Considerations for Training and Workforce Development to Enhance Rural and Remote Ophthalmology Practise in Australia: A Scoping Review

Kehinde Obamiro, Belinda Jessup, Penny Allen, Victoria Baker-Smith, Santosh Khanal and Tony Barnett
Additional contact information
Kehinde Obamiro: Centre for Rural Health, Newnham Campus, University of Tasmania, Launceston, TAS 7250, Australia
Belinda Jessup: Centre for Rural Health, Newnham Campus, University of Tasmania, Launceston, TAS 7250, Australia
Penny Allen: Rural Clinical School, Hospitals’ Campus, University of Tasmania, Brickport Road, Burnie, TAS 7320, Australia
Victoria Baker-Smith: The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists, 94-98 Chalmers Street, Surry Hills, NSW 2010, Australia
Santosh Khanal: The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists, 94-98 Chalmers Street, Surry Hills, NSW 2010, Australia
Tony Barnett: Centre for Rural Health, Newnham Campus, University of Tasmania, Launceston, TAS 7250, Australia

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 14, 1-31

Abstract: Australia has one of the lowest per capita numbers of ophthalmologists among OECD countries, and they predominantly practise in metropolitan centres of the country. Increasing the size and distribution of the ophthalmology workforce is of critical importance. The objective of this review was to investigate the context of rural ophthalmology training and practise in Australia and how they relate to future ophthalmology workforce development. This scoping review was informed by Arksey and O’Malley’s framework and the methodology described by Coloqhuon et al. The search yielded 428 articles, of which 261 were screened for eligibility. Following the screening, a total of 75 articles were included in the study. Themes identified relating to rural ophthalmology training and practise included: Indigenous eye health; access and utilisation of ophthalmology-related services; service delivery models for ophthalmic care; ophthalmology workforce demographics; and ophthalmology workforce education and training for rural and remote practise. With an anticipated undersupply and maldistribution of ophthalmologists in the coming decade, efforts to improve training must focus on how to build a sizeable, fit-for-purpose workforce to address eye health needs across Australia. More research focusing on ophthalmology workforce distribution is needed to help identify evidence-based solutions for workforce maldistribution. Several strategies to better prepare the future ophthalmology workforce for rural practise were identified, including incorporating telehealth into ophthalmology training settings; collaborating with other health workers, especially optometrists and specialist nurses in eyecare delivery; and exposing trainees to more patients of Indigenous background.

Keywords: ophthalmologists; recruitment; retention; workforce (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/14/8593/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/14/8593/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:14:p:8593-:d:862902

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().