ORCID Profile
0000-0002-2851-6450
Current Organisation
Deakin University
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Publisher: Wiley
Date: 26-08-2022
DOI: 10.1111/AJR.12911
Abstract: To explore participant experiences of an online co‐design process to develop a web‐based preventative mental health and well‐being intervention targeting primary producers in rural Australia. Rural Victoria, Australia. Participants from a primary producer background, including horticulture, fisheries, animal cultivation and farm consultancy, were eligible for the study if they had participated in both the co‐design and beta testing processes for a primary producer platform. A qualitative study using semi‐structured phone‐based interviews was undertaken. A reflexive inductive approach to data analysis was employed to develop themes. Eleven participants were interviewed, with an average age of 51 years, of which 7 were female. Five main themes were developed. These included: (1) participant ersity, (2) impact of online delivery on co‐design participation, (3) experiences of the co‐design process, (4) maintaining a shared vision and goals and (5) acting on the co‐design recommendations. Use of online methods was a clear enabler to engage participants who were geographically dispersed and offers an alternative to more conventional approaches to co‐design using face‐to‐face methods. Some aspects of participant engagement may need a greater focus when conducted online compared with face‐to‐face. Using an online co‐design method to develop a preventative mental health and well‐being web‐based platform for primary producers was novel. Findings address a gap in the literature around the experience of participants engaging in a co‐design process and identify opportunities to improve participant engagement and experience with the online format.
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 05-2019
DOI: 10.1136/BMJOPEN-2018-027327
Abstract: Patients are a valuable source of information about ways to prevent harm in healthcare, and can provide feedback about the factors that contribute to safety incidents. The Primary Care Patient Measure of Safety (PC PMOS) is a novel and validated tool that captures patient feedback on safety and can be used by primary care practice teams to identify and prevent safety incidents. The aim of this study is to assess the feasibility of PC PMOS as a tool for data-driven safety improvement and monitoring in Australian primary care. Feasibility will be assessed using a mixed-methods approach to understand the enablers, barriers, acceptability, practicability, intervention fidelity and scalability of C PMOS as a tool for safety improvement across six primary care practices in the south-west region of Victoria. Patients over the age of 18 years attending their primary care practice will be invited to complete the PC PMOS when presenting for an appointment. Staff members at each practice will form a safety improvement team. Staff will then use the patient feedback to develop and implement specific safety interventions over a 6-month period. Data collection methods during the intervention period includes audio recordings of staff meetings, overt observations at training and education workshops, reflexive researcher insights, document collection and review. Data collection postintervention includes patient completion of the PC PMOS and semistructured interviews with staff. Triangulation and thematic analysis techniques will be employed to analyse the qualitative and content data. Analysis methods will use current evidence and models of healthcare culture, safety improvement and patient involvement in safety to inform the findings. Ethics approval was granted by Deakin University Human Ethics Advisory Group, Faculty of Health (HEAG-H 175_2017). Study results will be disseminated through local and international conferences and peer-reviewed publications.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 04-10-2023
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 14-08-2023
DOI: 10.1071/AH23098
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 12-2018
DOI: 10.11124/JBISRIR-2017-003833
Abstract: The question of this review is: Which locations in Australia have chronic disease programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adult populations in the primary healthcare context been evaluated? Specific objectives are to:
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 25-11-2021
DOI: 10.1071/AH21234
Abstract: The Australian Government responded promptly to the need for minimising patient–clinician contact in the primary care setting during COVID-19 by introducing new funding for telehealth services as part of the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS). Funding for both telephone and videoconferencing provided primary care organisations, including Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations (ACCHOs), with the ability to continue meeting the healthcare needs of their Communities, particularly given that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples were identified as susceptible to COVID-19. This perspective considers the need for proactive changes to the MBS to support the delivery of culturally appropriate primary healthcare services, including by mobile clinics, to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples by ACCHOs beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
Publisher: BMJ
Date: 06-2020
DOI: 10.1136/BMJOPEN-2020-037887
