Primary care doctors in acute call-outs to severe trauma incidents in Norway - variations by rural-urban settings and time factors.

BACKGROUND: A severely injured patient needs fast transportation to a hospital that can provide definitive care. In Norway, approximately 20% of the population live in rural areas. Primary care doctors (PCDs) play an important role in prehospital trauma care. The aim of this study was to investigate how variations in PCD call-outs to severe trauma incidents in Norway were associated with rural-urban settings and time factors. METHODS: In this study on severe trauma patients admitted to Norwegian hospitals from 2012 to 2018, we linked data from four official Norwegian registries. Through this, we investigated the call-out responses of PCDs to severe trauma incidents. In multivariable log-binomial regression models, we investigated whether factors related to rural-urban settings and time factors were associated with PCD call-outs. RESULTS: There was a significantly higher probability of PCD call-outs to severe trauma incidents in the municipalities in the four most rural centrality categories compared to the most urban category. The largest difference in adjusted relative risk (95% confidence interval (CI)) was 2.08 (1.27-3.41) for centrality category four. PCDs had a significantly higher proportion of call-outs in the Western (RR = 1.46 (1.23-1.73)) and Central Norway (RR = 1.30 (1.08-1.58)) Regional Health Authority areas compared to in the South-Eastern area. We observed a large variation (0.47 to 4.71) in call-out rates to severe trauma incidents per 100,000 inhabitants per year across the 16 Emergency Medical Communication Centre areas in Norway. CONCLUSIONS: Centrality affects the proportion of PCD call-outs to severe trauma incidents, and call-out rates were higher in rural than in urban areas. We found no significant difference in call-out rates according to time factors. Possible consequences of these findings should be further investigated.

Requesting air ambulance transport of patients with suspected appendicitis: The decision-making process through the eyes of the rural clinician.

OBJECTIVE: The primary aim is to explore rural clinicians' self-reported knowledge, skills and attitudes in the decision-making process for requesting aeromedical retrieval of patients with suspected appendicitis. A secondary aim is to understand the supports and barriers of rural clinicians experience in this clinical scenario. SETTING: Clinician interviews conducted face-to-face in three rural hospitals in Central Queensland. PARTICIPANTS: Rural doctors and nurses. DESIGN: A five-part qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: The majority of 44 participants identified the strong and effective teamwork. The decision to request aeromedical retrieval was a shared, joint process and identified a supportive collegial culture which supported the asking of questions and not expecting to have all the answers. Perceived barriers were lack of receiving clinicians understanding of transfer agreements, and data connectivity. Clinician pessimism was identified for perceived patient outcomes. DISCUSSION: Effective teamwork can nurture trust and collaboration across multiple health service roles. High job satisfaction may counter the physical isolation in some rural environments. Fragmentation of care is the unintended consequence of interhospital transfer and may impact rural clinicians' perception of patients' outcomes and hinder receiving clinicians' understanding of rural service limitations. CONCLUSION: Future work in the area of linked electronic medical records could remove a barrier for rural clinicians and improve their reflective practice by challenging their perception of definitive patient outcomes. Increased awareness by receiving clinicians of the limitation of rural services, may minimize communication barriers and thereby, improve timely patient care transfers.

Clinical profile of rural community hospital inpatients in Sweden - a register study.

