Search

Translation of evidence into practice in healthcare is challenging, particularly with new innovations. Indocyanine Green (ICG) lymphography is a novel innovation where the superficial lymphatics are imaged to provide information about lymphoedema diagnosis and to guide individualised therapy for a person's long‐term chronic management of lymphoedema, supporting care across the continuum to the community setting. Despite the unique information ICG lymphography provides, the technology itself is complex and highly specialised and currently has limited adoption in clinical practice. This paper sought to determine the barriers and enablers to establishing an ICG lymphography clinic within an outpatient lymphoedema service by exploring staff perceptions and experiences. An interpretive descriptive design was used with semi‐structured interviews of key staff participants from a quaternary public hospital six months after ICG lymphography clinic establishment. An interview guide was developed, underpinned by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), to guide the inquiry. Interview data were transcribed, inductively coded and analysed to identify themes. All eligible management, clinical and ancillary staff were included (N = 8). Four key themes were identified from the data as essential to implementation success. These were support is critical for implementation; beliefs about the technology; practicalities are achievable; and sustainability for ongoing success. Themes were found to be interrelated and centred around support from staff and the organisation as a critical process facilitator. The study demonstrated an ICG lymphography clinic can be successfully established as part of an outpatient lymphoedema service. Key enablers related to positive staff attitudes and beliefs about ICG lymphography and its application. Future implementation sites may consider that although the complexity of this innovation creates process challenges, the use of an implementation framework can assist in identifying determinants of success for effective implementation to practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents findings from the evaluation of an Australian trial of self‐managed home aged care. The self‐management model was codesigned by advocacy organisation COTA Australia, consumers and service providers. The primary aim of the evaluation was to examine whether self‐management improved consumers' perceptions of their choice, control, and wellbeing. The secondary aim was to examine whether provider prior experience with self‐managed packages significantly influenced consumers' perceptions of choice, control and wellbeing, thereby confounded trial effects. A pre‐test post‐test quasi‐experimental design and mixed‐methods design were used to collect data over nine months in 2018–2019. The pre‐trial methods and findings have been published. The post‐trial evaluation replicated the pre‐trial data collection method of an online survey (n = 60) and semi‐structured telephone interviews with consumers (n = 9), family carers (n = 13), and consumers and carers jointly (n = 2), totalling 24 interviews. Semi‐structured telephone interviews were also conducted with CEOs and senior managers from each of the seven providers (n = 14). Three providers had prior experience supporting self‐management. Parametric and non‐parametric tests examined the statistical data. Qualitative data were analysed thematically and framed according to self‐determination principles and ecological systems theory. Both datasets demonstrated that consumers reported greater choice and control at post‐trial than pre‐trial. This finding was not affected by providers' prior experience with self‐management; therefore, it was not a confounding factor. Participants reported improved wellbeing in interviews, however this was not reinforced statistically. Key desirable features of self‐management included greater autonomy and control over spending, recruiting support staff and paying lower administration fees. There was no evidence of increased risks or fraud. The research limitations included a small sample size, convenience sampling with providers recruiting interview participants, no control group and differences in trial implementation. The findings support the expansion of self‐management opportunities and more comprehensive evaluations that use mixed methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post‐diagnosis young onset dementia (YOD) care is often fragmented, with services delivered across aged care, healthcare, and social care sectors. The aim of this project was to test the feasibility and potential effectiveness of a learning collaborative implementation strategy for improving the cross‐sector integration of care for people with YOD and to generate data to refine the implementation strategy for scaleup. We conducted a longitudinal mixed methods process evaluation and recruited one representative from three Australian aged care organisations, three disability care organisations and three organisations (n = 9) contracted to deliver care navigation services. One representative from each organisation joined a learning collaborative within their local area and completed a six‐module online education package incorporating written resources, webinars, collaboration and expert mentoring. Participants identified gaps in services in their region and barriers to care integration and developed a shared plan to implement change. Normalisation Process Theory was applied to understand the acceptability, penetration and sustainability of the implementation strategy as well as barriers and enabling factors. Dementia knowledge measured by the Dementia Knowledge and Awareness Scale was high among the professionals at the start of the implementation period (mean = 39.67, SD = 9.84) and did not change by the end (mean = 39.67, SD = 8.23). Quantitative data demonstrated that clinicians dedicated on average half of the recommended time commitment to the project. However, qualitative data identified that the learning collaborative strategy enhanced commitment to implementing integrated