Ana P Johnson, Elizabeth Hore, Walter P Wodchis, Yu Qing Bai, Luke Mondor, Tim Tenbensel, Catherine Donnelly, Michael Green, Michael Spinks, Julia Swedak, Dianne McIntyre, Ashleigh Wolfe
{"title":"Health care utilization and costs among coordinated care patients in Southeastern Ontario: A difference-in-differences study of a double propensity score-matched cohort.","authors":"Ana P Johnson, Elizabeth Hore, Walter P Wodchis, Yu Qing Bai, Luke Mondor, Tim Tenbensel, Catherine Donnelly, Michael Green, Michael Spinks, Julia Swedak, Dianne McIntyre, Ashleigh Wolfe","doi":"10.1177/13558196241290996","DOIUrl":"10.1177/13558196241290996","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Coordinated care plans (CCPs) for high-cost health care system users aim to improve system-level performance. We evaluated health care resource use and costs among CCP patients (enrollees) versus a control group that did not receive coordinated care (comparators) in Southeastern Ontario.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A difference-in-differences analysis of a quasi-experimental, double propensity score-matched and adjusted cohort was conducted. Linked population-based administrative data were used to measure health care utilization and costs and to identify comparators for two enrollee groups who began CCPs between April 1, 2013, and March 31, 2019. Enrollees were recruited from hospitals in Quinte or community care centres in Rural Hastings/Thousand Islands, and were 1:1 propensity score matched to comparators. Difference-in-differences estimates were calculated using generalized estimating equations for hospitalization rates, homecare visits, primary care visits, other health care resources and total costs.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 558 enrollees in Quinte and 538 in Rural Hastings/Thousand Islands were identified and matched to comparators. Difference-in-differences estimates were significant in both enrollee groups for number of homecare visits ([IRR 1.72; 95% CI (1.44, 2.06)] and [IRR 1.73; 95% CI (1.45, 2.06)], respectively). Number of primary care visits were 1.76 times greater for Rural Hastings/Thousand Islands enrollees versus comparators [IRR 1.76; 95% CI (1.32, 2.35)]; total costs increased by 23% ([IRR 1.23; 95% CI (1.09,1.39)].</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Homecare use significantly increased for enrollees versus comparators, indicating specific priority areas of Ontario CCPs were met. However, no reductions were shown for other health system performance indicators. We also showed increased 7-day primary care follow-up visits for community care centre-recruited patients, but not for hospital-recruited patients. Decision-makers may wish to target patients who are less advanced in their chronic disease trajectory.</p>","PeriodicalId":15953,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Health Services Research & Policy","volume":" ","pages":"52-62"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11673314/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142639142","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Amanda Crompton, Justin Waring, Carl Macrae, Charlotte Overton, Rosie Benneyworth
{"title":"How can specialist investigation agencies inform system-wide learning for patient safety? A qualitative study of perspectives on the early years of the English Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch.","authors":"Amanda Crompton, Justin Waring, Carl Macrae, Charlotte Overton, Rosie Benneyworth","doi":"10.1177/13558196241291816","DOIUrl":"10.1177/13558196241291816","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>System-wide learning for patient safety is a core challenge for the health care sector, despite the prevalence of localised reporting and learning approaches. There is growing interest in how health care services could emulate other safety-critical sectors with the introduction of specialist safety investigation agencies to inform sector-wide safety. This paper reports on a study of the introduction and early operation of one such agency in the English health and care system.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This was a qualitative interview study carried out between 2019 and 2021 and co-designed through a partnership between University researchers and the Executive Team from the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) to explore the organisational development of this 'first of type' organisation. The study involved interviews with 33 internal and external stakeholders and documentary analysis of HSIB reports.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study findings highlight the organisational competencies and developmental challenges experienced in the early years of HSIB operations focusing on (i) independence and fit within the wider system; (ii) the selection and scope of investigations; (iii) the methodology and investigation approach; and (iv) the skill and competencies of investigators.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study offers practical learning to health care decision-makers about the importance of securing independence and integration, about the production of system-wide learning, the standardisation of robust methodologies and the support for a multidisciplinary specialist workforce.</p>","PeriodicalId":15953,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Health Services Research & Policy","volume":" ","pages":"31-39"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11673288/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142583411","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Graham Martin, Robert Pralat, Justin Waring, Mohammad Farhad Peerally, Tara Lamont