OBJECTIVE: Patients in Sweden's rural community hospitals have not been clinically characterised. We compared characteristics of patients in general practitioner-led community hospitals in northern Sweden with those admitted to general hospitals. DESIGN: Retrospective register study. SETTING: Community and general hospitals in Västerbotten and Norrbotten counties, Sweden. PATIENTS: Patients enrolled at community hospitals and hospitalised in community and general hospitals between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2014. OUTCOME MEASURES: Age, sex, number of admissions, main, secondary and total number of diagnoses. RESULTS: We recorded 16,133 admissions to community hospitals and 60,704 admissions to general hospitals. Mean age was 76.8 and 61.2 years for community and general hospital patients (p < .001). Women were more likely than men to be admitted to a community hospital after age adjustment (odds ratio (OR): 1.11; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09-1.17). The most common diagnoses in community hospital were heart failure (6%) and pneumonia (5%). Patients with these diagnoses were more likely to be admitted to a community than a general hospital (OR: 2.36; 95% CI: 2.15-2.59; vs. OR: 3.32: 95% CI: 2.77-3.98, respectively, adjusted for age and sex). In both community and general hospitals, doctors assigned more diagnoses to men than to women (both p<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients at community hospitals were predominantly older and women, while men were assigned more diagnoses. The most common diagnoses were heart failure and pneumonia. Our observed differences should be further explored to define the optimal care for patients in community and general hospitals.Key pointsThe patient characteristics at Swedish general practitioner-led rural community hospitals have not yet been reported. This study characterises inpatients in community hospitals compared to those referred to general hospitals.• Patients at community hospitals were predominantly older, with various medical conditions that would have led to a referral to general hospitals elsewhere in Sweden. • Compared to men, women were more likely to be admitted to community hospitals than to general hospitals, even after adjustment for age. To the best of our knowledge, this pattern has not been reported in other countries with community hospitals. • In both community hospitals and general hospitals, doctors assigned more diagnoses to men than to women.

[Does primary care intervention have an impact in the place of death for patients in a palliative care program?] / ¿La intervención de atención primaria influye en el lugar de fallecimiento de los pacientes en un programa de cuidados paliativos?

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether there is a link between the place of death and the type of health-care provider: Primary Healthcare Team (PHT), Home Palliative Care Support Team (HPCST), or both. To identify other variables that may affect the place of death. DESIGN OF STUDY: Descriptive, observational, retrospective study. SETTING: Three primary care center, Dirección Asistencial Sureste, Comunidad de Madrid (Madrid, Spain). PARTICIPANTS: Patients over the age of 18 with an A.99.01 episode (patient palliative care supports) according to coding CIAP2, active in their electronic medical record (AP-Madrid) from January 2016 until December 2018 (n=499). Two hundred and twenty four (224) patients did not meet the inclusion criteria. MAIN MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Two hundred and seventy five (275) patients were included. Their average age was 78. Eighty point four (80.4%) (n=221) patients had oncologic disease. Sixty seven point six (67.6%) (n=186) lived in an urban setting. There were significant differences (P<0.0001) between the place of death and the type of health-care provider team. Death occurred at home for: 23.1% (n=6) patients in follow-up by PHTs, 14.5% (n=10) patients in follow-up by HPCSTs, and 29.4% (n=53) patients in joint follow-up; 20.8% (n=46) were oncologic patients and 42.6% (n=23) were non-oncologic patients; 26.5% (n=63) had a main caregiver and 16.2% (n=6) didn't. Death occurred at home for 34.8% (n=31) of rural setting patients and for 20.4% (n=38) of urban setting patients (P<0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Results support a higher percentage of deaths at home with joint follow-up.

Closing the sepsis gap: an exploration of sepsis presentations at a remote north Australian emergency department.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to explore the demographic characteristics, disease specifics and outcomes of adult patients with suspected sepsis presenting to a remote Australian emergency department (ED). A retrospective, uninterrupted time series audit of ED patients presenting with suspected sepsis was conducted. A total of 189 remote presentations were reviewed based on the time of clinician identification of sepsis. METHODS: Retrospective cohort analysis was performed for all adult patients with suspected or confirmed sepsis. RESULTS: A majority of patients presenting with sepsis to a remote hospital were Indigenous (61.9%) with a large proportion (34.9%) presenting by ambulance. Median age was 50 years. Indigenous patients (44.7%, 95%CI 34.1-55.9) were more likely to meet the quick Sequential (sepsis-related) Organ Failure Assessment criteria compared to non-Indigenous patients (27.1% 95%CI 16.6-41.0) (p=0.05 95%CI -1.1-34.3) with higher rates of critical care admission (34.2% v 10.4%) (difference 23.8, p=0.003, 95%CI 7.7-37.5). Congruent with previous research, Indigenous status did not confer a difference in sepsis mortality (12.1% v 11.8%, p=0.91). CONCLUSION: Remote Indigenous patients have worse clinical sepsis scores, are more likely to present by ambulance and require skin and soft tissue source control. This cohort has higher lactate values and critical care requirements but similar mortality rates. Improving access to culturally safe medical care could address this disparity.

