Emergency eye care in rural Australia: role of internet

Kumar, Satinder; Kanagasingam, Yogesan; Hudson, Beth; Tay‐Kearney, Mei‐Ling; Constable, Ian J.

doi:10.1038/sj.eye.6702104

Cited by 32 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 13 publications

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“…19,20 Pockets of electronic referral already exist within ophthalmology globally. 21,22 Furthermore, electronic referral has been shown to have lower startup costs than conventional services. 23 This may hold even greater benefit for developing countries and regions with geographically dispersed populations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using electronic referral with digital imaging between primary and secondary ophthalmic services: a long term prospective analysis of regional service redesign

Borooah

Grant

Blaikie

et al. 2012

Eye

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Purpose Demands on publicly funded ophthalmic services worldwide continue to increase with new treatments, waiting time targets, working time limits, and restricted budgets. These highlight the necessity to develop innovative ways of utilising existing capacity more effectively. Method A new regional, fully electronic ophthalmic-referral service with digital imaging was trialled using existing information-technology (IT) infrastructure.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using electronic referral with digital imaging between primary and secondary ophthalmic services: a long term prospective analysis of regional service redesign

Borooah

Grant

Blaikie

et al. 2012

Eye

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“…Community hospitals provide a wide range of services, across a broad spectrum of care provision, from preventative 38,39 and primary care 40,41 through to outpatient services, [42][43][44] inpatient medical care, 21,45 surgery, 46,47 minor injury care 48 and accident and emergency (A&E) care. 40,49 Within these broad areas, there was considerable diversity of the types of services provided, and a number of studies further reported on the implementation of new types and methods of service provision not previously available within the community hospital setting, such as point-of-care testing, 41 fracture clinics 50 or chemotherapy.…”

Section: Range Of Services Provided By Community Hospitalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Community hospitals and their services in the NHS: identifying transferable learning from international developments – scoping review, systematic review, country reports and case studies

Pitchforth

Nolte

Corbett

et al. 2017

Health Serv Deliv Res

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BackgroundThe notion of a community hospital in England is evolving from the traditional model of a local hospital staffed by general practitioners and nurses and serving mainly rural populations. Along with the diversification of models, there is a renewed policy interest in community hospitals and their potential to deliver integrated care. However, there is a need to better understand the role of different models of community hospitals within the wider health economy and an opportunity to learn from experiences of other countries to inform this potential.ObjectivesThis study sought to (1) define the nature and scope of service provision models that fit under the umbrella term ‘community hospital’ in the UK and other high-income countries, (2) analyse evidence of their effectiveness and efficiency, (3) explore the wider role and impact of community engagement in community hospitals, (4) understand how models in other countries operate and asses their role within the wider health-care system, and (5) identify the potential for community hospitals to perform an integrative role in the delivery of health and social care.MethodsA multimethod study including a scoping review of community hospital models, a linked systematic review of their effectiveness and efficiency, an analysis of experiences in Australia, Finland, Italy, Norway and Scotland, and case studies of four community hospitals in Finland, Italy and Scotland.ResultsThe evidence reviews found that community hospitals provide a diverse range of services, spanning primary, secondary and long-term care in geographical and health system contexts. They can offer an effective and efficient alternative to acute hospitals. Patient experience was frequently reported to be better at community hospitals, and the cost-effectiveness of some models was found to be similar to that of general hospitals, although evidence was limited. Evidence from other countries showed that community hospitals provide a wide spectrum of health services that lie on a continuum between serving a ‘geographic purpose’ and having a specific population focus, mainly older people. Structures continue to evolve as countries embark on major reforms to integrate health and social care. Case studies highlighted that it is important to consider local and national contexts when looking at how to transfer models across settings, how to overcome barriers to integration beyond location and how the community should be best represented.LimitationsThe use of a restricted definition may have excluded some relevant community hospital models, and the small number of countries and case studies included for comparison may limit the transferability of findings for England. Although this research provides detailed insights into community hospitals in five countries, it was not in its scope to include the perspective of patients in any depth.ConclusionsAt a time when emphasis is being placed on integrated and community-based care, community hospitals have the potential to assume a more strategic role in health-care delivery locally, providing care closer to people’s homes. There is a need for more research into the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of community hospitals, the role of the community and optimal staff profile(s).FundingThe National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery Research programme.

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“…Models of teleophthalmology services exist between Carnarvon in North West Australia, where clinics are run by nurses and Perth consultant ophthalmologists (Figure 7). Patients detected to have an urgent sight threatening problem in Carnarvon are sent by helicopter for emergency treatment in Perth (Kumar S et al, 2006). Access to emergency treatment in rural areas can often mean the difference between life and death.…”

Section: Tele-ophthalmology In Australiamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Access to emergency treatment in rural areas can often mean the difference between life and death. Internet-based technologies have the potential to provide earlier diagnosis and intervention, save lives and avoid unnecessary transfers from rural hospital emergency departments to urban hospitals (Kumar S et al, 2006) Benefits for rural healthcare staff in skills acquisition and education are also evident. There is a real need for ophthalmic emergency services in rural regional hospitals.…”

Section: Tele-ophthalmology In Australiamentioning

confidence: 99%