scholarly journals Perspectives of Indigenous people in the Pilbara about the delivery of healthcare services

2014 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce F. Walker ◽  
Norman J. Stomski ◽  
Anne Price ◽  
Elizabeth Jackson-Barrett
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Indigenous People ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Delivery Of Healthcare ◽  
Chronic Health ◽  
Language Groups ◽  
Healthcare Interventions

Aim To identify Indigenous people’s views about gaps and practical solutions for the delivery of healthcare services in the Pilbara. Methods A structured guide was used to interview three Indigenous language groups from the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The responses were analysed with the use of content analysis. In the first stage, codes were developed by assigning names to small sections of the interview transcripts. Next, the most salient incisive codes were identified and developed into themes that captured the most important issues. Results Many respondents said that there were insufficient health professionals near country, which was compounded by a lack of adequate transport to reach healthcare services. Moreover, respondents commonly indicated that they would be unable to secure adequate accommodation for themselves and any carer when needing to leave country to undergo medical care. The importance of secondary healthcare interventions was highlighted, particularly health promotion initiatives that improved diet and exercise levels and reduced substance abuse. Assuming responsibility for one’s own health was seen as integral to improving the overall health of communities. The respondents saw role models as the most important influence in leading people to take responsibility for improving their own health. Conclusion This study provides Indigenous perspectives about gaps and solutions in healthcare service delivery in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Although initiatives have commenced to address the shortfall in health professionals and inadequate transport to healthcare, there are still gaps in service provision. Mobile health services were strongly supported as an integral measure to address these gaps. What is known about this topic? About two out of every three Indigenous adults in the Pilbara experience a chronic health condition. Moreover, compared with non-Indigenous people in the region, Indigenous people experience a significantly higher mortality rate for numerous chronic health conditions. Although some information is available about the provision of health services for Indigenous people in the Pilbara, little is known about Indigenous people’s perspectives about its adequacy or how it should be delivered. What does this paper add? This study details three local language groups’ views about the gaps and solutions to delivery of healthcare for Indigenous people in the Pilbara. It highlights the need for secondary healthcare interventions given difficulties around providing adequate primary care in remote settings. What are the implications for practitioners? Health promotion initiatives need to be prioritised to improve the health of Australian Indigenous people in the Pilbara and the initiatives should be delivered with the involvement of the local communities. Innovative solutions are required to improve the continuity of healthcare in the Pilbara, including increased use of mobile services.

scholarly journals Building trust and enhancing localization to improve access to women’s health services in Afghanistan

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
F R Rab ◽  
S S Stranges ◽  
A D Thind ◽  
S S Sohani
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Vulnerable Populations ◽  
Time Trend ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Delivery Of Healthcare ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Women And Children ◽  
Delivery Of Health Services

Abstract Background Over 34 million people in Afghanistan have suffered from death and devastation for the last four decades as a result of conflict. Women and children have borne the brunt of this devastation. Afghanistan has some of the poorest health indicators in the world for women and children. In the midst of armed conflict, providing essential healthcare in remote regions in the throws of conflict remains a challenge, which is being addressed the Mobile Health Teams through Afghan Red Crescent (ARCS). To overcome socio-cultural barriers, ARCS MHTs have used local knowledge to hire female staff as part of the MHTs along with their male relatives as part of MHT staff. The present study was conducted to explore the impact of engaging female health workers as part of MHTs in conflict zones within Afghanistan on access, availability and utilization of maternal and child health care. Methods Quantitative descriptive and time-trend analysis were used to evaluate impact of introduction of female health workers. Qualitative data is being analyzed to assess the possibilities and implications of engaging female health workers in the delivery of health services. Results Preliminary results show a 96% increase in uptake of services for expectant mothers over the last four years. Average of 18 thousand services provided each month by MHTs, 70% for women and children. Service delivery for women and children significantly increased over time (p < 0.05) after inclusion of female health workers in MHTs. Delivery of maternity care services showed a more significant increase (p < 0.001). Time trend and qualitative analyses is ongoing. Conclusions Introduction of female health workers significantly improved uptake of health care services for women and children especially in extremely isolated areas controlled by armed groups in Afghanistan. Engaging with local stakeholders is essential for delivery of health services for vulnerable populations in fragile settings like Afghanistan. Key messages Understanding cultural norms results in socially acceptable solutions to barriers in delivery of healthcare services and leads to improvements in access for women and children in fragile settings. Building local partnerships and capacities and using local resources result in safe, efficient and sustainable delivery of healthcare services for vulnerable populations in fragile settings.