'Believe in me and I will believe in myself', a rural Australian health service learns how to mangan dunguludja ngatan (build strong employment) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Australian Aboriginal people have higher rates of unemployment and poorer health than non-Aboriginal Australians. Historical segregation policies that spanned 60 years negatively impacted workforce inclusion. A Victorian regional health service recently developed an Aboriginal Employment Plan (AEP) targeted to reach 2% employment of Aboriginal people by 2020. This study aimed to identify strategies that will build strong Aboriginal employment. METHODOLOGY: A qualitative research protocol was designed. Purposive recruitment of people with a vested interest in the growth of Aboriginal employment at the health service participated in focus groups and individual interviews. RESULTS: Twenty-four people including local Elders, past and present Aboriginal employees, key community stakeholders and health service executives participated. Learnings from the past, the present and strategies for the future emerged from two important stories: (1) the story of a strong group of local Aboriginal people who successfully approached the matron of the hospital in the early 1960s for employment. (2) The story of the 'verandah babies'. DISCUSSION: The history of the health service in question demonstrated the power of the possible with a self-determined group of Aboriginal people, who, in the face of cultural inequity, achieved employment at the health service. The opportunity for healing and a new start was illustrated by the story of women who gave birth on the verandahs due to their exclusion from the main hospital. Today, the 'verandahs' have been replaced with a modern hospital decorated with Aboriginal art, expressing cultural safety and inclusion, presenting fertile ground for strengthening and sustaining Aboriginal employment. CONCLUSION: Eleven strategies have emerged from three themes; safety, equity and pathway, offering mainstream health services insight into how to mangan dunguludja ngatan (build strong employment). Cultural safety can be achieved through acknowledging the past and reconciling that through engaging, partnering and collaborating with the Aboriginal community. Visual representations of culture and participation in celebratory activities engender awareness and understanding. The development of local, flexible career development pathways for Aboriginal people facilitates a 'sense of belonging' to the health service and a dual 'sense of pride' within the community: whereby the Aboriginal person feels proud to represent their community and the community is proud to be represented. Cultural equity is facilitated through mutual learning and reciprocal understanding of difference.

Employment preferences of obstetricians and gynecologists to work in the district hospitals: evidence from a discrete choice experiment in Nepal.

BACKGROUND: A mismatch between the requirement and annual production of obstetricians and gynecologists (OBs-GYNs) was observed in Nepal. On top of that, recruitment and retention of OBs-GYNs is a pressing problem, especially in district hospitals of Nepal. In this connection, evidence on the job priorities and preferences of OBs-GYNs, which is currently lacking in Nepal, would help in policymakers in devising recruitment and retention strategies in these hospitals. This study, therefore, aims at exploring the most relevant job attributes that OBs-GYNs would prefer to work in the district hospitals of Nepal using a discrete choice experiment (DCE) technique. METHODS: Job attributes relevant to design the questionnaire were identified using keyinformant interviews and focusgroup discussions with policymakers and top managers. Then, 48 choice sets were developed using a fractional factorial design. Using these unlabeled choice sets, a DCE was conducted among 189 OBs-GYNs. The multinomial logistic regression model was used to estimate the marginal utilities and other model parameters. The willingness to pay/accept estimates was also measured for each job attribute. RESULTS: OBs-GYNs preferred the presence of a full team at the workplace (OB-GYN, pediatrician, and anesthesiologist), provision of primary and secondary education for children, and opportunity of private practice. On the other hand, a few job attributes such as a higher duration of service in district hospitalsand the provisions of a car allowance were preferred less by the respondents. Results from the marginal utility by the OBs-GYNs would be open to trade among the attributes. CONCLUSIONS: The job attributes identified as incentives in this study should be included in a package to attract OBs-GYNs to serve in district hospitals of Nepal rather than offering a standard incentive package to all health workers. Similarly, this study confirmed the importance of the combination of non-monetary and monetary interventions in attracting and retaining health workers in district hospitals of Nepal.