{"title":"Professionalising patient safety? Findings from a mixed-methods formative evaluation of the patient safety specialist role in the English National Health Service.","authors":"Graham Martin, Robert Pralat, Justin Waring, Mohammad Farhad Peerally, Tara Lamont","doi":"10.1177/13558196241268441","DOIUrl":"10.1177/13558196241268441","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Objectives:</b> While safety-dedicated professional roles are common in other high-risk industries, in health care they have tended to have a relatively narrow, technical focus. We present initial findings from a mixed-methods evaluation of a novel, senior role with responsibility for leadership of safety in English National Health Service organisations: the patient safety specialist. <b>Methods:</b> We conducted interviews with those responsible for designing, developing and overseeing the introduction of the role. We also carried out a national survey of current patient safety specialists. Data collection and analysis focused on the rationale for the role, its theory of change, and experiences of putting the theory into practice. <b>Results:</b> Interview participants articulated a clear theory of change for the role, highlighting ways in which the focus of the role, the seniority, responsibility and influence of role holders, and the expertise they brought might result in better safety management and speedier implementation of initiatives to manage risk and improve safety. Survey respondents had mixed experiences of the role to date, particularly in terms of material and symbolic support from their organisations. Together, findings from the two datasets indicated the need for a careful balance between strategic and operational activities to secure impact for patient safety specialists while ensuring they were embedded in the realities of clinical work as done-a balance that not all role holders found easy to achieve. <b>Conclusions:</b> The vision for the patient safety specialist role is clear, and supported by a plausible account of how the work of role holders might result in the intended objectives. The degree to which specialists are supported and resourced to deliver on these ambitions, however, varies markedly across organisations.</p>","PeriodicalId":15953,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Health Services Research & Policy","volume":" ","pages":"40-51"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11673301/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141878840","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Alexandra Henderson, Anthony Shakeshaft, Julaine Allan, Raechel Wallace, Daniel Barker, Sara Farnbach
{"title":"A pilot study examining the impact of a pragmatic process for improving the cultural responsiveness of non-Aboriginal alcohol and other drug treatment services using routinely collected data in Australia.","authors":"Alexandra Henderson, Anthony Shakeshaft, Julaine Allan, Raechel Wallace, Daniel Barker, Sara Farnbach","doi":"10.1177/13558196241261800","DOIUrl":"10.1177/13558196241261800","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Objective:</b> Routine health data has the potential to identify changes in patient-related outcomes, in close to real time. This pilot project used routine data to explore and compare the impact of changes to cultural responsiveness on service use by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (hereafter, Aboriginal) clients in Australia.<b>Methods:</b> The New South Wales Minimum Data Set (MDS) for alcohol and other drug use treatment services was provided for 11 services for a period of 30 months from March 2019 to September 2021 (four months prior to two years after the intervention; data were analysed between March 2022 to February 2023). Change in cultural responsiveness was assessed via practice audits of services at baseline and two years. The average change in audit rating was analysed using a linear mixed regression model. Generalised Linear Mixed Models were used to identify changes in service use by Aboriginal clients. <b>Results:</b> All 11 services showed increased audit scores at two years, with a statistically significant mean increase of 18.6 (out of 63 points; b = 18.32, 95% CI 12.42-24.22). No statistically significant pre-to post-changes were identified in: (1) the proportion of episodes delivered to Aboriginal versus non-Aboriginal clients (OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.94-1.40), (2) the number of episodes of care provided to Aboriginal clients per month (IRR = 1.01, 95% CI = 0.84-1.23), or (3) the proportion of episodes completed by Aboriginal clients (OR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.82-1.13). <b>Conclusions:</b> The lack of statistically significant impact on service use outcomes using MDS contrasts to the improvements in cultural responsiveness, suggesting further work is needed to identify appropriate outcome measures. This may include patient-reported experience measures. This project showed that routine data has potential as an efficient method for measuring changes in patient-related outcomes in response to health services improvements.</p>","PeriodicalId":15953,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Health Services Research & Policy","volume":" ","pages":"4-11"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141317522","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Manisha Pahwa, Alexandra Cernat, Julia Abelson, Paul A Demers, Lisa Schwartz, Katrina Shen, Mehreen Chowdhury, Caroline Higgins, Meredith Vanstone
