A Qualitative Study of Rural and Remote Australian General Practitioners' Involvement in High-Acuity Patients.

Turner, S; Isaac, V; Lim, D

A Qualitative Study of Rural and Remote Australian General Practitioners' Involvement in High-Acuity Patients.

Turner, S Isaac, V Lim, D

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Publisher:: MDPI
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2023, 20, (5), pp. 4548
Issue Date:: 2023-03-03

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Turner, S
dc.contributor.author	Isaac, V
dc.contributor.author	Lim, D
dc.date.accessioned	2023-10-04T23:27:57Z
dc.date.available	2023-03-01
dc.date.available	2023-10-04T23:27:57Z
dc.date.issued	2023-03-03
dc.identifier.citation	Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2023, 20, (5), pp. 4548
dc.identifier.issn	1661-7827
dc.identifier.issn	1660-4601
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/172489
dc.description.abstract	This study aimed to understand the experiences, barriers, and facilitators of rural general practitioners' involvement with high-acuity patients. Semi-structured interviews with rural general practitioners in South Australia who had experience delivering high-acuity care were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed through content and thematic approaches incorporating Potter and Brough's capacity-building framework. Eighteen interviews were conducted. Barriers identified include the inability to avoid high-acuity work in rural and remote areas, pressure to handle complex presentations, lack of appropriate resources, lack of mental health support for clinicians, and impacts on social life. Enablers included a commitment to community, comradery in rural medicine, training, and experience. We concluded that general practitioners are a vital pillar of rural health service delivery and are inevitably involved in disaster and emergency response. While the involvement of rural general practitioners with high-acuity patients is complex, this study suggested that with the appropriate system, structure and role supports, rural general practitioners could be better empowered to manage high-acuity caseloads locally.
dc.format	Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	MDPI
dc.relation.ispartof	Int J Environ Res Public Health
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.3390/ijerph20054548
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.classification	Toxicology
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Australia
dc.subject.mesh	General Practitioners
dc.subject.mesh	Rural Health Services
dc.subject.mesh	Qualitative Research
dc.subject.mesh	Rural Population
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Qualitative Research
dc.subject.mesh	Rural Population
dc.subject.mesh	Rural Health Services
dc.subject.mesh	Australia
dc.subject.mesh	General Practitioners
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Australia
dc.subject.mesh	General Practitioners
dc.subject.mesh	Rural Health Services
dc.subject.mesh	Qualitative Research
dc.subject.mesh	Rural Population
dc.title	A Qualitative Study of Rural and Remote Australian General Practitioners' Involvement in High-Acuity Patients.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	20
utslib.location.activity	Switzerland
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/IMPACCT
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.date.updated	2023-10-04T23:27:56Z
pubs.issue	5
pubs.publication-status	Published online
pubs.volume	20
utslib.citation.issue	5

Abstract:

This study aimed to understand the experiences, barriers, and facilitators of rural general practitioners' involvement with high-acuity patients. Semi-structured interviews with rural general practitioners in South Australia who had experience delivering high-acuity care were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed through content and thematic approaches incorporating Potter and Brough's capacity-building framework. Eighteen interviews were conducted. Barriers identified include the inability to avoid high-acuity work in rural and remote areas, pressure to handle complex presentations, lack of appropriate resources, lack of mental health support for clinicians, and impacts on social life. Enablers included a commitment to community, comradery in rural medicine, training, and experience. We concluded that general practitioners are a vital pillar of rural health service delivery and are inevitably involved in disaster and emergency response. While the involvement of rural general practitioners with high-acuity patients is complex, this study suggested that with the appropriate system, structure and role supports, rural general practitioners could be better empowered to manage high-acuity caseloads locally.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/172489