Identifying support needs to improve rural dementia services for people with dementia and their carers: A consultation study in Victoria, Australia.

OBJECTIVE: The support and service needs of people with dementia and their carers are not always addressed in rural regions, yet family carers play an important role in supporting the person living with dementia to remain living in their own home. This study sought to identify and prioritise service and support needs of people with dementia and carers. DESIGN: A two-phase mixed methods study involving qualitative focus groups and a survey. SETTING: A rural region in Victoria, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: People living with dementia, carers and health professionals. RESULTS: Focus groups identified 12 areas of need. A follow-up survey reached consensus on the priority areas for service improvement. These included diagnosis and information access, dementia training, community understanding and carer support. CONCLUSION: Living in a rural region imposes significant challenges on people with dementia and carers. We need to find ways to address gaps in service provision for carers and people with dementia in rural settings and examine their applicability in other rural regions more broadly.

Prevalence and outcomes of overweight and obesity among pregnant women in rural Queensland.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of overweight and obese women in the antenatal and perinatal periods, in rural hospitals; and to evaluate neonatal and maternal outcomes, including transfer to larger birthing centres. DESIGN: A retrospective clinical chart audit. SETTING: Rural maternity services in five Queensland rural hospitals. PARTICIPANTS: Data were collected from 250 women presenting to participating rural hospitals, with an estimated due date in 2016. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Obstetric and neonatal data, whether transfer occurred, mode of delivery and any complications, and neonatal outcomes including birth weight and complications were collected. Demographic information collected included maternal age, gravidity and parity, race, smoking status and pre-pregnancy body mass index. The main outcome measures of interest were birth weight, Caesarean rate, transfer rate and diagnosis of gestational diabetes in relation to the body mass index. RESULTS: Over 50% of women were overweight or obese while entering pregnancy, with 5.2% of mothers in the morbidly obese category. There was an increase in the birth weight of mothers with a body mass index of more than 25. The increasing body mass index was associated with an increased likelihood of transfer, diagnosis of gestational diabetes, elective and, especially, emergency Caesareans performed at the hospital. Twenty-four percent of women continued to smoke throughout pregnancy. CONCLUSION: A high prevalence of obesity was found in the rural obstetric population. As the body mass index increases, so too does birth weight, gestational diabetes, transfer rate and Caesarean section rate. The rates of smoking throughout pregnancy were higher than the average metropolitan rates. These findings have implications not just for rural hospital operation and resources, but also for preventive health activities in rural communities.

Equity in access to health care in a rural population in Malaysia: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the extent of equity in access to health care, their determinants and reasons of unmet need of a rural population in Malaysia. DESIGN: Exploratory cross-sectional survey administered by trained interviewers among participants of a health screening program. SETTING: A rural plantation estate in the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and thirty out of 142 adults above 18 years old who attended the program. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Percentages of respondents reporting realised access and unmet need to health care, determinants of both access indicators and reasons for unmet need. Realised access associated with need but not predisposing or enabling factors and unmet need not associated with any variables were considered equitable. RESULTS: A total of 88 (67.7%) respondents had visited a doctor (realised access) in the past 6 months and 24.8% (n = 31) experienced unmet need in the past 12 months. Using logistic regression, realised access was associated with presence of chronic disease (OR 6.97, P < 0.001), whereas unmet need was associated with low education level (OR 6.50, P < 0.05), 'poor' or 'fair' self-assessed health status (OR 6.03, P < 0.05) and highest income group (> RM 2000 per month) (OR 51.27, P < 0.05). Personal choice (67.7%) was more commonly expressed than barriers (54.8%) as reasons for unmet need. CONCLUSIONS: The study found equity in realised access and inequity in unmet need among the rural population, the latter associated with education level, subjective health status and income. Despite not being generalisable, the findings highlight the need for a national level study on equity in access before the country reforms its health system.

Towards equity and sustainability of rural and remote health services access: supporting social capital and integrated organisational and professional development.

