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Healthcare providers' perceptions of potentially preventable rural hospitalisations: a qualitative study
Citation
Ridge, A and Peterson, GM and Seidel, BM and Anderson, V and Nash, R, Healthcare providers' perceptions of potentially preventable rural hospitalisations: a qualitative study, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18, (23) Article 12767. ISSN 1661-7827 (2021) [Refereed Article]
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DOI: doi:10.3390/ijerph182312767
Abstract
Potentially preventable hospitalisations (PPHs) are common in rural communities in Australia and around the world. Healthcare providers have a perspective on PPHs that may not be accessible by analysing routine patient data. This study explores the factors that healthcare providers believe cause PPHs and seeks to identify strategies for preventing them. Physicians, nurses, paramedics, and health administrators with experience in managing rural patients with PPHs were recruited from southern Tasmania, Australia. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted, and reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Participants linked health literacy, limited access to primary care, and perceptions of primary care services with PPH risk. The belief that patients did not have a good understanding of where, when, and how to manage their health was perceived to be linked to patient-specific health literacy challenges. Access to primary healthcare was impacted by appointment availability, transport, and financial constraints. In contrast, it was felt that the prompt, comprehensive, and free healthcare delivered in hospitals appealed to patients and influenced their decision to bypass rural primary healthcare services. Strategies to reduce PPHs in rural Australian communities may include promoting health literacy, optimising the delivery of existing services, and improving social support structures
Item Details
| Item Type: | Refereed Article |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | rural, primary care, preventable hospitalisation, avoidable, health literacy, access, adverse drug reactions, medication errors, medication safety, adverse drug event, hospital admission, risk factors |
| Research Division: | Biomedical and Clinical Sciences |
| Research Group: | Pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences |
| Research Field: | Clinical pharmacology and therapeutics |
| Objective Division: | Health |
| Objective Group: | Clinical health |
| Objective Field: | Efficacy of medications |
| UTAS Author: | Ridge, A (Mr Andrew Ridge) |
| UTAS Author: | Peterson, GM (Professor Gregory Peterson) |
| UTAS Author: | Seidel, BM (Professor Bastian Seidel) |
| UTAS Author: | Anderson, V (Mr Vincent Anderson) |
| UTAS Author: | Nash, R (Dr Rosie Nash) |
| ID Code: | 150071 |
| Year Published: | 2021 |
| Deposited By: | Pharmacy |
| Deposited On: | 2022-05-19 |
| Last Modified: | 2022-05-19 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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