MBA621 Healthcare Systems Report 3 Sample

MBA621 Healthcare Systems Report 3

Assignment Brief

The purpose of this individual assessment is to holistically consider the key learnings throughout the subject and evaluate how current and emerging trends in digital health care technologies are being used and can be used to assist with many of the challenges facing the Australian health care sector.

Instructions

Australia is the 6th largest country by land mass in the world yet has only a population of just over 26 million people, most of whom are in urban environments. Despite Australia’s policy of providing universal and equal access to health care to its people, it continues to struggle with equity when it comes to rural and remote regions, many of which are populated by Indigenous Australians.

This assessment requires you to evaluate the role digital health care technologies, how they can help to address some of these gaps to the benefit of all stakeholders.

Areas covered in your report should include:

1. A Cover page

2. An Executive summary

3. A Table of Contents

4. An overview of the current health care challenges in providing quality care and service provision for rural and remote Australians.

5. A critical discussion on the current digital health care technologies available for rural and remote communities.

6. Discuss the ethical issues related to the use of digital health care technologies for rural and remote regions, including those who identify as Indigenous
Australians.

7. Identify the key rural and remote stakeholders involved and the benefits they receive using digital health care technologies.

8. A conclusion

9. References.

You are required to use at least 10 sources of information and reference these in accordance with the Kaplan Harvard Referencing Style. These may include websites, government publications, industry reports, census data, journal articles, and newspaper articles.

Solution

An overview of the current healthcare challenges in providing quality care and service provision for rural and remote Australians

About 72% of the population lives in major cities in Australia, the remaining population equates to 7 million people living in remote or regional areas (Abs, 2023). In terms of delivering healthcare to the population of rural and remote areas, Australia has its own set of problems, the major ones being geographical considerations, scarcity of healthcare resources, and poor access to adequate facilities. Chronic diseases including diabetes and cardiovascular diseases are even more prevalent in these regions but access to general practitioners and specialists is very limited in the rural areas. The absence of transportation, financial problems, and, specifically, high rates of fatigue due to long travel make it difficult to receive proper care (Baazeem et al. 2024, p1).

There are cultural misconceptions, inadequate English proficiency and a limited number of indigenous healthcare practitioners. Unfortunately, health-related issues are worsened by factors such as low income and education level. Low-educated people are usually on a poor health trend. Loyal and trained healthcare workers (HCWs) are not retained in their early careers, hence HCWs are frequently rotated. So, there is inadequate workforce planning leading to fluctuations in the quality of care delivered in Australia's remote and rural areas.

Mental health service utilisation is limited and inequalities are observed in regions for perinatal care and cancer care. Thus, utilisation of spatial analysis has helped recognise service deficits, by which these disparities could be righted and healthcare delivery made more equitable to improve a lot of rural Australians.
Apart from the geographic and workforce barriers, rural and remote Australians have poor access to health care due to poor clinical governance and poor healthcare facilities. The high incidence of chronic diseases coupled with delayed and disjointed care results in poor health. Services offered include mental health where patients experience poor access as a result of long-distance, high costs, and scarcity of personnel (Baazeem et al. 2024, p 3). Indigenous people also face improper care and a deficit of Indigenous health workers and professionals. Policy implementation tends to be ineffective because it rarely involves the bottom-up approach or localised solutions thus resulting in limited policy support for a community. Aspects such as these require integrated, community-based and culturally appropriate models of care.

Figure 1: Potentially avoidable death
(Source: Aihw, 2024)

As per the data, around 16% of deaths in Australia were potentially avoidable by providing primary care and hospital care. Improvement of cancer screening, and transport accidents increased as remoteness increased in Australia for MBA assignment expert In very remote areas of Australia among 100,000 deaths of males around 273 deaths can be avoidable (Aihw, 2024). Therefore, the challenges in the healthcare practice are reflected and the urgency to improve the overall caregiving process is also analysed.