BACKGROUND: Access to rural health services is compromised in many countries including Australia due to workforce shortages. The issues that consequently impact on equity of access and sustainability of rural and remote health services are complex. DISCUSSION: The purpose of this paper is to describe a number of approaches from the literature that could form the basis of a more integrated approach to health workforce and rural health service enhancement that can be supported by policy. A case study is used to demonstrate how such an approach could work. Disjointed health services are common in rural areas due to the 'tyranny of distance.' Recruitment and retention of health professionals in rural areas and access to and sustainability of rural health services is therefore compromised. Strategies to address these issues tend to have a narrow focus. An integrated approach is needed to enhance rural workforce and health services; one that develops, acknowledges and accounts for social capital and social relations within the rural community.

Local birthing services for rural women: Adaptation of a rural New South Wales maternity service.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the outcomes of a public hospital maternity unit in rural New South Wales (NSW) following the adaptation of the service from an obstetrician and general practitioner-obstetrician (GPO)-led birthing service to a low-risk midwifery group practice (MGP) model of care with a planned caesarean section service (PCS). DESIGN: A retrospective descriptive study using quantitative methodology. SETTING: Maternity unit in a small public hospital in rural New South Wales, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Data were extracted from the ward-based birth register for 1172 births at the service between July 2007 and June 2012. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Birth numbers, maternal characteristics, labour, birthing and neonatal outcomes. RESULTS: There were 750 births over 29 months in GPO and 277 and 145 births over 31 months in MGP and PCS, respectively, totalling 422 births following the change in model of care. The GPO had 553 (73.7%) vaginal births and 197 (26.3%) caesarean section (CS) births (139 planned and 58 unplanned). There were almost universal normal vaginal births in MGP (>99% or 276). For normal vaginal births, more women in MGP had no analgesia (45.3% versus 25.1%) or non-invasive analgesia (47.9% versus 38.6%) and episiotomy was less common in MGP than GPO (1.9% versus 3.4%). Neonatal outcomes were similar for both groups with no difference between Apgar scores at 5 min, neonatal resuscitations or transfer to high-level special care nurseries. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates how a rural maternity service maintained quality care outcomes for low-risk women following the adaptation from a GPO to an MGP service.

Establishing and delivering pulmonary rehabilitation in rural and remote settings: The opinions, attitudes and concerns of health care professionals.

OBJECTIVE: Pulmonary rehabilitation is recommended for people with chronic lung disease however access remains limited in rural and remote settings. The aim of this project was to explore the perspectives of rural and remote health care professionals regarding the establishment and delivery of pulmonary rehabilitation. SETTING: Rural (NSW) and remote (NT) Australian healthcare settings. PARTICIPANTS: Health care professionals (n = 25) who attended a training program focussing on the delivery of pulmonary rehabilitation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Surveys with open written questions were completed by participants following the training program. Key informants also participated in face-to-face interviews. Thematic analysis was undertaken of data collected on participant opinions, attitudes and concerns regarding the establishment and delivery of pulmonary rehabilitation in their individual situation. RESULTS: Participating health care professionals (predominantly nurses and physiotherapists) identified a number of issues relating to establishing and delivering pulmonary rehabilitation; including staffing, time and case load constraints, patient and community attitudes, lack of professional knowledge and confidence and inability to ensure sustainability. The practicalities of delivering pulmonary rehabilitation, particularly exercise prescription and training, were also important concerns raised. CONCLUSIONS: Lack of health care professional staffing, knowledge and confidence were reported to be factors impacting the establishment and delivery of pulmonary rehabilitation. This study has facilitated a greater understanding of the issues surrounding the establishment and delivery of pulmonary rehabilitation in rural and remote settings. Further research is required to investigate the contribution of health professional training and associated factors to improving the availability and delivery of pulmonary rehabilitation in rural and remote settings.