{"title":"Public perspectives on the benefits and harms of lung cancer screening: A systematic review and mixed-method integrative synthesis.","authors":"Manisha Pahwa, Alexandra Cernat, Julia Abelson, Paul A Demers, Lisa Schwartz, Katrina Shen, Mehreen Chowdhury, Caroline Higgins, Meredith Vanstone","doi":"10.1177/13558196241288984","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/13558196241288984","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Screening for lung cancer with low dose computed tomography aims to reduce lung cancer mortality, but there is a lack of knowledge about how target populations consider its potential benefits and harms.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a systematic review of primary empirical studies published in any jurisdiction since 2002 using an integrative meta-synthesis technique. We searched six health and social science databases. Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts, and potentially eligible full-text studies. Quantitative assessments and open-ended perspectives on benefits and harms were extracted and convergently integrated at analysis using a narrative approach. Study quality was assessed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The review included 26 quantitative, 18 qualitative, and 5 mixed methods studies. Study quality was acceptable. Lung cancer screening was widely perceived to be personally beneficial for early detection and reassurance. Radiation exposure and screening accuracy were recognised as harms, but these were frequently considered to be justified by early detection of lung cancer. Stigma, anxiety, and fear related to screening procedures and results were pervasive among current smokers. People with low incomes reported not participating in screening because of potential out-of-pocket costs and geographic access.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Populations targeted for lung cancer screening tended to consider screening as personally beneficial and rationalised physical, but not psychological, harms. Screening programmes should be clear about benefits, use non-stigmatising design, and consider equity as a guiding principle.</p>","PeriodicalId":15953,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Health Services Research & Policy","volume":" ","pages":"13558196241288984"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142467442","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tim Jones, Angus McNair, Hugh McLeod, Josie Morley, Leila Rooshenas, William Hollingworth
{"title":"Identifying potentially low value surgical care: A national ecological study in England.","authors":"Tim Jones, Angus McNair, Hugh McLeod, Josie Morley, Leila Rooshenas, William Hollingworth","doi":"10.1177/13558196241252053","DOIUrl":"10.1177/13558196241252053","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>High variation in clinical practice may indicate uncertainty and potentially low-value care. Methods to identify low value care are often not well defined or transparent and can be time intensive. In this paper we explore the usefulness of variation analysis of routinely-collected data about surgical procedures in England to identify potentially low-value surgical care.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This is a national ecological study using Hospital Episode Statistics linked to mid-year population estimates and indices of multiple deprivation in England, 2014/15-2018/19. We identified the top 5% of surgical procedures in terms of growth in standardised procedure rates for 2014/15 to 2018/19 and variation in procedure rates between clinical commissioning groups as measured by the systematic component of variance (SCV). A targeted literature review was conducted to explore the evidence for each of the identified techniques. Procedures without evidence of cost-effectiveness were viewed as of potentially low value.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We identified six surgical procedures that had a high growth rate of 37% or more over 5 years, and four with higher geographical variation (SCV >1.6). There was evidence for two of the 10 procedures that surgery was more cost-effective than non-surgical treatment albeit with uncertainty around optimal surgical technique. The evidence base for eight procedures was less clear cut, with uncertainty around clinical- and/or cost-effectiveness. These were: deep brain stimulation; removing the prostate; surgical spine procedures; a procedure to alleviate pain in the spine; surgery for dislocated joints due to trauma and associated surgery for traumatic fractures; hip joint replacement with cemented pelvic component or cemented femoral component; and shoulder joint replacement.