Allied health practitioners in Australian primary health care

Allied health practitioners (AHPs) are a large and diverse group of health professionals who are integral to the healthcare system. Many work in primary health care, mainly in private practice. Utilisation of AHP services is higher among people with chronic diseases. AHPs are under-researched, and they often lack recognition for their contribution to health care. This RESEARCH ROUNDup provides an overview of AHPs in primary health care, particularly in Australia. There is a need for more research by and about AHPs, better integration into the health system, and more interprofessional education

Patient-centred care and self-management support in primary health care

Patient-centred care (PCC) is prominent in current healthcare, particularly in relation to the care of people with chronic diseases/conditions. Self-management by patients, in tandem with self-management support (SMS) provided by medical/health professionals, is a key strategy in chronic disease management. Patient-centredness is viewed as central to SMS. This RESEARCH ROUNDup discusses PCC and SMS in primary health care (PHC) settings, including a brief outline of the history, policy context, and evidence base

Patient experience of primary health care

There has been considerable research on patient satisfaction and other aspects of patient experience, but much of it is dated, and the generally positive findings are complicated by significant conceptual and methodological issues. This RESEARCH ROUNDup focuses on patients' experiences of primary health care in Australia in the context of the broader international research base. It briefly discusses relevant findings from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the National Health Performance Authority's 'Healthy Communities' reports, the Productivity Commission's Report on Government Services, and the Council of Australian Governments Reform Council's report on the National Healthcare Agreement

Social determinants of health: Closing the gap in primary health care

Australian primary health care has a major role to play in addressing social determinants of health (SDOH). This RESEARCH ROUNDup examines the relevance of the Closing the gap in a generation report of the World Health Organization's Commission on Social Determinants of Health, the Senate inquiry into Australia's response to that report, and more broadly the significance of SDOH

Oral health, dental care, and primary health care

Australia's oral health is suboptimal, particularly among disadvantaged people. One quarter of Australian adults have untreated decay and 23% have moderate or severe gum disease. Poor oral health is not only a source of pain, embarrassment, discrimination, and financial pressure for individuals, but also contributes to significant medical problems that impose a substantial burden on the community, the health system, and the economy. Expenditure on dental health accounts for more than 6% of total health funding. This RESEARCH ROUNDup discusses the problems and the potential solutions at a population and primary health care level, including the establishment of a universal dental care scheme

Nurse practitioner and midwife prescribing in Australia

There is an increasing trend worldwide for nurses and other non-medical healthcare professionals to be accorded the right to prescribe drugs. In Australia, nurse practitioners and eligible midwives have gained prescribing privileges in recent years. This RESEARCH ROUNDup examines their prescribing patterns and the evidence about the effectiveness and safety of nurse and midwife prescribing

Video-Based Telehealth: Current and potential use of videoconsultation by allied health professionals

Many Australians have limited access to healthcare because of barriers including geographic distance. Telehealth is an important approach to reducing access inequalities. Video-based telehealth seems particularly useful for the Australian healthcare system, and is being used innovatively by allied health professionals (AHPs). We undertook a literature review of AHP use of videoconsultation, searching the academic and grey literature in early 2013

Telehealth in primary health care settings within Australia and internationally

Access to appropriate health care services is often limited for people living in rural or remote areas, or for those with restricted mobility. One approach to minimising the inequality in access for those located at a distance from health care services is through telehealth service delivery. This review examined the evidence on telehealth models in Australia and elsewhere, with a specific focus on synchronous, real-time video consultations, where patients and health care providers were present simultaneously

Video-based telehealth in Australian primary health care: Current use and future potential

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

Improving the integration of mental health services in primary health care at the macro level

Mental disorders are highly prevalent in Australia. The most frequently diagnosed conditions are anxiety, affective and substance use disorders. Comorbidities are common, both in terms of concurrent mental health conditions and concurrent physical and mental health conditions. Many individuals with lived experience of mental illness also face a range of non-medical issues (e.g. housing, employment and education needs). Typically, individuals requiring mental health care for most moderate/mild cases are supported in primary health care (PHC), though specialist care in secondary and tertiary settings is required for more severe conditions. Given the multifaceted nature of mental health conditions, support for individuals experiencing such diagnoses also needs to be multidisciplinary and collaborative. PHC mental health services encompass a range of services, including counselling, pharmacological treatments, referrals and follow-up care, provided by health professionals in PHC settings (e.g. general practice) to treat or prevent mental health problems