Australian health review : a publication of the Australian Hospital Association
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The process of development, and implementation, of a multi-source feedback tool for consultant anaesthetists is described. Rater groups included the anaesthetist-in-charge, anaesthetic assistants, anaesthetic trainees and, for some, the nurse-in-charge of the floor. ⋯ The collated information formed part of the annual staff appraisal process conducted by the director. The information is useful for the director and the process is well-accepted by the staff.
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This paper identifies the contribution of health and clinical informatics in the support of healthcare in the 21st century. Although little is known about the health and clinical informatics workforce, there is widespread recognition that the health informatics workforce will require significant expansion to support national eHealth work agendas. Workforce issues including discipline definition and self-identification, formal professionalisation, weaknesses in training and education, multidisciplinarity and interprofessional tensions, career structure, managerial support, and financial allocation play a critical role in facilitating or hindering the development of a workforce that is capable of realising the benefits to be gained from eHealth in general and clinical informatics in particular. As well as the national coordination of higher level policies, local support of training and allocation of sufficient position hours in appropriately defined roles by executive and clinical managers is essential to develop the health and clinical informatics workforce and achieve the anticipated results from evolving eHealth initiatives.
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People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (CaLDBs) have lower rates of participation in cardiac rehabilitation (CR). Systematically evaluating barriers and facilitators to service delivery may decrease health inequalities. This study investigated approaches for promoting cultural competence in CR. ⋯ Culturally competent strategies for identifying and tailoring activities in the CR setting may be a useful approach to minimise health inequities. The findings from this study identified that, in parallel with mainstream health services, CR service delivery in Australia faces challenges related to cultural and ethnic diversity. Encouragingly, study findings revealed implementation and integration of culturally competent practices in rehabilitation settings, in spite of significant odds.
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To explore the potential effects of the global financial crisis (GFC) on the market for general practitioner (GP) services in Australia. ⋯ The GFC is likely to increase activity in the GP market and potentially to reduce fee levels relative to the pre-GFC trends. Net effects on average GP incomes are likely to be small at current unemployment levels.
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The trend, in the last few years, of shorter working hours for junior doctors has been driven by the need for safer working conditions. This has led to the loss of continuity of care and the introduction of shift work for residents and registrars, resulting in up to three handovers per 24-h period. Many sentinel events occurring in hospitals can be attributed to a breakdown in communication. ⋯ A survey of resident staff confirmed the morning handover as important in both patient care and education. There was a marked improvement in tertiary trauma survey completion rates after the introduction of the morning handover. It is now an accepted and important part of the working day in the surgical unit of the hospital.