Australian health review : a publication of the Australian Hospital Association最新文献

{"title":"Private car travel is the dominant form of transport to work for healthcare workers across Greater Western Sydney: a short report on a large travel survey.","authors":"Soumya Mazumdar, Bin Jalaludin, David Surplice, Stephen Conaty, Kim Jobburn, Linda Stanbury, Helen Ryan, Josephine Sau Fan Chow","doi":"10.1071/AH24229","DOIUrl":"10.1071/AH24229","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objective Healthcare workers (HCWs) form an essential segment of the workforce. Investigating active commuting within the workforce, especially HCWs, is important. However, limited research exists in this domain. Methods This study, conducted under the auspices of the Greater Western Sydney Health Partnership, a collaboration between three western Sydney local health districts, surveyed over 5000 HCWs to explore their commuting behaviours and attitudes towards commuting. Results We found that almost three quarters (72.8%) of HCWs drove a private vehicle to work, usually parking on site. Less than 5% of respondents used carpooling or active transport methods such as walking or cycling. Distance was stated as a critical barrier to walking or cycling, although road safety and security concerns were also important. Time constraints, as well as the lack of public transport services, were considered barriers to utilising public transport. The survey results highlight the constraints preventing the widespread adoption of non-car commuting modes and should inform decision-making on incentivising healthy commuting options among HCWs. Conclusions HCWs in a metropolitan Global North context such as western Sydney predominantly drive to work, with only 16.9% using public transport or walking or cycling, with various barriers being cited as reasons. We recommend further efforts to develop effective interventions for promoting active commuting among HCWs.</p>","PeriodicalId":93891,"journal":{"name":"Australian health review : a publication of the Australian Hospital Association","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144055259","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Are people with diabetes mHealth-ready? Smartphone utilisation in a socioeconomically marginalised urban Australian general practitioner-led diabetes clinic.","authors":"David Chua, Carina Vasconcelos Silva, Souhayel Hedfi, Keren Pointon, Tracy A Comans, Hannah L Mayr, Monika Janda, Anthony W Russell, Anish Menon","doi":"10.1071/AH24289","DOIUrl":"10.1071/AH24289","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objective Mobile Health (mHealth), a subset of digital health, requires people to own smartphones, but ownership barriers overlap with social factors linked to type 2 diabetes (T2D) burden. We describe the prevalence of smartphone ownership, app use and mobile internet access and factors around uptake and utilisation among people with T2D accessing care in a community setting. Methods A cross-sectional survey was performed with people with diabetes attending a community-based general practitioner-led diabetes clinic located in Inala, a multiculturally diverse but socioeconomically marginalised suburban region of Brisbane, Queensland. The survey was read aloud to participants, with interpreters if required. Results There were 104 participants, the median age was 63years, 47.1% were female and 44.2% spoke language(s) other than English (LOTE) at home. Smartphone ownership was high (85.6%), and average self-rated confidence with advanced feature use was between 'somewhat confident' and 'confident'. Older adults were significantly less likely to own smartphones, less confident with advanced features and less likely to use apps regularly, but many knew someone who could support uptake. LOTE spoken at home was not associated with ownership, mobile internet access, app use or self-rated confidence with advanced feature use, suggesting smartphone technology is already part of daily life. Conclusions Smartphone ownership and utilisation does not appear to be a major barrier to mHealth uptake in our context. Older adults need tailored supports and education to encourage mHealth uptake.</p>","PeriodicalId":93891,"journal":{"name":"Australian health review : a publication of the Australian Hospital Association","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144103301","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing the value of online palliative care information.","authors":"Seth Nicholls, Jennifer Tieman","doi":"10.1071/AH25032","DOIUrl":"10.1071/AH25032","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objective This study aimed to assess the value of an online palliative care resource (CareSearch) in providing evidence-based information to clinicians and consumers; and online palliative care information more broadly from the perspective of key stakeholder organisations. Methods Nine semi-structured interviews with representatives from key stakeholder organisations were undertaken. A pragmatic, qualitative analytical approach was used to identify key findings. Results Seven key findings were identified. These emphasised the criticality of CareSearch, the importance of access to high-quality online palliative care information, the need for a robust palliative care evidence base, challenges to the delivery of palliative care, the need to improve visibility, the need to improve accessibility, and the importance of co-design and lived experience. Conclusions CareSearch and online palliative care information have a critical role to play in responding to the challenges facing the sector. Maximising the value of such information will require improvements in access to evidence, visibility, usability, and the development of resources tailored to diverse users.