Evaluation of a training program for device operators in the Australian Government's Point of Care Testing in General Practice Trial: issues and implications for rural and remote practices

Mark Shephard

qualifications: PhD

contribution: original concept, wrote the first draft, designed the project

position: Director and senior research fellow

Australia

Professor Mark Shephard OAM, BSc (Hons), MSc, MAIMS, MAACB, FFSc (RCPA), PhD is Director of the Flinders University International Centre for Point-of-Care Testing. He is Program Manager of the international ACE (Analytical and Clinical Excellence) Point-of-Care Testing Program for diabetes management which is now operating in 7 countries, and is the Course Co-ordinator for the Centre's Graduate Certificate in Global Point-of-Care Testing, which is the first postgraduate academic qualification in the field of point-of-care testing. Within Australia, Mark is Program Manager of the largest national point-of-care testing field network, called QAAMS (Quality Assurance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Medical Services), which delivers point-of-care testing for diabetes management in over 175 Aboriginal medical services. He is also Chair of the Management Committee of the Northern Territory Point-of-Care Testing Program, in which point-of-care testing for acute and chronic diseases is conducted in 35 remote health centres in the Territory. Mark is a Chief Investigator on a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)-funded randomised trial of point-of-care testing for chlamydia and gonorrhoea in remote Australian Aboriginal communities called TTANGO (Test, Treat and Go). Mark was one of seven Chief Investigators of the Centre of Clinical Research Excellence (CCRE) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health (2003-2008). His unit was also one of the three lead organisations charged with the delivery of the Australian Government's Point-of-Care Testing in General Practice Trial, which involved 53 general practices and just under 5000 patients with chronic disease (2005-2007). Mark has the unique dual honour of being the recipient of (i) the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2006 Queen's Birthday Australian honours list and (ii) an Australian of the Year Award in 2004. These awards primarily acknowledged Mark's work in Point-of-Care Testing. In 2009, Mark was the recipient of a Distinguished Alumni Award from Flinders University, which recognised his significant contributions to the improvement of Aboriginal health in Australia and his services to the University. In 2011, Mark was elected as a Founding Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia's (RCPA) Faculty of Science. Mark has also served as Chair of the Australasian Association of Clinical Biochemists (AACB) Point of Care Testing Working Party (2004-5). Since 2010, he has been Co-Chair of the Australian Institute of Medical Scientists (AIMS) Working Committee on Point-of-Care Testing for Infectious Disease and Drugs of Abuse. In 2013 Mark was appointed Chair of the WONCA (World Organisation of Family Doctors) Special Interest Group on Global Point-of-Care Testing.

Beryl Mazzachi

qualifications: MSc

contribution: statistical analysis, contributed to drafts

position: Medical scientist

Australia

Beryl Mazzachi worked as a Medical Scientist at Flinders Medical Centre for 25 years, where she specialised in the development and evaluation of methods and the scientific assessment of medical laboratory instruments for pathology tests. In 2002, she moved to the Community Point-of-Care Services unit at the Flinders University Rural Clinical School to work as a senior scientist on several community-based point-of-care testing programs including the Point-of-Care in Aboriginal Hands Program, the Diabetes Management Along the Mallee Track Program and the Point-of-Care Testing Trial in General Practice in Australia. Her main functions in these programs include assisting with the point-of-care training of Aboriginal Health Workers, quality and data management, and scientific validation of point-of-care testing instruments.

Les Watkinson

qualifications: MAACB

contribution: contributed to drafts

position: Operations manager

Anne Shephard

qualifications: BSc(Hons)

contribution: contributed to drafts

position: Research assistant

Australia

Anne worked as a research assistant at Flinders University for 18 years, where she specialised in the areas of cardiovascular medicine, brain function and gastroenterology. In 2003, she moved to the Community Point-of-Care Services unit at the Flinders University Rural Clinical School to work as a research assistant on several community-based point-of-care testing programs including the Point-of-Care in Aboriginal Hands Program, the Diabetes Management Along the Mallee Track Program and the Point-of-Care Testing Trial in General Practice in Australia. Her main functions in these programs include quality and data management, and scientific validation of point-of-care testing instruments.

Caroline Laurence

qualifications: PhD

contribution: contributed to drafts, Contributed data for Table 3

position: Senior research fellow

Australia

Caroline Laurence is a Senior Research Fellow based in the Discipline of General Practice at the University of Adelaide. She also works part time as Research and Development Manager at the Adelaide to Outback GP Training Program. She completed her PhD in 2008. Her reserch intersts include rural medical workforce, health policy, chronic disease management and primary health care.

Angela Gialamas

qualifications: BHSc

contribution: contributed to drafts

position: Research associate

Tanya Bubner

qualifications: GradDipHlthServMg

contribution: contributed to drafts

position: Research officer