Abstract: Patient involvement in safety improvement is a developing area of research. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of a patient feedback on safety intervention in primary care. Specifically, the intervention acceptability, fidelity, implementation enablers and barriers, scalability, and process of systematically collecting safety data were examined. Mixed-methods feasibility trial with six purposively selected Australian primary care practices. The intervention comprised an iterative process with a cycle of measurement, learning, feedback, action planning and implementation period of 6 months. Qualitative and quantitative data relating to feasibility measures (acceptability, fidelity, enablers, barriers, scalability and process of collecting safety data) were collected and analysed. A total of n=1750 patients provided feedback on safety. There was a statistically significant increase in mean patient safety scores indicating improved safety (4.30–4.37, p=0.002). Staff deemed the intervention acceptable, with minor recommendations for improvement. Intervention fidelity was high and implementation enablers were attributed to the intervention structure and framework, use of intuitive problem-solving approaches, and multidisciplinary team involvement. Practice-based safety interventions resulted in sustainable and measurable changes to systems for safety, such as increased access to care and improved patient information accuracy. The findings indicate that this innovative patient feedback on safety intervention is feasible for scale-up to a larger effectiveness trial and further spread into policy and practice. This intervention complements existing safety improvement strategies and activities, and integrates into current patient feedback service requirements for Australian primary care. Further research is needed to examine the intervention effects on safety incident reduction.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2021
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2023
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-11-2020
DOI: 10.1186/S12939-020-01306-0
Abstract: Mobile clinics have been used to deliver primary health care to populations that otherwise experience difficulty in accessing services. Indigenous populations in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States experience greater health inequities than non-Indigenous populations. There is increasing support for Indigenous-governed and culturally accessible primary health care services which meet the needs of Indigenous populations. There is some support for primary health care mobile clinics implemented specifically for Indigenous populations to improve health service accessibility. The purpose of this review is to scope the literature for evidence of mobile primary health care clinics implemented specifically for Indigenous populations in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States. This review was undertaken using the Joanna Brigg Institute (JBI) scoping review methodology. Review objectives, inclusion criteria and methods were specified in advance and documented in a published protocol. The search included five academic databases and an extensive search of the grey literature. The search resulted in 1350 unique citations, with 91 of these citations retrieved from the grey literature and targeted organisational websites. Title, abstract and full-text screening was conducted independently by two reviewers, with 123 citations undergoing full text review. Of these, 39 citations discussing 25 mobile clinics, met the inclusion criteria. An additional 14 citations were snowballed from a review of the reference lists of included citations. Of these 25 mobile clinics, the majority were implemented in Australia ( n = 14), followed by United States ( n = 6) and Canada ( n = 5). No primary health mobile clinics specifically for Indigenous people in New Zealand were retrieved. There was a pattern of declining locations serviced by mobile clinics with an increasing population. Furthermore, only 13 mobile clinics had some form of evaluation. This review identifies geographical gaps in the implementation of primary health care mobile clinics for Indigenous populations in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States. There is a paucity of evaluations supporting the use of mobile clinics for Indigenous populations and a need for organisations implementing mobile clinics specifically for Indigenous populations to share their experiences. Engaging with the perspectives of Indigenous people accessing mobile clinic services is imperative to future evaluations. The protocol for this review has been peer-reviewed and published in JBI Evidence Synthesis (doi: 10.11124/JBISRIR-D-19-00057).
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 17-08-2023
Abstract: Access to health care is a universal human right and key indicator of health system performance. Spatial access encompasses geographic factors mediating with the accessibility and availability of health services. Equity of health service access is a global issue, which includes access to the specialized nursing workforce. Nursing research applying spatial methods is in its infancy. Given the use of spatial methods in health research is a rapidly developing field, it is timely to provide guidance to inspire greater application in cardiovascular research. Therefore, the objective of this methods paper is to provide an overview of spatial analysis methods to measure the accessibility and availability of health services, when to consider applying spatial methods, and steps to consider for application in cardiovascular nursing research.