</p>","PeriodicalId":93891,"journal":{"name":"Australian health review : a publication of the Australian Hospital Association","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144096142","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A guide to using measures of socio-economic status, remoteness and population denominators from the Australian Bureau of Statistics for epidemiological studies.","authors":"David Youens, Nita Sodhi-Berry, Ingrid Stacey, Marwan Ahmed, Judith M Katzenellenbogen","doi":"10.1071/AH24324","DOIUrl":"10.1071/AH24324","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objective Australian Bureau of Statistics data on socio-economic status, service accessibility/remoteness and population denominators are useful in epidemiology, though complex to understand and apply. We provide information and resources to facilitate their use. Methods We compiled data from the Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), the Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA) and population estimates from across multiple years, taking into account changes in availability and formats of these data over time. Syntax was written to support use of these data in studies using administrative health data, alongside a user guide with notes and instructions. Results Where research data contains an event date plus a postcode, Statistical Area Level 2 and/or Statistical Local Area, these resources can be used to attach a SEIFA score and decile, remoteness areas and age-sex-specific population denominators to each record for years 2000-2025 (population denominators to 2023). These variables can be used as cohort descriptors, as model covariates or to calculate ARIA/SEIFA stratified rates. Conclusions These resources are useful for individual research projects, while also contributing to building capacity in the use of geographical measures. We focused on the measures most commonly used in Australia, although the approach outlined can be applied to other geographical measures.</p>","PeriodicalId":93891,"journal":{"name":"Australian health review : a publication of the Australian Hospital Association","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144096124","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Where to for digital health? The Australian Council of Senior Academic Leaders in Digital Health action plan.","authors":"Leanna Woods, Melanie Haines, Salma Arabi, James Boyd, Kerryn Butler-Henderson, Kathleen Gray, Russell L Gruen, Stephen Guinea, Christine Bennett, Clair Sullivan","doi":"10.1071/AH25039","DOIUrl":"10.1071/AH25039","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Australia's healthcare system faces major challenges related to sustainability, access and equity. Safe, effective care and growing demands require evidence-based innovation and a future-ready health workforce. Digital health - the use of data and digital technology in health and health care - is yet to fully realise its promise. The Australian Council of Senior Academic Leaders in Digital Health (the 'Council') has been established to promote, foster and support academic collaboration that helps address Australia's key challenges and contribute to national and global health. This perspective provides an action plan in a crowded digital health landscape to improve the highlighted issues of effective innovation and a capable workforce. The Council has two key actions: (1) support research and innovation that advances digital health principles and practices by advocating for digital health research and development funding, strategic partnerships, communication, standard setting and adoption of research-informed digital health; and (2) enable system transformation through evidence-based education and training to produce future-fit healthcare workers by advancing health workforce education that embeds digital health capability standards and ongoing learning. True and transformative progress and continuous improvement in digital health require peer-reviewed evidence, as does any other area of health care. We need to acknowledge that our current workforce capabilities are no longer fit for purpose. Our workforce needs to be progressively 'retooled' to face the future of health care in a technological and data science revolution and in a sector that is slow to adapt to change. Implementing these actions will advance digital health research and education to positively impact Australia's healthcare system.