Remote health solutions in Far East Gippsland: a mixed-method co-designed evaluation of health service availability in isolated communities

Introduction: Australian’s living in isolated communities are more likely to experience poorer health outcomes as a result of rurality. This paper provides a needs assessment of healthcare services in a geographically isolated region of Victoria, Australia.
Method: The research project employed a mixed-methods design. The study population consisted of community members of the isolated regions in Victoria, Australia. The incorporation of qualitative data added depth to the quantitative data, ensuring that voices of community members were adequately represented in the needs assessment. Data analysis was undertaken using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis techniques.
Results: Survey respondents from isolated regional locations highlighted the extended travel time and increasing wait times to see a medical practitioner, leading to a delay in seeking health care assistance. Respondents were less likely to have access to and use telehealth services yet highlighted the service as beneficial to isolated regions. Survey findings were supported by in-depth interviews, with participants stating access to care was difficult, providing place-based suggestions of services to remove barriers to care such as a virtual care model and mobile services visiting the isolated regions.
Conclusion: Access, use and facilitation of appropriate place-based healthcare within isolated Australia has the potential to increase wellbeing and enables residents to remain in regions that hold long historical and familial connections. By incorporating innovative technologies and models of care that have been evaluated across other isolated regions of Australia and globally, there is an opportunity to adapt existing models to conform to a post-COVID world.

Keywords: Australia, evaluation, feasibility, mixed methods, model of care, primary health, remote, rural, sustainability, telehealth.