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study demonstrates that variation analysis could be regularly used to identify potentially low-value procedures. This can provide important insights into optimising services and the potential de-adoption of costly interventions and treatments that do not benefit patients and the health system more widely. Early identification of potentially low value care can inform prioritisation of clinical trials to generate evidence on effectiveness and cost-effectiveness before treatments become established in clinical practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":15953,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Health Services Research & Policy","volume":" ","pages":"223-229"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11346124/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140898580","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"'You never know when you will need an antibiotic': A qualitative study of structural barriers and cultural assumptions in antibiotic misuse among immigrants in the United States.","authors":"Sara Imanpour, Darcy Jones McMaughan","doi":"10.1177/13558196241252748","DOIUrl":"10.1177/13558196241252748","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The use of nonprescribed antibiotics increases the risk of antibiotic resistance, which is a primary public health concern of the 21st century. This study explores structural and cultural determinants of antibiotic misuse among immigrants living in the United States who arrived from home countries with easier access to antibiotics.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Adopting a qualitative approach, we interviewed 34 immigrants living in the United States and who had traveled back to their home countries within 1 year of the interview. We followed the steps of constructive grounded theory to analyze the data.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We found two primary influences of immigrants' use of nonprescribed antibiotics. The first was structural barriers to health care access in the host country, including insurance coverage, cost of an emergency department visit, cost of missing a paid day of work, complexity of the healthcare system, and communication issues with health care providers. The second was participants' cultural assumptions, including their experiences of antibiotics use, beliefs about antibiotics, a habit of self-medication, and uncertainty about future medical needs.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study informs policymakers concerned with combating antibiotic resistance. Promoting antibiotic stewardship among immigrants from countries with lax antibiotic-prescribing practices and improving access to appropriate channels for preventative and same-day care may reduce the inappropriate use of antibiotics.</p>","PeriodicalId":15953,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Health Services Research & Policy","volume":" ","pages":"266-274"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140898584","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tom G Osborn, Rosa Town, Majeed Bawendi, Emily Stapley, Rob Saunders, Peter Fonagy
{"title":"University students' access to mental health services: A qualitative study of the experiences of health service professionals through the lens of candidacy in England.","authors":"Tom G Osborn, Rosa Town, Majeed Bawendi, Emily Stapley, Rob Saunders, Peter Fonagy","doi":"10.1177/13558196241235877","DOIUrl":"10.1177/13558196241235877","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>In order to develop a better understanding of students' access to mental health services, we explored the experiences of health care professionals interacting with university students with mental health problems.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We interviewed 23 professionals working across university advice and counselling services, NHS general practice, crisis, and psychological services in North and East London between June 2022 and January 2023. Our approach drew on reflexive thematic analysis and the principles of abductive analysis. The notion of candidacy - that is, how different needs are deemed deserving of health service attention - was particularly helpful to our understanding of the ongoing phenomenon of interest in the data.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Each student's access to mental health support was highly contingent on the student's dynamic social context and the pressures and organisation of the local health system. Professionals described how different students viewed different needs as deserving of health service attention. Which students reached the professional's service depended on the resources and relationships a student could draw upon, and the service's relative permeability. Once there, what action professionals took was strongly influenced by the professional's service expertise, resource constraints, the relationships the professional's service had with other organisations, the students' wishes, and whether students regarded treatment offers as acceptable.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Candidacy offers a useful lens to view university students' access to mental health support. Access appears to be an increasingly intricate task for students, given the fragmented service landscape, surging demand for mental health care and challenges of emerging adulthood. Our findings suggest that policy goals to increase use of mental health services are unlikely to improve outcomes for students without policy makers and health systems giving holistic consideration of inter-service relationships and available resources.