scholarly journals Digital Innovations for Aged Care: Impacts in the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Taylor ◽  
Jennifer Tieman ◽  
Anthony Maeder
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Older People ◽  
Acute Care ◽  
Digital Technology ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Care Provision ◽  
Remote Interaction ◽  
Healthcare Interventions

This paper describes the extent to which remote interaction healthcare interventions supported by digital technology are currently being used, or have recently been newly developed for use, in the care of older people in Australia within the context of the existing Australian aged care system and in conjunction with the COVID-19 pandemic. We place emphasis on those interventions associated with primary care provision, and associated healthcare services such as allied health, rather than outreach from jurisdictional health services and acute care. The primary purpose of this study was to gain an indication of the extent and range of such interventions, and provide a pragmatic commentary on their usage. This has enabled the understanding of some characteristics for success, and drivers for rapid adoption of further digital technology interventions, in the aged care sector.

scholarly journals Innovations in mental health promotion: Youth Net/Réseau Ado

1997 ◽  
Vol 2 (6) ◽  
pp. 398-399
Author(s):  
Ian G Manion ◽  
Simon Davidson ◽  
Christina Norris ◽  
Sarah Brandon
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Mental Health Services ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Mental Health Promotion ◽  
Health Promotion Program ◽  
Mental Health And Illness ◽  
Health And Illness

Abstract Today's youth are at a disturbingly high risk for mental health and illness problems and are largely dissatisfied with the existing mental health services. Youth Net/Réseau Ado (YN/RA), supported by input from mental health professionals, is a bilingual mental health promotion program that seeks out the opinions and attitudes of youth regarding mental health and illness issues, while connecting them with appropriate resources and mental health services. This paper describes the Youth Net/Réseau Ado program and provides some guidelines for the identification of mental health and illness problems, including indicators of the risk of suicide.

scholarly journals Mental health in post-earthquake Nepal

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 520-521 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiran Thapa
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Community Mental Health ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Mental Health Professionals ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Children And Families ◽  
Long Run

For two decades, Government of Nepal has made efforts to develop and maintain mental health professionals in all areas; however, much has to be done. This could be an opportunity for Nepal to redesign mental healthcare services at the community level. Primary mental health services integrated with community mental health could help children and families cope with and recover from mental illnesses in the long run.

Engaging the youth: co-designing health promotion messages

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
S Finlay
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Young People ◽  
Indigenous People ◽  
Transition To Adulthood ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Torres Strait Islander ◽  
Birth Certificate ◽  
Migrant Populations ◽  
Tailored Communication ◽  
Torres Strait

Abstract We were all young once, right? Moreover, many of us still feel young despite our birth certificate suggesting otherwise. Does that mean we understand what health promotion messages are going to resonate with young people today? Does it mean we know which platforms messages for young people should be used? The short answer is no. This is particularly true for marginalised communities whose needs are often very different and therefore require tailored communication. Marginalised communities such as Indigenous people, the LGBTQI community, migrant populations and refugees. Youth is a perfect time to communicate prevention, sexual and reproductive health and other health promotion messages. Young people are our future leaders. As health professionals, we want to make sure they transition to adulthood as healthy in mind and body as we can. Part of that is developing health promotion messages which reach with young people. However, too frequently, messages are not tailored for young people; therefore, not equipping them with the knowledge and skill to make healthy choices. To ensure that as health professionals that we are maximising our impact with young people, we need to co-design health promotion messages with them. Like with many Indigenous people in colonised countries, half of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population, Australia's Indigenous people are under the age of 30. Young Australian Indigenous people's health and wellbeing needs are distinctive because of the uniqueness of their culture as well as the historical, political and social context (Azzopardi 2017). To ensure that health promotion effectively reaches its target audience, a co-design methodology is often employed with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This presentation will detail the development of co-designed quit smoking and suicide prevention health promotion campaigns to demonstrate their effectiveness. A method that can be applied with other young people for maximum impact.