</p>","PeriodicalId":93891,"journal":{"name":"Australian health review : a publication of the Australian Hospital Association","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144055058","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Hospital Harmony program improves interdisciplinary healthcare team functioning and communication.","authors":"Matthew J Y Kang, Ar Kar Aung, Rob Selzer, Ashlee Linck, Floyd F Dias, Eldho Paul, Jennifer S N Tang, Jo Gibbs, Harry Gibbs","doi":"10.1071/AH24276","DOIUrl":"10.1071/AH24276","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ojective Hospital wards, staffed by a multidisciplinary team, are complex environments where teamwork, communication and psychological safety are essential for coordinated care delivery, yet are faced with challenges such as staffing changes and complex care needs. There is little literature on interventions to assist staff to connect as a team. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the Hospital Harmony program on team communication, psychological safety and overall team functioning in a multidisciplinary hospital ward. Methods The study was conducted at a major metropolitan academic health service involving a multidisciplinary general medicine team including nursing, medicine and allied health. A mixed-methods approach was used, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative focus groups, to evaluate Hospital Harmony, a 6-week brief daily group-based program designed to improve team function and mindfulness within the team. For our quantitative component, we used a questionnaire based on measures of team functioning: meeting effectiveness, psychological safety and individual focus. We used linear mixed models to assess the changes in each domain over time. A focus group was undertaken to obtain qualitative data that were thematically analysed. Results Fifty-one unique participants from the multidisciplinary team completed the survey (mean age of 33.5years (s.d. 11.0) and 72% female). Following commencement of the program, there was a significant increase in the team's perception of the meeting's effectiveness (P =0.004), team morale (P <0.0001), focus (P <0.0001) and psychological safety (P =0.014). The focus group identified four broad themes of relationship building, improved psychological safety, the impact of the program on the team's behaviour and mindful self-reflections. Conclusion We found that the Hospital Harmony program improved the multidisciplinary healthcare team by facilitating better communication, improving relationships and promoting psychological safety.</p>","PeriodicalId":93891,"journal":{"name":"Australian health review : a publication of the Australian Hospital Association","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144065353","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A 'True North Statement for Care': charting the course to better care for all Australians.","authors":"Rebecca K Golley, Georgia Middleton, Michael T Lawless, Lucy Anastasi, Alison L Kitson, Raymond J Chan","doi":"10.1071/AH25063","DOIUrl":"10.1071/AH25063","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objective To shift the narrative from 'deficit dialogues' in health and social care in Australia, we aimed to generate a series of consensus 'ambition' statements representing what peak care stakeholders in Australia want health and social care to look like in the future. Methods A multiphase co-design study with Australian 'care' stakeholders was undertaken. This consisted of a desk-based audit of Australian health and social care organisations (n =9) and a pre-forum survey (n =21 responses) (activity 1), the findings of which informed the national forum activities (activity 2, n =31 organisations), which became the content for the Delphi survey (activity 3, n =28 organisations). Results Through this process we distilled five ambition statements and 39 descriptors. These statements are our True North Statement for Better Care, providing a starting point to guide individual, organisation and system redesign across the life span. The statements require action at individual consumer, workforce and system level. Conclusions Creating the True North Statement for Better Care provides a united direction for heterogeneous groups to work together to improve care for consumers, their workforce and the systems they work in. This is an important initiative to change the way we value, talk about, do, own and research care. Further user testing is required to ensure the statements can be translated into action.</p>","PeriodicalId":93891,"journal":{"name":"Australian health review : a publication of the Australian Hospital Association","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143813100","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Advance care planning: empowering older frail people to document their end of life wishes.","authors":"Peter Gonski, Melissa Chan, Ken Hillman","doi":"10.1071/AH25060","DOIUrl":"10.1071/AH25060","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objective To determine the features that are required to increase uptake of advance care directives (ACDs). Methods We conducted a study involving older patients attending aged care outpatient clinics and/or receiving outreach services between March 2021 and December 2022. Patients were assessed using tools related to frailty, end of life and empowerment. If the person agreed to complete an ACD, they were guided through it, and it was subsequently uploaded on the electronic medical record. Results Of 170 patients referred to complete an ACD, 47% completed it. These patients had lower Rockwood Clinical Frailty Scale and SPICT (Supportive and Palliative Care Indicators Tool) scores. The Frailty and SPICT tools were easier to use, the PAM (Patient Activation Measure) was difficult to use and assess. Patients did, however, show satisfaction in the process. Conclusions Patients completing an ACD tended to be a little less frail and less likely to die in the following 12months. Increased uptake of ACD is more likely if the less frail are targeted, and assisted through the process by a health professional at a time and place that suits the person.