Critical analysis of current digital healthcare technologies in rural and remote communities

The integration of digital healthcare technologies is significant in managing geographical isolation and workforce shortages in the healthcare sector. The use of telecommunications technology helps to deliver healthcare in remote areas of Australia. Telehealth expanded during the pandemic to provide access to patients for general practitioners and mental health services (Khanal et al., 2024). However, due to the infrastructure gaps, the rural areas are struggling to manage the consistency of service, and the lack of reliable high-speed internet poses a significant challenge for effective teleconsultations. Also, the cultural and linguistic barriers among Indigenous Australians hinder telehealth. The use of mobile health apps is increasing to monitor chronic conditions in rural areas. The use of mHealth applications enables patients to track symptoms and receive health advice to access emergency services through their smartphones. However, the efficiency of those apps is limited by digital literacy and access to smartphones in rural regions.

Remote monitoring technologies such as wearable devices and sensors are increasingly popular in rural populations in Australia to manage chronic disease. Blood glucose monitors, heart rate sensors, and oxygen level trackers enable patients to monitor their health conditions in real-time (El-Tallawy et al., 2024, p.15). The use of sensor devices helps to bridge the gap for rural communities. However, those technologies require regular data transmission which is interrupted by the poor telecommunications infrastructure in the rural areas. Additionally, electronic health records help centralise the information of patients in remote and rural areas. EHRs improve diagnosis accuracy but the system is often fragmented across different health services which creates difficulties in integrating patient data across multiple platforms.

Ethical issues with the use of digital health care technologies for rural and remote regions

The use of digital healthcare technologies in the rural and remote regions of Australia poses significant challenges, particularly for the population of Indigenous Australians. In the rural regions, many communities have limited access to reliable internet service. Mobile health services require effective infrastructure for access to digital health technologies. The lack of proper structure for healthcare resource distribution creates ethical concerns. Ethical healthcare provision needs to ensure equitable access to healthcare services to manage effectiveness (Abdul et al., 2024). The community of Indigenous Australians prefers face-to-face consultations, their cultural sensitivity to digital healthcare technologies leads to feelings of alienation and mistrust. Additionally, the issue of informed consent in digital health care creates significant ethical concerns, particularly in rural areas. Informed consent requires the understanding of individuals about the healthcare services but limited access to education or technology raises potential risks of data breaches or misuse of personal information (Nagappan et al., 2024, p. 8). Ethical healthcare systems struggle with the sustainability of health interventions due to the lack of adequate long-term support and continuity of care.

Key Stakeholders and Benefits of Digital Healthcare

In the remote and rural areas of Australia, several key groups benefit from using digital health technologies (Aihw, 2024). These groups include patients, local hospitals and local hospitals and government agencies. Each of these stakeholders experiences various advantages when using digital health tools such as mobile health applications, telehealth, and electronic medical records.

Table 1: Key stakeholders
(Source: Self-created)

Patients

Patients in rural and remote regions face issues such as long travel distances to see a doctor or limited access to healthcare services. Digital health tools, such as telehealth allow them to consult with the doctors from their homes. According to the Australian report, around a 28% increase in telehealth usage, specifically after the pandemic, with millions of consultations conducted virtually (health.gov, 2022). This decreases the travel cost, time, and stress of visiting faraway clinics. Patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease can also use health monitoring applications that allow them to track their health regulatory support.

Figure 2: Healthcare access in rural areas
(Source: Aihw, 2024)

Digital healthcare technologies help stakeholders mitigate Australia's $6.5 billion rural healthcare deficit, improve access for over 7 million people, reduce individual costs by nearly $850 annually, and enhance overall health outcomes. The rural industries contribute over $500 billion to the global economy, showcasing the basic need for a national Rural health strategy (health.gov, 2022).

Healthcare Provider

Nurses, doctors, and specialists who work in rural areas benefit greatly from digital healthcare tools. Telehealth enables them to consult specialists in the bigger cities and help them to make better diagnoses or plan treatments. As an example, a rural doctor can connect with a specialist to discuss a patient's case and allow them to offer higher-quality care (Kemp et al. 2021). Around 40% of healthcare providers have used telehealth to connect with other professionals or offer services to patients in remote regions (health.gov, 2022). This makes healthcare more efficient and decreases pressure on healthcare workers.

Local Hospitals and Clinics

In Australia, smaller hospitals and clinics in rural areas face a shortage of staff or equipment. The digital health technologies help to fill this gap. Moreover, electronic medical records make it easier for doctors to access patient histories to ensure better care and coordination. Around 55% of rural clinics have adopted EMRs, which has led to improved care quality (Statista 2024). Digital tools also help clinicians to manage medication schedules, appointments, and follow-ups more effectively.

