Australian health review : a publication of the Australian Hospital Association
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To review international experience in order to inform Australian PHC workforce policy on the role of primary healthcare organisations (PHCOs/Medicare Locals) in PHC workforce planning. ⋯ With the Australian government promoting the role of PHCOs in health system reform, reflections from abroad highlight the key action within PHC and PHCOs required to optimise PHC workforce planning.
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Clinical handover is an essential process occurring at many levels of inpatient care. Multiple studies within a hospital setting have identified that a breakdown in the handover process can lead to poor patient outcomes and serious adverse events. The use of electronic handover tools is an intervention identified to decrease errors in clinical care arising from poor handover practice. ⋯ The use of the Electronic Handover program resulted in improved satisfaction of the handover process within the medical, nursing and allied health professions. This trial demonstrates that an electronic handover program can be successfully integrated into normal medical work practice, resulting in positive outcomes for a multidisciplinary staff team. Further work is required to determine whether patient outcomes are improved as a result.
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To determine the extent of aggression directed towards Australian doctors and the implementation of aggression prevention and minimisation strategies in medical workplaces. ⋯ Many Australian doctors experience workplace aggression. The more widespread adoption of measures that support the prevention and minimisation of aggression in medical practice settings appears necessary.
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Changes to the remuneration of medical practitioners are currently being considered in Australia. In this paper, we provide a discussion of financial incentives in healthcare markets and their effects on health professionals' behaviour. ⋯ What are the objectives of the incentive scheme? What types of incentives can be used and under what circumstances? What is the empirical evidence around the effects of incentive schemes? What unintended consequences might exist? The paper concludes with a set of principles around which incentives can be designed. These principles might be used to inform the current debate about revisions to the incentives that are faced by medical practitioners in Australia.
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Cancer mortality among Indigenous Australians is higher compared to the non-Indigenous population and attributed to poor access to cancer detection, screening, treatment and support services. A large proportion of Indigenous Australians live in rural and remote areas which makes access to cancer treatment services more challenging. Factors, such as transport, accommodation, poor socio-economic status and cultural appropriateness of services also negatively affect health service access and, in turn, lead to poor cancer outcomes. ⋯ To improve cancer outcomes for Aboriginal people, logistical, infrastructure and cultural safety issues must be addressed. One way of ensuring this could be by dedicated support to better coordinate cancer diagnostic and treatment services with primary healthcare services.