care and promoted action towards integrating previously disparate care services. Participant commitment to the project was influenced by their sense of obligation to their team, and teams that established clear expectations and communication strategies early were able to collaborate and use the implementation plan more effectively (demonstrating collective action). Teams were less likely to engage in the collective action or reflexive monitoring required to improve care integration if they did not feel engaged with their learning collaborative. Learning collaboratives hold promise as a strategy to improve cross‐sector service collaboration for people with YOD and their families but must maximise group cohesion and shared commitment to change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to explore the needs, potential roles and implementation of Bilingual Community Navigators (BCNs) in providing navigation support for patients in general practice settings in Australia. A total of 19 participants (general practitioners, practice managers, practice nurses and receptionists) from five general practices in Sydney where most of the patients spoke a language other than English were interviewed about their views on needs, potential roles and implementation of BCNs in general practice settings. Data were collected between August 2019 and July 2020. The interview transcripts were inductively analysed for themes. Themes emerged across four broad categories: patients' barriers to access health and social care services; potential roles of BCNs; recruitment, training, and employment of BCNs and considerations and anticipated barriers to BCNs' role. Many barriers both at the patient and at the service provider levels in accessing healthcare and social care services were consistent with the Levesque et al. access framework including lack of understanding of the health system, language and cultural barriers, hesitancy to approach general practice and problems navigating services. Participants believed that BCNs would be able to help overcome these barriers through health education, support in booking appointments, arranging transport, providing language and cultural support and improving communication with the health services. Conditions for effective implementation of BCNs in practice included proper training of the navigators to ensure patient confidentiality and addressing organisational/system barriers such as lack of a funding mechanism, a clear role definition of BCNs and acceptance of BCNs by patients. BCNs potential role in facilitating access to appropriate care by culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) patients in general practice warrants further evaluation in the context of the Australian healthcare system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used a qualitative, cross‐sectional design to address a gap in understanding the perspectives and practices of care planners and case managers in supporting consumer‐ directed care (CDC) for community dwelling people living with dementia. Semi‐structured telephone interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of n = 16 planners and managers from seven providers of the Australian home care packages (HCP) program in NSW (Australia). All interviewees described the aspirations of supporting choice within CDC as synergistic with their values and with person‐centred care. Some described new flexibilities within the more open‐ended planning conversations enabled by CDC. However, most acknowledged their capacity to enable choice for clients with dementia was limited by the capped care budgets, as well as the skills and time needed to support choice and decision‐ making. Organisational practice changes associated with the shift to a market‐based system were also perceived as limiting the capacity to support choices. Reducing centralised systems, increasing individual budgets and improving staff capacity to support decision‐making by people with dementia may help to improve this situation. However, results suggest a deeper need to re‐evaluate whether the CDC model is the most appropriate for supporting the rising numbers of people with dementia to age well in place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

General community occupational therapists (OTs) work with clients experiencing chronic and complex conditions, some living with one or more comorbid common mental health issues (such as anxiety, depression or distress). This study aimed to describe the perspectives of general community OTs of their engagement with clients experiencing mental health issues; their perceptions of the implementation of routine screening in their practice, and the knowledge, skills and support they need to identify and support their clients' mental health needs. Six focus groups were undertaken with general community OTs (n = 21) from three Australian health services in rural, regional and metropolitan settings, between December 2020 and January 2021. Data were analysed using a team‐based framework approach. Three key themes were identified: (1) OTs' experiences working with people with mental health issues; (2) impacts of engaging with clients experiencing mental health issues on OTs; and (3) implementing routine mental health screening in general community OT practice. The latter had two sub‐themes: (i) identified considerations and (ii) education and system‐level support needs. General community OTs frequently work with clients with mental health issues. These experiences impact their practice in multiple ways. This study highlights opportunities for integrating routine mental health screening into general community OT practice and identifies the system and educational development required to support this enhancement to practice. Supporting general community OTs to routinely screen for mental health issues will enhance collaborative client‐centred care. Our findings may also have implications for other community‐based health professionals and services, particularly those delivered in clients' homes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gait aid provision is a standard