Government and Health Agencies

Governmental bodies and other health agencies are vital stakeholders to promote digital health technologies. In the year 2021, the Australian government invested around $100 million to expand digital healthcare in rural areas, which indicates its commitment to improving rural healthcare infrastructure (Statista 2024).

Conclusion

The challenges in providing adequate health care in Australia are prevalent. All the barriers contribute to poor health outcomes, chronic disease expansion and increased death rates. The people who face cultural and logistical obstacles are also not getting critical healthcare solutions. The issues need to be addressed properly by improved workforce planning, innovative solution application and by providing culturally sensitive care. The spatial analysis helps to provide equitable healthcare access for all rural and remote residents. It can be concluded that digital healthcare technologies such as electronic medical records and telehealth are transforming rural healthcare in Australia to improve access to services, reduce travel costs, and develop care quality. With government investment and increasing adoption by healthcare, these technologies are helping to address the healthcare deficit and improve health outcomes for rural Australians. 

References

Abdul, S., Adeghe, E.P., Adegoke, B.O., Adegoke, A.A. and Udedeh, E.H., 2024. A review of the challenges and opportunities in implementing health informatics in rural healthcare settings. International Medical Science Research Journal, 4(5), pp.606-631. https://fepbl.com/index.php/imsrj/article/download/1158/1386

Abs, 2023. Australian Bureau of Statistics 2023, Remoteness Areas, Australian Government, Available at: https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/standards/australian-statistical-geography-standard-asgs-edition-3/jul2021-jun2026/remoteness-structure/remoteness-areas [Accessed on: 05-10-2024]

Aihw, 2024 Rural Australians missing out on $6.5 billion annually in health care access while coffers fill up with rural contributions Available at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/rural-remote-australians/rural-and-remote-health [Accessed on: 5.10.2024]

Aihw, 2024. Rural and remote health. Available at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/rural-remote-australians/rural-and-remote-health [Accessed on: 05-10-2024]
Baazeem, M., Kruger, E. and Tennant, M., 2024. ‘Current Status of Tertiary Healthcare Services and Its Accessibility in Rural and Remote Australia: A Systematic Review’. Health Sciences Review, p.100158.. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772632024000114#:~:text=The%20challenge%20of%20

healthcare%20delivery,medical%20experts%20in%20these%20areas.

El-Tallawy, S.N., Pergolizzi, J.V., Vasiliu-Feltes, I., Ahmed, R.S., LeQuang, J.K., Alzahrani, T., Varrassi, G., Awaleh, F.I., Alsubaie, A.T. and Nagiub, M.S., 2024. Innovative Applications of Telemedicine and Other Digital Health Solutions in Pain Management: A Literature Review. Pain and Therapy, pp.1-22. https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s40122-024-00620-7.pdf

health.gov, 2022 Australia’s Primary Health Care 10 Year Plan 2022–2032 Available at: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/australias-primary-health-care-10-year-plan-2022-2032 [Accessed on: 5.10.2024]

Kemp, E., Trigg, J., Beatty, L., Christensen, C., Dhillon, H. M., Maeder, A., ... & Koczwara, B. 2021. Health literacy, digital health literacy and the implementation of digital health technologies in cancer care: the need for a strategic approach. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 32, 104-114. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/hpja.387

Khanal, V., Shaw, T., Wills, E., Wakerman, J. and Russell, D.J., 2024. Co-design of digital health technologies in Australian First Nations communities. The Lancet Digital Health, 6(2), pp.1-1. https://researchers.cdu.edu.au/files/95607695/1_s2.0_S2589750023002510_main.pdf

Nagappan, A., Kalokairinou, L. and Wexler, A., 2024. Ethical issues in direct-to-consumer healthcare: A scoping review. PLOS Digital Health, 3(2), p.e0000452. https://journals.plos.org/digitalhealth/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pdig.0000452&type=printable

Statista 2024 Share of individuals who trust in the country's healthcare system Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/916919/australia-opinion-trust-healthcare-system/ [Accessed on: 5.10.2024]