Geographic disparities in pancreatic cancer survival in a southeastern safety-net academic medical center.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify the effects of race, measures of socioeconomic status and geographic residency status on pancreatic cancer survival time. DESIGN: Retrospective review. SETTING: A southeastern safety-net academic medical centre in the United States. PARTICIPANTS: The study population consisted of all patients who were diagnosed, referred to or treated at the medical centre between 2009 and 2012 (n = 245). To ensure completeness and accuracy of the data, follow-up treatment and survival information about the cases were collected from the Georgia Comprehensive Cancer Registry in 2013. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The odds of receiving first-course treatment (surgery, radiation or chemotherapy) and overall survival following a pancreatic cancer diagnosis. RESULTS: There were no observed differences in receipt of initial treatment; however, patients from low socioeconomic and rural areas had significant increase in risk of death compared to patients from affluent and urban areas. CONCLUSIONS: Results from this single site study suggests the significance of factors other than treatment differences that contribute to geographic disparities in mortality.

Integration in a nurse practitioner-led mental health service in rural Australia.

OBJECTIVE: Integration of mental health services is a prominent Australian mental health policy goal; however, there is little detail in the literature of how integrated mental health services are established or function. This study aimed to describe a nurse practitioner-led primary healthcare rural mental health service and evidence of how the service was integrated with other services and the community. DESIGN: This pragmatic exploratory study used case study methodology and analysed documents, quantitative data and qualitative data from individual and group semi-structured interviews and a 'stakeholder meeting'. The study was part of a formal evaluation of this nurse practitioner service. SETTING: Rural New South Wales. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-one service providers and stakeholders. INTERVENTIONS: Introduction of a nurse practitioner led mental health service. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Not applicable. RESULTS: Purposely sampled participants were interviewed. Documentary evidence included briefing notes, minutes and progress reports and provided important background information. Non-identifiable aggregated client data were analysed. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data produced a description of how and why the service was established, a description of the service and its impact and three analytic themes providing evidence of integration. Challenges to integrating this service are also discussed. CONCLUSIONS: The service was highly regarded. It addressed the drug and alcohol and mental health needs of a vulnerable rural community. The inception and implementation of the service were community driven, led by a number of agencies supported by a steering committee and underpinned by a Partnership Agreement. The service demonstrated key features of integration alongside experiencing challenges in optimising integration with acute mental health services.

Availability and Primary Health Care Orientation of Dementia-Related Services in Rural Saskatchewan, Canada.

Community-based services are important for improving outcomes for individuals with dementia and their caregivers. This study examined: (a) availability of rural dementia-related services in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, and (b) orientation of services toward six key attributes of primary health care (i.e., information/education, accessibility, population orientation, coordinated care, comprehensiveness, quality of care). Data were collected from 71 rural Home Care Assessors via cross-sectional survey. Basic health services were available in most communities (e.g., pharmacists, family physicians, palliative care, adult day programs, home care, long-term care facilities). Dementia-specific services typically were unavailable (e.g., health promotion, counseling, caregiver support groups, transportation, week-end/night respite). Mean scores on the primary health care orientation scales were low (range 12.4 to 17.5/25). Specific services to address needs of rural individuals with dementia and their caregivers are limited in availability and fit with primary health care attributes.

Waiting for definitive care: An analysis of elapsed time from decision to surgery or transfer in a rural centre.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the timing of operative management and interhospital transfer of emergency general surgical patients in a regional setting. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: The surgical unit at a major rural referral centre for North-Eastern Victoria servicing a population of 90 000. PARTICIPANTS: General surgical patients (n = 649) admitted via the emergency department at Northeast Health Wangaratta between January 2011 and March 2013 undergoing operative management (n = 608) or transfer to a tertiary centre (n = 44). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Timing of operative management, using appendicectomy as a benchmark operation, was measured as time from presentation to decision to operate, time from decision to surgery, percentage after-hours operating and length of stay (LOS). Time to interhospital transfer was calculated and reasons for delay were sought. RESULTS: Two hundred forty-six appendicectomies were performed. Median time from decision to operate to theatre was 3 hours (interquartile range (IQR) 2-8), and total LOS was 43 hours (IQR: 28-56). Two hundred seventy-two procedures (43%) were performed out-of-hours, including 48% of appendicectomies. Median time from decision making to transfer was 10.3 hours (IQR: 4.7-25). Transfer was less likely to be delayed in trauma patients when compared with urgent non-trauma patients (5.3 versus 10.6 hours; P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Even in the absence of a strict four-hour rule program and a dedicated emergency surgical unit, main outcome measures appear to be comparatively efficient. However, the duration for transfer of patients is suboptimal because of the lack of established pathways for urgent non-trauma transfer from rural centres and bed availability in tertiary hospitals.

