012)Background This article presents an evaluation of the activities undertaken by divisions of general practice to improve Indigenous Australians’ access to mainstream primary care. Methods Data were obtained from 12 month reports for the 2009–10 reporting period. Data from 86 divisions were thematically analysed using NVivo 9 software. Results Most divisions provided positive comments regarding their involvement in the program. The main barriers to access among Indigenous Australians were cost, inadequate transport, lack of cultural sensitivity and staffing shortages. The activities undertaken to address barriers included awareness raising, distribution of resources, cultural safety training and employing Indigenous staff. Stakeholder involvement was achieved through community consultation and establishment of advisory committees. Discussion While most divisions were satisfied with their progress, ongoing challenges were identified with regard to effective identification of Indigenous patients and lack of interest among some practice staff. These need to be addressed though ongoing cultural awareness training.
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ItemThe contribution of Primary Health Care Research, Evaluation and Development-supported research to primary health care policy and practice( 2012)The importance of primary health care (PHC) research is well understood yet conducting this research can be challenging. Barriers include a lack of funding, support and opportunity. In 2000 the Australian government introduced the Primary Health Care Research, Evaluation and Development (PHCRED) Strategy to address the gap in high-quality research. One component of the strategy, the Research Capacity Building Initiative, provided funding to university departments of general practice and rural health, allowing them to expand their pool of researchers and produce more research relevant to policy and practice. This study investigates the impact of phase two of the PHCRED Strategy by analysing peer-reviewed publications from PHCRED-supported departments. Research output was recorded from 2006 to 2010 incorporating 661 publications in 212 journals. Rural departments often had fewer resources than urban departments yet demonstrated steady research contributions focusing on issues relevant to their community. Since its inception the PHCRED Strategy has enabled development of research capacity and contributed to the body of PHC knowledge. While PHC is a diverse field, reflected in the publications produced, the themes underlying much of this work were representative of current health reform and the priority areas and building blocks of the National PHC Strategy.
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ItemSocial media in primary health care: Opportunities to enhance education, communication and collaboration among professionals in rural and remote locations: Did you know? Practical practice pointers( 2013)Social media are revolutionising the way people socialise, interact and do business. Where traditional health promotional posters and brochures have had limited impact on health outcomes, social media provide an exciting new way to deliver health messages. Social media include websites such as Facebook and LinkedIn, Wikis, blogs and microblogs (e.g., Twitter). In the health care sector, these media have the potential to enhance communication between allied health and other primary health care professionals by enabling collaboration between a variety of stakeholders. The types of communication may range from individual messages sent to group members through to broad public announcements. The ability to join special interest or professional organisation groups further enhances communication and collaboration between members. Wikis can be used in a particular project to encourage collaboration between multiple stakeholders, including allied health professionals, other health care providers and patients. Blogs and microblogs can be used to build connections between allied health and other health care professionals, through the formation of networks based on a particular topic. These technologies are beneficial for professionals located in rural and remote areas, as they enable participation across geographical boundaries. Barriers to utilising these technologies include lack of training, time pressure, an increase in workload and a preference for the traditional approach to collaboration. Professionals may also be concerned about privacy, potential information overload and the lack of moderation that may compromise the accuracy of information disseminated through social media. To increase participation, allied health professionals need to be actively involved in the design and implementation of social media tools. Financial incentives and comprehensive training are likely to encourage adoption. If the identified barriers are addressed, these tools have great potential for increasing and improving communication and collaboration between professionals
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ItemVideo-based telehealth in Australian primary health care: Current use and future potential( 2013)Many Australians have limited access to health-care services due to a range of barriers, including geographic distance and restricted mobility, which telehealth can potentially address. This paper reviews the current and potential use of video consultation in primary health care in Australia, drawing on international literature. There is substantial evidence of high patient satisfaction, but many studies have methodological limitations. Overall, evidence of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness is weak. There is reasonable evidence for diagnosis, home care and specialist consultations by GPs with patients present. Two telehealth initiatives using video consultation are briefly presented. Both provide evidence that video consultation has a valuable role to play, but does not obviate the need for face-to-face consultations. Video consultation challenges traditional professional roles, particularly those of nurses, and can improve health workers’ skills and job satisfaction. More fundamentally, telehealth challenges the traditional distinction between primary and secondary care. This can be a source of resistance but may ultimately be one of its strengths. Appropriately targeted video consultation has much potential to improve the delivery of primary health care in Australia, particularly in rural and remote regions.
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ItemFacilitating access to evidence: Primary Health Care Search Filter( 2014)Background: The evidence base developed by, and relevant to, primary health care (PHC) is rapidly increasing. With the wealth of literature available, searchers trying to find PHC-specific citations can feel overwhelmed. Objectives: Flinders Filters and the Primary Health Care Research & Information Service collaborated to develop a search filter enabling efficient and effective retrieval of relevant PHC literature. Methods: Stage 1 involved developing a PHC Search Filter in the OvidSP Medline platform using a rigor-ous experimental methodology. The search filter was then translated for Web-based ‘one-click searching’ in PubMed during Stage 2. Stage 3 involved planning and implementing a mixed-methods evaluation. Results: The search filter sensitivity was 77.0% with a post hoc relevance assessment of 78 .3%. Four months after its launch, a mixed-methods study evaluated the PHC Search Filter. With 90 respondents, analysis of data from the online survey demonstrated overarching benefits, a positive response to the tool and directions for further refinement of the PHC Search Filter. Discussion: Designing the PHC Search Filter follow ed an established method that ensures the tool offers a validated search strategy. Evaluation results suggest that the PHC Search Filter is a useful tool that is easy to navigate. Challenges for the Filter relate to access to full text articles, while challenges for the evaluation relate to the small sample size. Conclusions: The PHC Search Filter reduces the burden associated with literature searching, increases the value of the results that are received and provides a useful resource to improve the likelihood of incorporating relevant evidence into policy and practice.