Measuring Performance in Allied Health Professional Role Substitution Models of Care: A Clinician Survey
Rumbidzai Mutsekwa1 1Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service, Southport, Qld, Australia2Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
Abstract
Objectives
To describe allied-health clinicians’ perceptions, practice, and experiences of healthcare performance measurement in professional role substitution models of care based on six domains of healthcare quality (effectiveness, safety, appropriateness, access & equity, continuity of care, and cost, efficiency, productivity & sustainability).
Methods
Data was collected via an online platform between 22 June -22 July 2022 using snowball sampling of allied-health clinicians who had been involved, or were interested in, the implementation and performance evaluation of professional role substitution models in Queensland, Australia. Clinicians answered 25 questions which consisted of demographic and targeted questions addressing study aims.
Results
A total of 102 clinicians accessed the survey, with 72 providing complete survey data. These represented eleven allied-health professions, working across twelve specialities in thirteen hospital and health services. Whilst most allied-health clinicians (93-100%) supported measuring performance in each of the six healthcare quality domains, only 26-58% were measuring these domains in practice. Allied-health leadership support (62.5%), clinician drive (62.5%), consumer engagement (50%) and medical support (46%) were enablers whilst a lack of resources (human, time, financial (47%), healthcare performance frameworks and/or policies (40%) were identified as barriers. Given the opportunity, clinicians would invest the most financial resources in digital solutions as a core strategy to improve performance measurement.
Conclusions
Allied-health professionals expressed strong support for principles of performance measurement, however in practice performance measurement it is still in its infancy. Organisational strategies can maximise the drivers and enablers whilst addressing barriers identified to improve performance measurement in these models of care.
Biography
Rumbi is an advanced gastroenterology dietitian, with a second passion in health services research. She has led impactful service development and research in allied-health extended scope of practice within gastroenterology which has received a lot of national and international interest. The research group has been awarded over $ 500 000 worth of competitive research and service development grants. Rumbi is currently enrolled in a PhD through the School of Medicine and Centre of Applied Health Economics at Griffith University where her team are investigating how we determine the value and measure performance of non-medical professional role substitution models of care.