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

Sinead Turner, Vivian Isaac and David Lim ()
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Sinead Turner: Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network, Berri, SA 5343, Australia
Vivian Isaac: School of Allied Health, Exercise and Sports Sciences, Faculty of Science and Health, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW 2640, Australia
David Lim: Translational Health Research Institute, School of Health Sciences, Western Sydney University, Campbelltown, NSW 2560, Australia

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 5, 1-10

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.

Keywords: rural health services; family physicians; primary healthcare; patient acuity; emergency medical services (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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