Sustainable Rural Healthcare Hubs action research to support integrated healthcare solutions in Northern Victoria
Monash Rural Health will evaluate the Sustainable Rural Healthcare Hubs trial program in northern Victoria, which will create Healthcare Hubs and trial new services and strategies that encourage doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals to live and work in rural areas over the longer term.
The Sustainable Rural Healthcare Hubs trial is being delivered by a health service partnership called the Integrated Health Network Alliance which includes Northern District Community Health as the lead, working in collaboration with Murray PHN, Inglewood & Districts Health Service, Boort District Health Service and East Wimmera Health Service. The trial is being evaluated by Monash Rural Health and will run till 2027, thanks to funds from the Australian Government Innovative Model of Care Grant program.
With the challenges of attracting doctors and health workers to rural communities, it can be difficult to give rural people the services they need in their regions. Through the coordination of patients, health services and health professionals, the Sustainable Rural Healthcare Hubs program aims to build sustainable solutions that make service provision a viable proposition in rural areas, as Helen Cronin from Northern District Community Health explains.
Pictured: Kylie Shanahan from Monash Rural Health with Helen Cronin From Northern District Community Health and Dr Pam Harvey from Monash Rural Health
“We are trying to pool health workforce capacity across the Buloke, Loddon and Gannawarra shires to try and meet the needs of people with chronic disease or complex health needs and provide care close to home.”
Health needs in these regions include chronic conditions like diabetes, heart, respiratory, mental and oral health, and other needs associated with an ageing population. Currently, patients in these communities often have to travel away from homes to get the care they need. This is costly and can be stressful and demanding for people and their families. This project hopes to address some of these challenges.
“The idea is to make it attractive to recruit as well, because if you try and recruit someone for one day a fortnight, it is not attractive. So it’s about pooling resources for patient care across the regions but also about employment, because the workforce is such a big part of this,” said Helen Cronin.
Hubs will begin in Kerang, Quambatook, Pyramid Hill and Boort in a collaboration between a variety of health services and professionals which can provide better access and continuity of care for local communities. Starting one day per fortnight, per Hub, services will be provided onsite, via phone and video and into residential aged care homes, urgent care centres and schools.
The Hubs plans to increase local workforce recruitment and learning opportunities by welcoming medical, nursing and allied health students and assisting other team members to gain additional skills and expertise. Research and evaluation play a pivotal role in shaping the trial as it moves forward.
Monash Rural Health’s Dr Pam Harvey, who is leading the research component of the project, supported by research officer Kirsten Shanahan, is excited about the project and the possibilities it represents.
“Research and evaluation will form an integral part of the Healthcare Hubs trial and as the model grows and expands, it is hoped that this will create a blueprint for other regional areas experiencing similar issues.”