Comparison of medication policies to guide nursing practice across seven Victorian health services

2016 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 526 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariann Fossum ◽  
Lee Hughes ◽  
Elizabeth Manias ◽  
Paul Bennett ◽  
Trisha Dunning ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Services ◽  
Medication Errors ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Medication Management ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Self Administration ◽  
Australian Health ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Standard Information ◽  
Management Policies

Objectives The objective of this paper is to review and compare the content of medication management policies across seven Australian health services located in the state of Victoria. Methods The medication management policies for health professionals involved in administering medications were obtained from seven health services under one jurisdiction. Analysis focused on policy content, including the health service requirements and regulations governing practice. Results and Conclusions The policies of the seven health services contained standard information about staff authorisation, controlled medications and poisons, labelling injections and infusions, patient self-administration, documentation and managing medication errors. However, policy related to individual health professional responsibilities, single- and double-checking medications, telephone orders and expected staff competencies varied across the seven health services. Some inconsistencies in health professionals’ responsibilities among medication management policies were identified. What is known about the topic? Medication errors are recognised as the single most preventable cause of patient harm in hospitals and occur most frequently during administration. Medication management is a complex process involving several management and treatment decisions. Policies are developed to assist health professionals to safely manage medications and standardise practice; however, co-occurring activities and interruptions increase the risk of medication errors. What does this paper add? In the present policy analysis, we identified some variation in the content of medication management policies across seven Victorian health services. Policies varied in relation to medications that require single- and double-checking, as well as by whom, nurse-initiated medications, administration rights, telephone orders and competencies required to check medications. What are the implications for practitioners? Variation in medication management policies across organisations is highlighted and raises concerns regarding consistency in governance and practice related to medication management. Lack of practice standardisation has previously been implicated in medication errors. Lack of intrajurisdictional concordance should be addressed to increase consistency. Inconsistency in expectations between healthcare services may lead to confusion about expectations among health professionals moving from one healthcare service to another, and possibly lead to increased risk of medication errors.

Introduction to health economics and cost-effectiveness of cardiovascular prevention

ESC CardioMed ◽  
2018 ◽  
pp. 3129-3131
Author(s):  
Lorenzo Mantovani
Keyword(s):  
Health Economic ◽  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Human Resources ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Cardiovascular Prevention ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Economic Evaluations ◽  
Opportunity Costs ◽  
Healthcare Interventions

Health professionals’ aim is to provide patients with the best possible care. Unfortunately, in doing this, they face financial and economic difficulties: the demand for healthcare—because of past successes and the emergence of effective new technologies—has often exceeded the available financial and human resources. As a result, healthcare interventions have been evaluated not only for their quality, safety, and effectiveness, but also for their (opportunity) costs, with the aim of investigating their efficiency. Health economic evaluations are becoming more and more useful for planning, assessing, and managing healthcare services and therapies.

scholarly journals What is a health emergency? The difference in definition and understanding between patients and health professionals

2011 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amee Morgans ◽  
Stephen J. Burgess
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Health Resources ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Continuous Variable ◽  
Emergency Health Care ◽  
Health Event ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Emergency Health Services

