The reported benefits of telehealth for rural Australians

2010 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer J. Moffatt ◽  
Diann S. Eley
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Rural Health ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Access To Health Services ◽  
Rural And Remote ◽  
Remote Locations ◽  
Access To Health

Objective.A literature review was conducted to identify the reported benefits attributed to telehealth for people living and professionals working in rural and remote areas of Australia. Data sources.Scopus and relevant journals and websites were searched using the terms: telemedicine, telehealth, telepsychiatry, teledermatology, teleradiology, Australia, and each state and territory. Publications since 1998 were included. Study selection.The initial search resulted in 176 articles, which was reduced to 143 when research reporting on Australian rural, regional or remote populations was selected. Data synthesis.A narrative review was conducted using an existing ‘benefits’ framework. Patients are reported to have benefited from: lower costs and reduced inconvenience while accessing specialist health services; improved access to services and improved quality of clinical services. Health professionals are reported to have benefited from: access to continuing education and professional development; provision of enhanced local services; experiential learning, networking and collaboration. Discussion.Rural Australians have reportedly benefited from telehealth. The reported improved access and quality of clinical care available to rural Australians through telemedicine and telehealth may contribute to decreasing the urban–rural health disparities. The reported professional development opportunities and support from specialists through the use of telehealth may contribute to improved rural medical workforce recruitment and retention. What is known about the topic?An extensive international literature has reported on the efficacy of telehealth, and to a lesser extent the clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness of telemedicine. Systematic reviews conclude that the quality of the studies preclude definitive conclusions being drawn about clinical and cost-effectiveness, although there is some evidence of effective clinical outcomes and the potential for cost-benefits. Little attention has been paid to the benefits reported for people who live in rural and remote Australia, despite this being a rationale for the use of telehealth in rural and remote locations. What does this paper add?Patients in rural and remote locations in Australia are reported to benefit from telehealth by increased access to health services and up-skilled health professionals. Health professionals are reported to benefit from telehealth by up-skilling from increased contact with specialists and increased access to professional development. The review findings suggest that one strategy, the increased use of telehealth, has the potential to reduce the inequitable access to health services and the poorer health status that many rural Australians experience, and contribute to addressing the on-going problem of the recruitment and retention of the rural health workforce. What are the implications for practitioners?The use of telehealth appears to be a path to up-skilling for rural and remote practitioners.

scholarly journals Access to health services in Western Newfoundland, Canada: Issues, barriers and recommendations emerging from a community-engaged research project

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Janelle Hippe ◽  
Victor Maddalena ◽  
Sara Heath ◽  
Beulah Jesso ◽  
Marion McCahon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Services ◽  
Nurse Practitioners ◽  
Maternal Child Health ◽  
Access To Health Services ◽  
Rural And Remote ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Community Engaged Research ◽  
Kitchen Table ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
Health Services Access

Research indicates that people living in rural and remote areas of Canada face challenges to accessing health services. This article reports on a community-engaged research project conducted by investigators at Memorial University of Newfoundland in collaboration with the Rural Secretariat Regional Councils and Regional Partnership Planners for the Corner Brook–Rocky Harbour and Stephenville–Port aux Basques Rural Secretariat Regions of Newfoundland and Labrador. The aim of this research was to gather information on barriers to accessing health services, to identify solutions to health services’ access issues and to inform policy advice to government on enhancing access to health services. Data was collected through: (1) targeted distribution of a survey to communities throughout the region, and (2) informal ‘kitchen table’ discussions to discuss health services’ access issues. A total of 1049 surveys were collected and 10 kitchen table discussions were held. Overall, the main barriers to care listed in the survey included long wait times, services not available in the area and services not available at time required. Other barriers noted by survey respondents included transportation problems, financial concerns, no medical insurance coverage, distance to travel and weather conditions. Some respondents reported poorer access to maternal/child health and breast and cervical screening services and a lack of access to general practitioners, pharmacy services, dentists and nurse practitioners. Recommendations that emerged from this research included improving the recruitment of rural physicians, exploring the use of nurse practitioners, assisting individuals with travel costs,  developing specialist outreach services, increasing use of telehealth services and initiating additional rural and remote health research.Keywords: rural, remote, healthcare, health services, social determinants of health

scholarly journals Factors associated with access to health services and quality of life in knee osteoarthritis patients: a multilevel cross-sectional study

