Zeng B, Liddle L, Moore S, Russell D, Johnson R, Vermeulen L, Deans A, Cockayne T, Mackney S, Kerin K, Niclasen P, English F, Steere M, Mathew S, Derkenne R, Urquhart A, Zhao Y, Wakerman J, Roe J, Tullio F, Hoggard B, Loughman A, Delroy-Buelles I, Capobianco J, Thorne D, Liddle R
1Menzies School of Health Research
Biography:
Dr Benxiang Zeng is a Senior Research Fellow at Menzies School of Health Research based in Alice Springs, NT. He is an experienced multidisciplinary researcher. He currently coordinates a few projects that explore the improvement of effectiveness and efficiency of aero-medical retrieval systems in remote Australia, and the impact of primary health care services on potentially preventable hospitalisations of Aboriginal People as well.
Ms Lorraine Liddle is a Senior Researcher at Menzies School of Health Research based in Alice Springs, NT. Born and raised in Mbantua (Mbantuarinya), she has extensive experiences in working with community based Aboriginal organisations and communities.
Abstract
Background
Aeromedical retrieval services are essential to healthcare in remote Australian communities. However across Australia there is great variation between and within jurisdictions in retrieval service models and little is known about how these variations in characteristics are associated with system performance. This qualitative research was to explore factors that influence aeromedical retrieval performance in remote Australia.
Methods
We conducted a semi-structured qualitative interview with staff members from retrieval organisations across Australia, using purposive and snowball sampling. The interview data was analysed using inductive thematic analysis in NVivo, to develop nodes and themes grounded in the data and shaped by the perspectives of participants.
Results
Thematic analysis of data from 38 participants revealed seven themes: service models; workforce capacity; funding sustainability; governance; partnerships; cultural safety; and information management. Service model design fundamentally shaped performance. Retrieval workforce composition was seen as critical to timely decision-making, operational efficiency, and patient outcomes. Partnerships were viewed as essential for collaborating between retrieval and primary health care services and identifying cultural safety as key to effective retrieval services for Aboriginal people; this included utilising Aboriginal staff and coordinating patients to remain on Country where appropriate. Succinct clinical information flows through the retrieval system were emphasised as pivotal for patient care continuity and health outcome.
Conclusion
Findings confirmed substantial variation in retrieval systems, identified areas for improving system performance, underscored the need of a well-defined national set of retrieval performance indicators, and revealed the importance of establishing a national retrieval registry to facilitate retrieval performance improvements.