Hitchins R1, Russell D2, Edelman A2, Francis J1, Pinto I3, Seixas E3
1Menzies School Of Health Research, 2Menzies School Of Health Research , 3Mission Aviation Fellowship International
Biography:
Ruth is a PhD candidate with Menzies School of Health Research and Charles Darwin University studying the characteristics and outcomes of aeromedical retrievals in Timor-Leste. She is privileged to have recently lived in this remarkable country for four years, working with Mission Aviation Fellowship and contributing to health systems strengthening through community engagement, quality improvement initiatives, strategic partnerships, and continuity-of-care programme co-design. Ruth is based on Yidinji Country in Cairns, and hopes her PhD will facilitate improved quality of care for aeromedically-retrieved patients in Timor-Leste and further afield.
Abstract
Aims:
Since 2006, Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) has partnered with the Timor-Leste Ministry of Health to deliver aeromedical retrievals (ARs). Anecdotally, myriad cultural factors impact emergency health care seeking behaviour and subsequent AR, and this has not been explored in Timor-Leste. This presentation describes how a culturally informed continuous quality improvement (CQI) initiative was designed to refine AR service delivery.
Methods:
CQI workshops and qualitative feedback sessions were held with AR providers, patients and families to explore Timor-Leste’s cultural determinants of health, illness and well being and their impact on the AR process. Cultural findings informed CQI and AR service redesign.
Results:
A Timorese model of health and well being was developed, identifying cultural and systemic barriers and enablers to the Timor-Leste AR service delivery model. These insights led to the introduction of Closing the Loop (2022), a continuity of care pathway that: (1) begins with the emergency AR flight; (2) provides customised, culturally sensitive support for patients and their attending families during hospital admission; and (3) includes the option of a post discharge repatriation flight. Implementation has enabled culturally-relevant options for AR patients and families.
Conclusions:
Delivering ARs in the low resource setting of Timor-Leste presents significant logistical and cultural challenges. Embedding local world views into emergency service design enabled the development of a Timorese culturally-aligned AR model of care pathway that continues to bridge emergency retrieval and post acute support.