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Siriwan Choojaturo ◽  
Siriorn Sindhu ◽  
Ketsarin Utriyaprasit ◽  
Chukiat Viwatwongkasem
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Access To Health Services ◽  
Patient Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Knee Oa ◽  
Access To Health

Abstract Background The main purpose of health service systems is to improve patients’ quality of life (QoL) and to ensure equitable access to health services. However, in reality, nearly half of knee osteoarthritis (OA) patients present to the health system do not have access to health services, and their QoL remains poor. These circumstances raise important questions about what (if any) factors can improve health care accessibility and QoL for knee OA patients. Methods A multicenter, cross-sectional survey was performed with 618 knee OA patients who received care at 16 hospitals in Thailand. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted to investigate the association of health service factors and patient factors with access to health services and QoL. Results The QoL of knee OA patients was very poor (mean score = 33.8). Only 2.1% of the knee OA patients found it easy to obtain medical care when needed. Approximately 39.4% of them were able to access appropriate interventions before being referred for knee replacement. More than 85% of orthopedic health services had implemented chronic disease management (CDM) policy into practice. However, the implementation was basic, with an average score of 5.9. SEM showed that QoL was determined by both health system factors (β = .10, p = .01) and patient factors (β = .29, p = .00 for self-management and β = −.49, p = .00 for disease factors). Access to health services was determined by self-management (β = .10, p = .01), but it was not significantly associated with QoL (β = .00, p = 1.0). Conclusions This study provides compelling information about self-management, access to health services and QoL from the individual and health service system perspectives. Furthermore, it identifies a need to develop health services that are better attuned to the patient’s background, such as socioeconomic status, disease severity, and self-management skills.

scholarly journals Access of the black population to health services: integrative review

2020 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nelma Nunes da Silva ◽  
Veronica Batista Cambraia Favacho ◽  
Gabriella de Andrade Boska ◽  
Emerson da Costa Andrade ◽  
Neuri Pires das Merces ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Black Population ◽  
Limiting Factors ◽  
Structural Factors ◽  
Access To Health Services ◽  
Fundamental Factor ◽  
Access To Health

ABSTRACT Objectives: demonstrate and discuss how the black population’s access to health services occurs Methods: integrative literature review with the following question: How does the black population’s access to health services occur? The search was carried out in the Scholar, LILACS and SciELO databases and used the descriptor “access to health services” and the term “population,” resulting in a sample with twelve articles. Results: studies show that the difficulty of access is a fundamental factor for the quality of life of people, directly compromising preventive services, especially for women’s health and, in addition, it has significant impact on the illness process of the black population within its particularities. Final Considerations: several limiting factors compromise the black population’s access to health services, including institutional and structural factors

scholarly journals Relationship between Financial Factors and Access to Health Care and Quality of Life for HIV / AIDS Patients

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Laila Salma Iklama ◽  
Nursalam Nursalam ◽  
Ni Ketut Alit Armini
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Access To Health Services ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Significance Level ◽  
Financial Factors ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
Hiv Aids

Introduction:Patients with HIV-AIDS experience various problems, one of which is related to financial factors and access to health services, this will also affect the patient's quality of life. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between financial factors and access to health services.Method:This was a cross-sectional study with a sample size of 101 respondents who were selected using simple random sampling technique. The independent variable in this study is income and access to services, while the dependent variable in this study is quality of life. The instrument used was a demographic questionnaire and Health-Related Quality of Life, the data were analyzed using chi square with a significance level of p <0.05.Results:The results showed that there was a significant relationship between income (p = 0.044) and the availability of infrastructure (p = 0.003) with the quality of life of HIV-AIDS patients.Conclusion:The financial and access to healthcare factors  are related to the quality of life of clients with HIV-AIDS, so that patients with good quality of life will show that the level of fulfillment of needs and access to health services is also good.