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Date: 24-09-2019
Publisher: American Chemical Society (ACS)
Date: 25-01-2023
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 13-11-2021
DOI: 10.5694/MJA2.51344
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 27-01-2022
Abstract: Redressing the maldistribution of the health workforce in regional, rural, and remote geographical areas is a global issue and crucial to improving the accessibility of primary health care and specialist services. Geographical classification systems are important as they provide an objective and quantifiable measure of access and can have direct policy relevance, yet they are not always consistently applied in rural health research. It is unclear how research focusing on the graduate health workforce in Australia has described, measured, and analyzed place of practice. To examine approaches used, this review systematically scopes Australian rural studies focusing on dentistry, medicine, nursing, and allied health graduates that have included place of practice as an outcome measure. The Joanna Brigg’s Institute Scoping Review Methodology was used to guide the review. Database searches retrieved 1130 unique citations, which were screened, resulting in 62 studies for inclusion. Included studies were observational, with most focusing on the practice locations of medical graduates and predicators of rural practice. Variations in the use of geographical classification approaches to define rurality were identified and included the use of systems that no longer have policy relevance, as well as adaptations of existing systems that make future comparisons between studies challenging. It is recommended that research examining the geographical distribution of the rural health workforce use uniform definitions of rurality that are aligned with current government policy.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 08-07-2021
DOI: 10.1177/10497323211028829
Abstract: Developing safety interventions using patient feedback is valuable for creating safer systems of health care. A qualitative process evaluation of a patient feedback on safety intervention was undertaken in six primary care practices. The purpose was to theorize factors mediating with the implementation of the intervention using existing theories. The intervention required practices to obtain patient feedback on safety using a validated tool and respond using quality improvement methods. Multiple methods of qualitative data collection were used, including interviews and overt observation. Abductive reasoning informed the iterative process of analysis that examined theories relevant to the intervention and setting. A theoretical framework was developed, which encompassed mediating factors grouped under three concepts: practice readiness, utilization of problem-solving skills, and agency. Theorizing mediating factors was necessary to understand the complexities of primary care practices, and to identify the essential components for implementation of the intervention on a larger scale.
Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Date: 15-12-2020
Abstract: he COVID-19 pandemic has required widespread and rapid adoption of information and communications technology (ICT) platforms by health professionals. Transitioning health programs from face-to-face to remote delivery using ICT platforms has introduced new challenges. he objective of this review is to scope for ICT-delivered health programs implemented within the community health setting in high-income countries and rapidly disseminate findings to health professionals. he Joanna Briggs Institute’s scoping review methodology guided the review of the literature. he search retrieved 7110 unique citations. Each title and abstract was screened by at least two reviewers, resulting in 399 citations for full-text review. Of these 399 citations, 72 (18%) were included. An additional 27 citations were identified through reviewing the reference lists of the included studies, resulting in 99 citations. Citations examined 83 ICT-delivered programs from 19 high-income countries. Variations in program design, ICT platforms, research design, and outcomes were evident. ncluded programs and research were heterogeneous, addressing prevalent chronic diseases. Evidence was retrieved for the effectiveness of nurse and allied health ICT-delivered programs. Findings indicated that outcomes for participants receiving ICT-delivered programs, when compared with participants receiving in-person programs, were either equivalent or better. Gaps included a paucity of co-designed programs, qualitative research around group programs, programs for patients and carers, and evaluation of cost-effectiveness. During COVID-19 and beyond, health professionals in the community health setting are encouraged to build on existing knowledge and address evidence gaps by developing and evaluating innovative ICT-delivered programs in collaboration with consumers and carers.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 15-10-2018
Abstract: Activity monitoring devices are currently being used to facilitate and monitor physical activity. No prior review has examined adherence to the use of activity monitoring devices amongst adults with cardiovascular disease. Literature from June 2012 to October 2017 was evaluated to examine the extent of adherence to any activity monitoring device used to collect objective physical activity data. Randomized control trials comparing usual care against the use of an activity monitoring device, in a community intervention for adults from any cardiovascular diagnostic group, were included. A systematic search of databases and clinical trials registers was conducted using Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. Of 10 eligible studies, two studies reported pedometer use and eight accelerometer use. Six studies addressed the primary outcome. Mean adherence was 59.1% (range 39.6% to 85.7%) at last follow-up. Studies lacked equal representation by gender (28.6% female) and age (range 42 to 82 years). This review indicates that current research on activity monitoring devices may be overstated due to the variability in adherence. Results showed that physical activity tracking in women and in young adults have been understudied.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-10-2023
DOI: 10.1111/AJR.13048
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 19-05-2022
DOI: 10.1186/S12909-022-03406-7
Abstract: Research capacity building (RCB) initiatives have gained steady momentum in health settings across the globe to reduce the gap between research evidence and health practice and policy. RCB strategies are typically multidimensional, comprising several initiatives targeted at different levels within health organisations. Research education and training is a mainstay strategy targeted at the in idual level and yet, the evidence for research education in health settings is unclear. This review scopes the literature on research education programs for nurses and allied health professionals, delivered and evaluated in healthcare settings in high-income countries. The review was conducted systematically in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review methodology. Eleven academic databases and numerous grey literature platforms were searched. Data were extracted from the included full texts in accordance with the aims of the scoping review. A narrative approach was used to synthesise findings. Program characteristics, approaches to program evaluation and the outcomes reported were extracted and summarised. Database searches for peer-reviewed and grey literature yielded 12,457 unique records. Following abstract and title screening, 207 full texts were reviewed. Of these, 60 records were included. Nine additional records were identified on forward and backward citation searching for the included records, resulting in a total of 69 papers describing 68 research education programs. Research education programs were implemented in fourteen different high-income countries over five decades. Programs were multifaceted, often encompassed experiential learning, with half including a mentoring component. Outcome measures largely reflected lower levels of Barr and colleagues’ modified Kirkpatrick educational outcomes typology (e.g., satisfaction, improved research knowledge and confidence), with few evaluated objectively using traditional research milestones (e.g., protocol completion, manuscript preparation, poster, conference presentation). Few programs were evaluated using organisational and practice outcomes. Overall, evaluation methods were poorly described. Research education remains a key strategy to build research capacity for nurses and allied health professionals working in healthcare settings. Evaluation of research education programs needs to be rigorous and, although targeted at the in idual, must consider longer-term and broader organisation-level outcomes and impacts. Examining this is critical to improving clinician-led health research and the translation of research into clinical practice.
Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc.
Date: 09-03-2022
DOI: 10.2196/26515
Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has required widespread and rapid adoption of information and communications technology (ICT) platforms by health professionals. Transitioning health programs from face-to-face to remote delivery using ICT platforms has introduced new challenges. The objective of this review is to scope for ICT-delivered health programs implemented within the community health setting in high-income countries and rapidly disseminate findings to health professionals. The Joanna Briggs Institute’s scoping review methodology guided the review of the literature. The search retrieved 7110 unique citations. Each title and abstract was screened by at least two reviewers, resulting in 399 citations for full-text review. Of these 399 citations, 72 (18%) were included. An additional 27 citations were identified through reviewing the reference lists of the included studies, resulting in 99 citations. Citations examined 83 ICT-delivered programs from 19 high-income countries. Variations in program design, ICT platforms, research design, and outcomes were evident. Included programs and research were heterogeneous, addressing prevalent chronic diseases. Evidence was retrieved for the effectiveness of nurse and allied health ICT-delivered programs. Findings indicated that outcomes for participants receiving ICT-delivered programs, when compared with participants receiving in-person programs, were either equivalent or better. Gaps included a paucity of co-designed programs, qualitative research around group programs, programs for patients and carers, and evaluation of cost-effectiveness. During COVID-19 and beyond, health professionals in the community health setting are encouraged to build on existing knowledge and address evidence gaps by developing and evaluating innovative ICT-delivered programs in collaboration with consumers and carers.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 19-03-2021
DOI: 10.1186/S12913-021-06267-W
Abstract: Medication-related errors are one of the most frequently reported incidents in hospitals. With the aim of reducing the medication error rate, a Partnered Pharmacist Medication Charting (PPMC) model was trialled in seven Australian hospitals from 2016 to 2017. Participating pharmacists completed a credentialing program to equip them with skills to participate in the trial as a medication-charting pharmacist. Skills included obtaining a comprehensive medication history to chart pre-admission medications in collaboration with an admitting medical officer. The program involved both theoretical and practical components to assess the competency of pharmacists. A qualitative evaluation of the multi-site PPMC implementation trial was undertaken. Pharmacists and key informants involved in the trial participated in an interview or focus group session to share their experiences and attitudes regarding the PPMC credentialing program. An interview schedule was used to guide sessions. Transcripts were analysed using a pragmatic inductive-deductive thematic approach. A total of 125 participants were involved in interviews or focus groups during early and late implementation data collection periods. Three themes pertaining to the PPMC credentialing program were identified: (1) credentialing as an upskilling opportunity, (2) identifying the essential components of credentialing, and (3) implementing and sustaining the PPMC credentialing program. The PPMC credentialing program provided pharmacists with an opportunity to expand their scope of practice and consolidate clinical knowledge. Local adaptations to the PPMC credentialing program enabled pharmacists to meet the varying needs and capacities of hospitals, including the policies and procedures of different clinical settings. These findings highlight key issues to consider when implementation a credentialing program for pharmacists in the hospital setting.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 14-08-2019
Publisher: Rural and Remote Health
Date: 07-08-2018
DOI: 10.22605/RRH4616
No related grants have been discovered for Hannah Beks.