A local study of costs for private allied health in Australian primary health care: variability and policy implications

2011 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen L. Pearce-Brown ◽  
Laurie Grealish ◽  
Ian S. McRae ◽  
Kirsty A. Douglas ◽  
Laurann E. Yen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Improvement Project ◽  
Local Study ◽  
Primary Health

Multidisciplinary approaches to primary health care improve outcomes for individuals living with chronic conditions. However, emerging evidence suggests access to allied health professionals in Australia is problematic. This paper reports findings of a telephone survey of allied health professionals’ billing practices in one urban area. The survey was undertaken as a quality improvement project in response to the affordability queries raised by patients and carers in the clinical setting. The aim was to determine financial cost of access to allied health professionals in one urban primary health care setting. Participant practices included: physiotherapy (n = 21), podiatry (n = 8) and dietitians (n = 3). Fees were variable, with cost of the initial (assessment) appointment higher than subsequent (follow-up) appointments in 92% of practices. The average out of pocket expenses for assessment and three follow-up appointments ranged from $258 to $302. When available, the Medicare rebate reduced this to $58–106. Bulk billing was not offered. Variable costs, minimal concessions and absence of bulk billing in this confined geographical area creates a cost barrier to access for patients from lower socioeconomic groups and has implications for access to multidisciplinary care in Australian primary health care.

Best Practice and Allied Health

1996 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 92
Author(s):  
Jill Thoroughgood
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Community Health ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Allied Health ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Models Of Care ◽  
Allied Health Professionals ◽  
Primary Health

In this paper, issues are discussed relating to the provision of quality allied health advice, and the focus of the allied health program in primary health care and community health settings in the Peninsula and Torres Strait Region of Queensland, since Regionalisation in 1991. It was apparent to allied health professionals working in community health, that the change process presented an opportunity to influence not only the Regional Health Authority, but also to act as a united voice for the professions and to be advocates for best practice models of care for the community. Why do allied health professionals need to be utilised in an advisory role in community based health settings? What are the impacts on policy, planning, and on the services provided by community health care workers? How can allied health advisers enhance the quality of outcomes of best practice for the consumers of community health programs? Allied health advisers are important for the whole health sector by ensuring that effective and appropriate allied health services are delivered, that there are increases in allied health resources, that there are improvements in health outcomes for clients, that primary health care models of care are implemented, and, finally, that best practice is implemented by the allied health professional.

scholarly journals Primary Health Care Follow-Up Visits: Investigation Of Care Continuity Of Preterm Newborns From A Kangaroo-Mother Care Unit

10.3823/2302 ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marielle Ribeiro Feitosa ◽  
Fabiane Do Amaral Gubert ◽  
Marcela Ariadne Braga Gomes Tomé ◽  
Maria Talyta Mota Pinheiro ◽  
Clarice Da Silva Neves ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Kangaroo Mother Care ◽  
Health Care Facilities ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
Preterm Newborns ◽  
Primary Health Care Facilities

INTRODUCTION: The kangaroo-mother care method is an approach adopted in Brazil as a public police, which has helped in the reduction of neonatal mortality rate. Premature birth and its vulnerabilities can trigger, especially in mothers, feelings of fear and insecurity related to taking care of newborns. OBJECTIVE: Investigate care continuity of preterm newborns from a kangaroo-mother care method unit in primary health care facilities. METHODS: It was a transversal study performed with 43 mothers of preterm newborns who were hospitalized in the rooming-in care unit of a kangaroo-mother care method unit of a Brazilian public maternity school. Data collection was carried out through a questionnaire, which was used to interview mothers between September 2015 and February 2016. RESULTS: It was found a relationship between sociodemographic status and risk of premature birth, and the following variables: age, education, marital status, and family income. Regarding findings from the follow-up home visits in primary health care, most of the participants were still breastfeeding and using the kangaroo position. However, 60.5% of the interviewed mothers reported not receiving home visits from health professionals of primary health care facilities. CONCLUSION: It is essential the support of health professionals and the participation of mothers and families to improve, through health education, quality of life promotion for newborns from kangaroo care approach.

scholarly journals Cohort study of ageing from Bagé (SIGa-Bagé), Brazil: profile and methodology

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaine Thumé ◽  
Marciane Kessler ◽  
Karla P. Machado ◽  
Bruno P. Nunes ◽  
Pamela M. Volz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Rio Grande ◽  
Cognitive Testing ◽  
Rio Grande Do Sul ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background The Bagé Cohort Study of Ageing is a population-based cohort study that has recently completed the first follow-up of a representative sample of older adults from Bagé, a city with more than 100,000 inhabitants located in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. This is one of the first longitudinal studies to assess the impact of primary health care coverage on health conditions and inequalities. Our aim is to investigate the prevalence, incidence and trends of risk factors, health behaviours, social relationships, non-communicable diseases, geriatric diseases and disorders, hospitalisation, self-perceived health, and all-cause and specific-cause mortality. In addition, we aim to evaluate socioeconomic and health inequalities and the impact of primary health care on the outcomes under study. Methods/design The study covers participants aged 60 or over, selected by probabilistic (representative) sampling of the urban area of the city of Bagé, which is covered by Primary Health Care Services. The baseline examination included 1593 older adults and was conducted from July 2008 to November 2008. After eight to nine years (2016/2017), the first follow-up was conducted from September 2016 to August 2017. All participants underwent an extensive core assessment programme including structured interviews, questionnaires, cognitive testing (baseline and follow-up), physical examinations and anthropometric measurements (follow-up). Results Of the original participants, 1395 (87.6%) were located for follow-up: 757 elderly individuals (47.5%) were re-interviewed, but losses in data transfer occurred for 22. The remaining 638 (40.1%) had died. In addition, we had 81 (5.1%) refusals and 117 (7.3%) losses. Among the 1373 older adults who were followed down, there was a higher proportion of female interviewees (p=0.042) and a higher proportion of male deaths (p=0.001) in 2016/2017. There were no differences in losses and refusals according to gender (p=0.102). There was a difference in average age between the interviewees (68.8 years; SD ±6.5) and non-interviewees (73.2 years; SD ±9.0) (p<0.001). Data are available at the Department of Social Medicine in Federal University of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, for any collaboration.

scholarly journals Difficulties in nutritional counseling and child growth follow-up: from a professional perspective

2017 ◽  
Vol 70 (5) ◽  
pp. 949-957 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Nery Teixeira Palombo ◽  
Elizabeth Fujimori ◽  
Áurea Tamami Minagawa Toriyama ◽  
Luciane Simões Duarte ◽  
Ana Luiza Vilela Borges
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Medical Model ◽  
Child Growth ◽  
Nutritional Counseling ◽  
Child Feeding ◽  
Professional Experiences ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Professional Perspective

ABSTRACT Introduction: Nutritional counseling and growth follow-up are priorities when providing care to children; however, these have not been completely incorporated into primary health care. Objective: To know the difficulties for providing nutritional counseling and child growth follow-up, from a professional healthcare perspective. Method: Qualitative study, using Donabedian as theoretical framework, developed by 53 professionals in the field of primary health care. Data was obtained from focal groups and submitted to content analysis. Results: The main difficulties for nutritional counseling were clustered in the category of ‘perceptions and beliefs related to child feeding’. The ‘problems of infrastructure and healthcare’ and ‘maintenance of the hegemonic medical model’ are the main difficulties for following-up growth. Final considerations: Besides investments in infrastructure, healthcare training is indispensable considering beliefs and professional experiences, so in fact, nutritional counseling and child growth follow-up are incorporated in primary health care.

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