The role of digital technology in providing education, training, continuing professional development and support to the rural health workforce

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robyn Ramsden ◽  
Richard Colbran ◽  
Ellice Christopher ◽  
Michael Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Rural Health ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Digital Technology ◽  
Continuing Professional Development ◽  
Rural And Remote ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Rural Health Workforce ◽  
Education Training ◽  
The University

PurposeEducation, training and continuing professional development are amongst the evidence-based initiatives for attracting and retaining rural and remote health professionals. With rapidly increasing access to and use of digital technology worldwide, there are new opportunities to leverage training and support for those who are working in rural and remote areas. In this paper we determine the key elements associated with the utility of digital technologies to provide education, training, professional learning and support for rural health workforce outside the University and tertiary sector.Design/methodology/approachA scoping review of peer-reviewed literature from Australia, Canada, US and New Zealand was conducted in four bibliographic databases – Medline complete, CINAHL, Academic Search complete and Education Complete. Relevant studies published between January 2010 and September 2020 were identified. The Levac et al. (2010) enhanced methodology of the Arksey and O'Malley (2005) framework was used to analyse the literature.FindingsThe literature suggests there is mounting evidence demonstrating the potential for online platforms to address the challenges of rural health professional practice and the tyranny of distance. After analysing 22 publications, seven main themes were found – Knowledge and skills (n = 13), access (n = 10), information technology (n = 7), translation of knowledge into practice (n = 6), empowerment and confidence (n = 5), engagement (n = 5) and the need for support (n = 5). Ongoing evaluation will be critical to explore new opportunities for digital technology to demonstrate enhanced capability and retention of rural health professionals.Originality/valueTo date there has been limited examination of research that addresses the value of digital platforms on continuing professional development, education and support for rural health professionals outside the university and tertiary training sectors.

A Practical Guide to Caries Prevention in Children

Dental Update ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (10) ◽  
pp. 849-853
Author(s):  
Mishaal Rashid ◽  
Amy Ellis ◽  
Chris Deery
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Clinical Relevance ◽  
Dental Health ◽  
Caries Prevention ◽  
Large Impact ◽  
Access To Health Services ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
The World

Caries is one of the most common diseases in the world and it is mostly preventable. Caries can have a large impact on a child's physical, social and mental health. There are a number of clinical interventions available to prevent caries and this article provides a summary of the general guidelines and tips on their implementation in relation to caries prevention in children. CPD/Clinical Relevance: This article highlights the importance of caries prevention and the relevant interventions, especially in the context of limited access to health services. These guidelines can be beneficial for all dental health professionals.

scholarly journals "There's no point in complaining, nothing changes": rural disaffection with complaints as an improvement method

2006 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith A Jones ◽  
Terri A Meehan-Andrews ◽  
Karly B Smith ◽  
John S Humphreys ◽  
Lynn Griffin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Assurance ◽  
Quality Improvement ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Service Improvement ◽  
Access To Health Services ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
Quality Of Health Services ◽  
Rural Consumers ◽  
Lack Of Knowledge

