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Characteristics of rural hospital services for people with dementia: Findings from the H ospital D ementia S ervices P roject
Author(s) -
Bail Kasia,
Hudson Charles,
Grealish Laurie,
Shan Kay,
Ehsen Saraah,
Peut Ann,
Gibson Diane,
Draper Brian,
Karmel Rosemary
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
australian journal of rural health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.48
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1440-1584
pISSN - 1038-5282
DOI - 10.1111/ajr.12041
Subject(s) - dementia , medicine , nursing , delirium , multidisciplinary approach , public health , service delivery framework , metropolitan area , public hospital , rural area , service (business) , family medicine , business , psychiatry , social science , disease , pathology , marketing , sociology
Objective To obtain information about aged care services in rural N ew S outh W ales public hospitals, and to describe key operational aspects of their service delivery models. Design A mixed methods design was used to combine data collected from: (i) a survey of public hospitals and (ii) qualitative site visits in a sample of eleven rural sites. Setting Rural public hospitals in NSW , A ustralia. Participants Qualitative data were collected from multidisciplinary clinicians, managers and community service providers who participated in site visits in 2010 and from surveys of NSW public hospitals in 2009/10 about aged care and dementia services. Results Survey and site visit findings demonstrated that rural hospitals have fewer secure beds for managing patients with disturbed behaviour due to dementia and delirium and fewer speciality aged care staff than metropolitan hospitals. Site visit participants also described how secure environments can aid care for people with dementia even in the absence of clinical specialists. Conclusion The care of people with dementia in rural hospitals is constrained by access to specialist aged care staff and the physical environment of the hospital. Clinicians are adept at maximising resources to manage diagnosis and transitions for people with dementia. Further understanding of how key operational aspects of clinical leadership and environmental modifications impact on a range of patient outcomes would be valuable.