approach to improve mobility and balance for older people. This research aims to understand and compare community care staff practice (health vs. non‐health professionals) for gait aid use by people with and without dementia. A cross‐sectional survey was conducted with Australian community care staff between October 2020 and February 2021. Survey items consisted of closed/open‐ended questions to explore staff practice for people with/without dementia, and assessments/procedures health professionals used for people with dementia. Likert‐scale items gauged staff agreement on factors that influenced their decisions regarding gait aid use for people with dementia. Univariate logistic regression analyses were used to examine staff practice for people with/without dementia and their interaction effects, and factors that influenced decision‐making regarding gait aid use for people with dementia. Content analyses were used to collate responses on assessments/procedures used for people with dementia. Health (n = 109) and non‐health professionals (n = 138) completed the survey. Compared with non‐health professionals, health professionals were more likely to (1) refer the person without dementia [odds ratio, 95% CI: 23.9 (12.1, 47.3), p <.01] and person with dementia [27.8 (12.5, 61.7), p <.01] to a physiotherapist for gait aid assessment, (2) agree with gait aid use if the person with dementia: (a) lives with someone who can monitor gait aid safety [coefficient, 95% CI: −0.75 (−1.29, −0.21), p =.01], (b) performs well on a cognitive functional screen [−0.68 (−1.20, −0.16), p =.01] and (c) gives feedback about gait aid use [−0.64 (−1.15, −0.12), p =.02]. No interaction effects existed between health/non‐health professionals and whether the person had dementia/no dementia on the practice options examined. Health professionals infrequently reported using single/dual task, simple/complex gait or motor sequence testing to assess people with dementia for gait aid use. Strategies such as developing decision aid tool(s) may guide mobility practice for community care staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are potential benefits associated with advance care planning (ACP), and general practitioners (GPs) are well placed to coordinate ACP initiatives with their patients. Few studies have reported on the uptake of different forms of advance care plan conducted by GPs and how this affects patients' place of death. The primary aims of the study were to examine uptake of verbal (conversations regarding care preferences) and written (documented care preferences) advance care plans and their associated factors from the perspective of Australian GPs. The secondary aim was to determine the impact of different types of advance care plans on place of death. Sixty‐one GPs from three Australian states used a validated clinic‐based data collection process to report on care provided for decedents in the last year of life, including provision of services, place of death, and uptake of ACP. We found that 58 (27.9%), 91 (43.7%) and 59 (28.4%) reported decedents had no advance care plans, verbal plans or written plans, respectively. There were increased uptake of both verbal plans (relative risk ratio [RRR] = 13.10, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.18–77.34) and written plans (RRR = 10.61, 95% CI: 1.72–65.57) if GPs foresaw the death for >90 days versus <7 days. Palliative care training history for GPs predicted uptake of verbal plans (RRR = 5.83, 95% CI: 1.46–31.93). Patients with verbal plans versus no plans were more likely to die at a private residence (odds ratio = 4.97, 95% CI: 1.32–18.63). Our findings suggest that expectation of death for at least three months prior to the event (where clinically possible) and palliative care training for GPs improve the uptake of ACP in general practice. Larger pragmatic trials are required to determine the impact of ACP on patients' place of death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is generally recognised that engaging consumers to participate in policy making, programming, and practice is fundamental to effective alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment, however, literature continues to document challenges and barriers to its implementation in AOD settings. This study reports on an evaluation of the Consumer Participation Project implemented in key non‐government AOD services in Australia. Data collection consisted of an online survey of 86 staff members at the five participating AOD services and 27 consumer interviews. The survey examined staff attitudes towards and beliefs about consumer participation, perceived current levels of consumer participation and service changes as a result of the consumer participation project. The qualitative arm explored consumer's prior knowledge and current experiences of consumer participation. Staff who took part in the consumer participation training offered as part of the project were more likely to believe that service changes could encourage greater consumer participation rather than any barriers associated with consumer circumstances. Additionally, while services offered low‐level involvement consumer activities, there were fewer examples of mid‐ and high‐level activities being conducted at the different services. Consumers discussed the significance of being actively involved in their AOD treatment service while stressing the importance of proper training and support for those engaging in consumer participation. This research highlights the benefits of consumer participation in AOD treatment and suggests that most consumer participation activities undertaken at present are "low" level involvement concerned with providing and receiving information from consumers. Importantly, however, our study did demonstrate some support for "high" level involvement activities and service providers being open to doing more to encourage consumer participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Partnering with consumers and patients and the community and public is a research and healthcare improvement imperative. Consumer and community involvement (CCI) requires behaviour change at the individual (researcher, health professional, manager), organisational (health service, university, medical research institute) and system level (funding policies, collaboration between organisations). To understand the barriers and enablers to meaningful CCI, a qualitative descriptive study was undertaken with researchers, health professionals, representatives from consumer organisations, and health services and ethics committees in Melbourne, Australia. Twenty‐eight semi‐structured interviews and one focus group were conducted in May–August 2019. Ethics approval was obtained. Thematic analysis was guided by the Capability, Opportunity and Motivation and Behaviour model (COM‐B). Training of researchers and health professionals in CCI, benefits and systems and processes to undertake CCI, alongside incorporating CCI as a requirement for funding were identified as enablers. Lack of time and resources for CCI, challenges in finding consumers for projects and a perceived lack of evidence of the impact of CCI were barriers. These identified barriers and enablers will inform strategies to build the capacity of CCI at the individual, organisation and system level within the Australian Health Research Alliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional impairment in people diagnosed with depression is common, although the domain of personal hygiene and grooming has received limited attention in the scholarly literature. While issues concerning personal hygiene and grooming by those experiencing depression have been reported in personal narratives, they are rarely included in symptom lists or treatment guidelines, or as an outcome indicator in research studies. The aim of this research was to better understand how mental health practitioners assessed, understood and worked with, service users diagnosed with depression who had previously exhibited declining personal hygiene and grooming standards. In‐depth interviews (n = 16) explored the views of professionals experienced in this area of mental health practice. A qualitative descriptive methodology was utilised. Findings indicated that for some service users, personal hygiene and grooming issues were an integral aspect of their depression, which negatively impacted recovery, particularly in areas concerned with overall functioning, mood, social and vocational engagement, motivation, self‐worth and esteem, and engagement with treatment. Study results supported the benefits of a person‐centred approach to assess, engage with and intervene effectively when a decline in personal hygiene and grooming was noted. However, lack of pertinent research is a barrier to appropriately assessing specific skill or performance difficulties when declining standards are observed. This impedes the provision of interventions which might support the person to develop and maintain of personal hygiene routines, which conform to socially acceptable standards. Difficulties with personal hygiene and grooming presented both a barrier to recovery and an opportunity for timely and salient intervention. Further investigation is needed to build the research evidence needed to develop appropriate and acceptable interventions, and to inform effective treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Care systems worldwide regularly undergo reforms and adjustments in the hope of system improvements. In many ways this can align with calls for governments to be more 'adaptive' and 'agile' to changing care demands. However, such continued adaptations can create turbulence for the care sectors in question. In this article, we examine the large‐scale reform of the Australia National Disability Insurance Scheme and the impact of a series of adaptations on the disability care sector in Australia. We find that the disability sector in Australia is experiencing turbulence and a lack of clarity about the rules regarding the programme, resulting in increased administrative burden and financial pressures. Such turbulence has flow‐on effects on the level of care that is able to be accessed by people with disability in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health coaching is a service provided to patients by healthcare professionals for the purposes of disease management and health risk prevention. Internationally, pharmacist health coaching services provided to patients with chronic health conditions have produced beneficial health outcomes. Despite this, the service is not currently provided within Australian community pharmacies. This study evaluates the knowledge, opinions and attitudes of leaders within the pharmacy profession about the concept of health coaching as a service in community pharmacy. Semi‐structured interviews with leaders in the pharmacy profession were carried out. Pharmacy leaders were interviewed until data saturation was reached; 10 pharmacists were interviewed. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically; extracts from the transcripts were compared and categorised to establish themes and subcategories. Analysis of the transcripts indicated the emergence of two main themes and 10 subcategories. The main themes were as follows: 'positive view of health coaching in Australian community pharmacy' and 'barriers to integrating health coaching into Australian community pharmacy'. There was an overall perception that health coaching within community pharmacies would be valued by the Australian community. Interviewees held differing perceptions of pharmacists' capability to effectively coach pharmacy clients and suggested that the main impediments to its introduction related to remuneration for the service. The findings indicated that there is a potential for pharmacists to provide a health coaching service in community pharmacies, but that remuneration is a fundamental barrier. The research also indicated the need to clearly identify the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to health coach and to identify whether potential gaps in the competencies of Australian community pharmacists exist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]