</p>","PeriodicalId":15953,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Health Services Research & Policy","volume":" ","pages":"230-239"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11346130/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139983102","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Health-related inequalities in out-of-pocket expenditure under universal health coverage in Taiwan: A cross-sectional decomposition analysis.","authors":"Miaw-Chwen Lee, Christy Pu","doi":"10.1177/13558196241251626","DOIUrl":"10.1177/13558196241251626","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Studies have investigated income-related inequality in out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) on health care but less is known about health-related inequality of OOPE distribution. This study analysed the relationship between health-related inequality and OOPE and the factors contributing to OOPE inequality in Taiwan.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We developed a household OOPE questionnaire and conducted a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of households in Taiwan between January and August 2022, using two-stage probability proportional-to-size sampling based on a national address registry in Taiwan. We calculated a concentration index to determine OOPE inequality in health. We then identified factors contributing to OOPE inequality in health distribution by performing a decomposition analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 657 people responded to the survey (81.4% response rate). The two largest categories of OOPE were spending on curative care and on medical goods and pharmaceuticals, with concentration indices of -0.265 (<i>p</i> < .001), -0.272 (<i>p</i> = .006) and -0.227 (<i>p</i> = .003), respectively, indicating that the OOPE burden fell disproportionately on people with poor health. Socioeconomic status explained significant proportions of inequality in total, curative and medical goods and pharmaceuticals OOPE. Utilisation of health care increased the OOPE burden among people with poor health while having private health insurance worked in the opposite direction.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>In Taiwan, people in poor health faced a disproportionately high OOPE burden, indicating that the National Health Insurance scheme may not meet their needs for health care. There is a need for policies to take account of the different factors affecting health inequalities in OOPE in order to enhance equity in Taiwan's universal health system.</p>","PeriodicalId":15953,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Health Services Research & Policy","volume":" ","pages":"240-247"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140876625","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sharon M Varela, Georgia Wells, Mason Henderson, Danielle Collins, Lynette Stenhouse, Prema Subramaniam
{"title":"Rapid evidence assessment of student-assisted assessment and brief intervention clinics: Addressing the gaps in rural and remote health care.","authors":"Sharon M Varela, Georgia Wells, Mason Henderson, Danielle Collins, Lynette Stenhouse, Prema Subramaniam","doi":"10.1177/13558196241231191","DOIUrl":"10.1177/13558196241231191","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>With high disease and disability burden in rural and remote regions, student-assisted clinics can be an effective workforce development tool to meet community health needs and workforce shortages. This research sought to identify the conditions under which student-assisted clinics can be successfully utilised as a workforce development strategy, with specific application to remote Queensland, Australia.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A rapid review of the international literature in English was conducted. This was the most appropriate type of review because the results of the review were time-sensitive, with the student-assisted clinic model being trialled in Queensland soon. A mixed methods design was applied, with the search strategy piloted with one database.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. Seven reported data on participant experiences, including consumers, students, services/clinics, and educators/supervisors/health professionals. Each of the studies operationalised student-assisted clinics through practice models (university-driven learning need), service delivery models (service driven need addressed through a student workforce), community need models (student delivered services primarily addressing a community health need), and blended models (practice need and community need). Some studies reported concerns about fragmentation of services, referral pathways and issues with follow-up, while others reported concerns about sustainable funding. All models reported successful outcomes when focused on service or consumer health outcomes, or student learning outcomes.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Student-assisted clinics make an important contribution to the development of the rural and remote health workforce. Student-assisted clinics can complement and extend existing services, supporting workforce development in an overstretched health system impacted by an ongoing pandemic.</p>","PeriodicalId":15953,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Health Services Research & Policy","volume":" ","pages":"275-288"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139702629","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}