</p>","PeriodicalId":93891,"journal":{"name":"Australian health review : a publication of the Australian Hospital Association","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143813212","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Monitoring cross-setting care and outcomes among older people in aged care: a national framework is needed.","authors":"Maria C Inacio, Olivia Ryan, Leonard C Gray, Gillian E Caughey, On Behalf Of The Acac-Qmet Research Collaborators","doi":"10.1071/AH24294","DOIUrl":"10.1071/AH24294","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Establishing an evidence-based framework to monitor and evaluate quality and safety of care for older people is critical. Despite progress in health system performance monitoring in Australia, slower progress has occurred for the older population accessing aged care services. With an aging population and increasing demands on aged care and healthcare systems, there is growing recognition of the need for more coordinated and integrated care across settings. It is not uncommon for older people accessing aged care to require a range of services administered by different organisations simultaneously (e.g. primary care, home care) and sequentially (e.g. hospitals, residential care). Aged care also represents an increasingly regulated sector, with significant investment in and growing recognition of the value of quality measurement. Accountability for care quality and safety is often shared among providers, with consequent challenges in attributing responsibility. Therefore, the development of a pragmatic national framework to support high-quality, person-centred care for the older population accessing aged care services across care settings is one opportunity for shared responsibility, care monitoring, and quality improvement activities that could lead to better outcomes for this population. The strategy for framework development proposed in this perspective has implications for aged care and healthcare providers, consumers, policy makers, regulators, and academics. Once implemented, this framework has the potential to drive consistent high-quality care to improve health outcomes and wellbeing among older people accessing aged care services.</p>","PeriodicalId":93891,"journal":{"name":"Australian health review : a publication of the Australian Hospital Association","volume":"49 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143775135","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The trend of once-off versus follow-up Medicare-reimbursed psychiatric consultations and increased telehealth availability: an interrupted time series analysis.","authors":"Luke Sy-Cherng Woon, Tarun Bastiampillai, Jeffrey C L Looi","doi":"10.1071/AH25011","DOIUrl":"10.1071/AH25011","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objective The Australian Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) telehealth items were expanded in March 2020 and consolidated in January 2022. We aim to describe the trend of the ratio of MBS psychiatric video items for once-off assessments to follow-up sessions and examine the effect of telehealth consolidation. Methods Psychiatric once-off item to follow-up item ratios in face-to-face (F2F) and video modes were computed from state and territory-level monthly Medicare data (January 2016-December 2023). We performed a multilevel interrupted times series analysis (ITSA) of once-off video consultations with telehealth consolidation as the intervention, followed by subgroup analyses by age groups. Finally, in the young adult group (25-44years), we performed a multiple-group ITSA comparing video once-off to follow-up ratios between genders. Results The once-off to follow-up ratio for video items after telehealth consolidation greatly increased compared with F2F items, with rapid growth in once-off assessments. Sustained high video once-off assessment usage occurred in the youth (15-24years) and young adult (25-44years) groups, while other age groups showed declines following the initial rise. The male group showed a greater initial increase in the video once-off to follow-up ratio among young adults but the ratio continued to rise only in the female group. Conclusions The evolving trends of reimbursed telepsychiatry consultations require further examination given their potential implications concerning service quality, health equity, health attitudes and behaviours, and healthcare costs.</p>","PeriodicalId":93891,"journal":{"name":"Australian health review : a publication of the Australian Hospital Association","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143756443","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}