Objective: To validate earlier findings that lack of access to health services is the most likely issue of complaint by rural consumers, and that lack of knowledge about how to make effective complaints and scepticism that responses to complaints bring about service improvement account for the under-representation of complaints from rural consumers. Design: Unaddressed reply-paid mail survey to 100% of households in small communities, and 50%, 20% or 10% in progressively larger communities. Setting: Eight communities in the Loddon-Mallee region of Victoria. Participants: 983 householders most responsible for the health care of household members, responding to a mailed questionnaire. Main outcome measures: Issues of complaints actually made; issues of unsatisfactory situations when a complaint was not made; reasons for not complaining; to whom complaints are made; and plans for dealing with any future complaint. Results: Earlier findings were confirmed. Lack of access to health services was the most important issue, indicated by 54.8% of those who had made a complaint, and 72% of those who wanted to but did not. The most common reason given for not complaining was that it was futile to do so. Lack of knowledge of how to make effective complaints which might contribute to the quality assurance cycle was evident. Conclusions: Rural consumers? disaffection with health complaints as a means to quality improvement poses a significant barrier to consumer engagement in quality assurance processes. Provider practices may need to change to regain community confidence in quality improvement processes. CONSUMER VIEWS ABOUT the quality of health services provide a valuable source of information to those concerned with accountability and quality assurance in service provision.1,2 When such views are expressed as complaints which are responded to in ways which focus on quality improvement rather than allocation of blame, opportunities may arise to improve the quality of health services for all consumers.3,4

scholarly journals Nurse Navigation and the Transition to Cancer Survivorship: A Review of Determinants Essential to Program Success

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 26
Author(s):  
Amanda Giunti
Keyword(s):  
Health Services ◽  
Important Determinant ◽  
Access To Health Services ◽  
Program Success ◽  
Care Access ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
Navigation Program ◽  
Communication And Coordination ◽  
Active Cancer

<div class="page" title="Page 26"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span>Nurse navigation programs are becoming prominent in the field of cancer care. As a newly emerging field, nurse navigation employs nurses and other health care profes- sionals who assist patients in overcoming barriers throughout the cancer continuum. The concept of nurse navigation is being extended to focus on survivorship, which is described as the period following active cancer treatment where patients often en- counter barriers affecting their care and quality of life. By utilizing specific skills and modalities, including education, communication, and coordination, survivorship navigators are able to assist in reducing disparities such as knowledge and communi- cation inadequacies, thus, facilitating optimal access to survivorship care. Access to health services is an important determinant of health in Canada. Survivorship navi- gation programs incorporate health services, providing a method in which cancer patients can overcome challenges and improve their health outcomes. This review will discuss the origins of nurse navigation, highlight navigator skills and modalities, which are essential to program success, and finally discuss the implications of a sur- vivorship navigation program. </span></p></div></div></div>

scholarly journals Parents´ perception of allergic or food intolerant children in relation to disease

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 354-364
Author(s):  
Suzely Adas Saliba Moimaz ◽  
Marcelo Augusto Amaral ◽  
Aline Maria Malachini Miotto ◽  
Cléa Adas Saliba Garbin ◽  
Tânia Adas Saliba
Keyword(s):  
Oral Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Hierarchical Classification ◽  
Oral Diseases ◽  
Access To Health Services ◽  
Nutritional Factors ◽  
Word Cloud ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
Sensitive Teeth

Introduction: Cow´s milk protein allergy (CMPA) and lactose intolerance (LI) negatively affect the quality of life of patients and their families. Objective: To analyse the perception parents of children with CMPA or LI regarding aspects of health, emphasising their oral health and the factors involved in the treatment of allergy/food intolerance. Methods: Qualitative research employing focus groups, with a sample of 12 parents of children with CMPA or LI (two groups), including the participation of a researcher/moderator, an observer, and six participants in each group and a plan with guiding questions. Discourses were recorded and transcribed, and textual contents were processed in software IRAMUTEQ and analysed by the descendant hierarchical classification (DHC) technique, content analysis, and word cloud. Results: Six categories were derived from DHC-multivariate analysis: (1) infant formula, (2) oral health, (3) nutritional aspects, (4) treatment, (5) disease´s stigma, and (6) health services. The thematic axes were derived from nutritional, assistance, and care categories. Reports of different oral diseases were given by parents regarding food allergy or intolerance in their children, such as frequent caries, teeth spots, pain, and sensitive teeth. Conclusion: Parents´ perception of CMPA/LI in their children is affected by nutritional factors and the stigma caused by the disease, with special reference to the importance given to children´s oral health and reports about difficulties in the access to health services with multi-professional teams.  

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