Rural experience for junior doctors: is it time to make it mandatory?

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether rural practice terms for junior doctors result in increased interest in rural practice and whether these terms improve learning experiences, clinical skills and insight into difficulties of rural practice. DESIGN: Semistructured, self-administered survey with questions on respondent demographics, clinical experience during rural practice terms, post-rural experience and personal opinion. SETTING: South East Queensland. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty junior doctors from three tertiary hospitals were approached. The response rate was 100%. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Exploration of junior doctors' rural term experience. RESULTS: Two thirds (67%) of the respondents reported feeling uncomfortable with respect to clinical practice requirements during their rural terms. Half (47%) performed procedures they had only previously performed in simulation environments, and the majority (87%) relied on textbooks or other resources on a daily basis. Two thirds (67%) changed aspects of their usual clinical practice while practising in a rural setting, and 80% reported a change in attitude towards the hardships faced by rural practitioners. The majority of the respondents (87%) enjoyed their rural term, gaining confidence as a result of it, and more than half (53%) reported considering working in rural areas in the future. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this survey suggest that junior doctors on rural rotations are required to perform at a clinical level higher than that required of them in metropolitan hospitals. While their clinical experience appears to result in a greater interest in future rural career possibilities for junior doctors, this survey highlights the requirement to improve support for junior doctors undertaking terms in rural areas.

Retrospective observational study of patients who present to Australian rural emergency departments with undifferentiated chest pain.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients who present to Australian rural emergency departments (EDs) with chest pain. DESIGN: Retrospective, observational study. SETTING: Rural EDs in Queensland, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Three hundred thirty-seven consecutive adult patients with undifferentiated chest pain who presented between 1 September 2013 and 30 November 2013. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Service indicators, discharge diagnoses and disposition. RESULTS: Presentations for undifferentiated chest pain represented 3.5% of all patient presentations during the sampling period. The mean age of patients was 48 years and 54% were male. Overall, 92% of patients left the ED within the 4-hour NEAT target. The majority of presentations were related to cardiac concerns (39%), followed by non-cardiac chest pain (17%), musculoskeletal (15%) and respiratory (10%) conditions. More than half of these patients were discharged at the completion of the ED service (52.8%), 40.6% were admitted, 3.3% left at own risk, 2.4% did not wait and less than 1% of patients required transfer to another hospital directly from the ED. CONCLUSIONS: This study has provided information on the characteristics and processes of care for patients presenting to Australian rural EDs with undifferentiated chest pain that will inform service planning and further research to evaluate the effectiveness of care for these patients.

What factors influence physiotherapy service provision in rural communities? A pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: To obtain stakeholder perspectives on factors influencing rural physiotherapy service provision and insights into decision making about service provision. DESIGN: Purposive sampling, open-ended survey questions and semi-structured interviews were used in this exploratory, qualitative study. SETTING: A rural centre and its regional referral centre formed the pilot sites. PARTICIPANTS: Nine participant perspectives were obtained on rural physiotherapy services. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Stakeholder perspectives on factors influencing rural physiotherapy service provision and service level decision making. RESULTS: Workforce capacity and capability, decision maker's knowledge of the role and scope of physiotherapy, consideration of physiotherapy within resource allocation decisions and proof of practice emerged as key issues. The latter three were particularly reflected in public sector participant comments. Business models and market size were identified factors in influencing private practice. CONCLUSION: Influencing factors described by participants both align and extend our understanding of issues described in the rural physiotherapy literature. Participant insights add depth and meaning to quantitative data by revealing impacts on local service provision. Available funding and facility priorities were key determinants of public sector physiotherapy service provision, with market size and business model appearing more influential in private practice. The level of self direction or choice about which services to provide, emerged as a point of difference between public and private providers. Decisions by public sector physiotherapists about service provision appear constrained by existing capacity and workload. Further research into service level decision making might provide valuable insights into rural health service delivery.