Background. Investigations into ‘inappropriate’ use of emergency health services are limited by the lack of definition of what constitutes a health emergency. Position papers from Australian and international sources emphasise the patient’s right to access emergency healthcare, and the responsibility of emergency health care workers to provide treatment to all patients. However, discordance between the two perspectives remain, with literature labelling patient use of emergency health services as ‘inappropriate’. Objective. To define a ‘health emergency’ and compare patient and health professionals perspectives. Method. A sample of 600 emergency department (ED) patients were surveyed about a recent health experience and asked to rate their perceived urgency. This rating was compared to their triage score allocated at the hospital ED. Results. No significant relationship was found between the two ratings of urgency (P = 0.51). Conclusions. Differing definitions of a ‘health emergency’ may explain patient help-seeking behaviour when accessing emergency health resources including hospital ED and ambulance services. A new definition of health emergency that encapsulates the health professional and patient perspectives is proposed. An agreed definition of when emergency health resources should be used has the potential to improve emergency health services demand and patient flow issues, and optimise emergency health resource allocation. What is known about the topic? Although many patients’ access emergency healthcare services in an emergency, many patients’ access emergency healthcare services when their condition is non-urgent, and avoid using emergency health care when their condition requires. What does this paper add? This paper identifies that health professionals and patients have different perspectives on what constitutes an emergency and when emergency health resources should be used.This paper also provides a review of literature and triage policy papers that identify key differences in the assessment of a health event, and shows that health professionals base their assessment on knowledge and physiological measures, whereas patients used socio-emotional cues to identify medical urgency. What are the implications for practitioners? Practitioners cannot expect their patients to be able to accurately evaluate the urgency of a health event. An emergency is difficult to define as health conditions are dynamic, and may change in urgency over time, and relative urgency is a continuous variable, rather than a dichotomous ‘health emergency’ v. ‘not a health emergency’.

scholarly journals STAFF ABSENTEEISM AND DELIVERY OF HEALTHCARE SERVICES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AT WIKTOR DEGA ORTHOPEDIC AND REHABILITATION CLINICAL HOSPITAL IN POZNAŃ, POLAND

2021 ◽  
Vol 36 ◽  
pp. 31-39
Author(s):  
Agnieszka Wareńczak ◽  
Ewa Chlebuś ◽  
Przemysław Daroszewski ◽  
Dagna Dreczka ◽  
Przemysław Lisiński
Keyword(s):  
Health Services ◽  
Retrospective Analysis ◽  
Substantial Reduction ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Medical Services ◽  
Delivery Of Healthcare ◽  
Clinical Hospital ◽  
Hospital Employees ◽  
Professional Groups ◽  
Implementation Rate

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has led to various interruptions in the implementation of healthcare services provided by hospitals. Aim The aim of this study was to evaluate the staff absenteeism during the COVID-19 pandemic at Wiktor Dega Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Clinical Hospital in Poznań as well as to present the standard of providing the healthcare services assigned to the Hospital under the contract with the National Health Fund. Material and methods Work attendance of more than 700 hospital employees at Wiktor Dega Orthopedic and Rehabilitation Clinical Hospital in Poznań was evaluated. The assessment of the number of medical services that were provided during the study time was based on monthly reports prepared for the national payer of health services. A retrospective analysis covered the period of JanuaryApril 2019 and January-April 2020. Results In the months of March and April 2020, a significant increase in staff absenteeism was reported. An evaluation of the relative values of the implementation rate of medical services for the months January-April of 2019 and 2020 showed that in April 2020, there was a substantial reduction (10%) in the implementation rate of medical services on orthopaedic wards, while on rehabilitation wards, the reduction in the implementation rate started in March 2020 and was also reported in April 2020 (6%). Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in higher staff absenteeism rates in various professional groups working in our hospital. A reduction in the performance of healthcare procedures in our hospital, both orthopaedic and rehabilitation, will lead to a re-analysis of costs and will result in applying economizing mechanisms. Keywords:COVID-19, hospitals, health services, absenteeism, healthcare, hospital employees.

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