Patients’ Experiences With Integrated Care: Possible Solutions

At some time in their lives, most people will require health care services from multiple health care providers, whether it is for short-term unexpected ill-health, long-term chronic conditions, or co-morbidities that cross disciplines. Integration of health services is particularly important for people with chronic or complex conditions as they must negotiate a path that crosses various health care sectors. In 2011 PHC RIS undertook an abbreviated appraisal of evidence (Rapid Response) to address the following: - What types of initiatives have been implemented in Australia (or elsewhere) to integrate primary and acute health care? - How have these initiatives impacted on patients’ health outcomes and patients’ experience of their pathway through the health system

Allied health video consultation services

Many Australians have limited access to health care services due to a range of barriers including living a considerable distance from health services. Furthermore, there are significant shortages of healthcare workers in many rural and remote areas. Traditionally, many people have had to either travel long distances to access healthcare, or go without. Telehealth is an alternative approach, using telecommunications and information technology to supplement face-to-face delivery of healthcare services

Social media: Opportunities to enhance communication and collaboration between Allied Health and other primary health care professionals

This poster asks how do allied health and other primary health care professionals currently use social media technologies? the current limitations and challenges and future directions

Are companion animals the secret to good health?

People keep pets for companionship, recreation and protection rather than for the specific purpose of enhancing health. However, a considerable body of literature supports the idea that companion animals can improve overall quality of life, including physical, social and psychological health, yet there has been no discussion of practical ways to integrate companion animals into health care and promotion. A rapid review of the literature was conducted in relation to pets/companion animals and health. Primary information sources included articles located in major citation databases (e.g. PubMed and Scopus). A snowballing technique was used to identify additional studies in bibliographies of relevant papers

Primary health care and social networking: opportunities to enhance communication

The use of social networking technologies in health care and education is known as Health 2.0. Health 2.0 incorporates principles of open access, user-generated content and networking in order to personalise health care, collaborate and promote health education. Social networking technologies that are relevant to primary care include blogs, microblogging websites such as Twitter, wikis and podcasts. This RESEARCH ROUNDup focuses on the ways in which a range of emerging information and communication technologies can improve collaboration between primary health care professionals and across health care sectors

Primary health care for people with intellectual disabilities

Over half a million Australians have an intellectual disability and 61% of those have a severe or profound limitation in ‘core’ activities of daily living. The sparse research available concerning health care service use by people with significant intellectual (or physical disabilities) in Australia suggests there is a higher rate of health care service utilisation in this group than for people without disabilities for all health care provider types. While overall utilisation rates appear to be higher in this group compared to the general population, primary health care access may still be insufficient to meet their needs. This RESEARCH ROUNDup investigates the reasons for primary health care disadvantage in people with intellectual disabilities, and strategies to overcome this disadvantage

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: 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

eHealth technologies in primary health care: current strengths and limitations

eHealth aims to improve the quality and safety of Australia’s health system by introducing a more efficient way to collect and share information such as prescriptions and test results. The primary health care sector could benefit substantially from the widespread use of eHealth technologies. The National E-Health Transition Authority is currently working with numerous stakeholders, including general practitioners and allied health professionals to develop an eHealth uptake plan. This RESEARCH ROUNDup focuses on the use of eHealth technologies in primary health care, by exploring the benefits and current limitations of a number of eHealth tools

Co-morbidity of mental and physical illness: meeting unmet care needs

People with chronic physical conditions experience poorer mental health compared to the general population. Co-morbid depression and chronic disease are associated with high healthcare use and high costs to the health system. Despite improvements in mental health care service delivery, people experiencing mental illness have high mortality from physical health issues, suggesting that the health care needs of this group are not being met. This RESEARCH ROUNDup explores the reasons for primary health care disadvantage among people with physical and mental illness co-morbidity, and strategies to improve health care provision for this group