Department Of Health And Ageing Research Articles

Validation of activated sludge plant performance for virus and protozoan reduction

Validation studies were undertaken at Adelaide metropolitan wastewater treatment plants to establish the actual log10 reduction values (LRVs) of pathogens (viruses and Cryptosporidium) across activated sludge plants (ASPs) as an alternative to accepting the default values attributed by the Department of Health and Ageing (DHA). Grab samples were collected across a 6-week period and assessed for pathogens (adenovirus and Cryptosporidium) and indicator microorganisms (sulphite-reducing clostridia and F-RNA bacteriophage). Through applying the validation process, the DHA has revised the default value for reduction of viruses with an increase from 0.5 log10 to 1 log10 while the value for protozoa remains at 0.5 log10 based on the combined data for a well-operated and maintained ASP. This provides the basis for considering further work at individual plants which may allow higher log credits to be obtained on a plant by plant basis.

Performance monitoring and transfusion QAP performance levels

This presentation will endeavour to provide an understanding of Performance Monitoring in Quality Assurance of Transfusion as measured by a project undertaken by the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) Quality Assurance Program (QAP) in 2012. In 2001 the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) sought proposals to undertake an evaluation of Australian pathology laboratory accreditation arrangements. Recommendations from the report were that (1) the DoHA and the Health Insurance Commission seek the cooperation of the RCPA QAP to establish explicit external quality assurance performance criteria and a mechanism for the RCPA QAP to identify relatively poorly performing laboratories; (2) RCPA QAP and other external quality assurance providers regularly submit to the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA) reports identifying laboratories that are poorly performing according to these agreed performance criteria. The review process included establishment of a methodology/scoring system; a retrospective data analysis; establishment of criteria for acceptable performance based on the retrospective data analysis and reasonable expectations for completing a corrective action. Information and results from QAP surveys was used to assess individual participant data against established criteria to provide laboratories of an objective measure of their performance relative to their peers whilst meeting the needs of the performance review process.

The Australian Clinical Dosimetry Service: a commentary on the first 18 months

The Australian Clinical Dosimetry Service, ACDS, is a voluntary national auditing service for radiotherapy centers. Provided free of charge the ACDS is now little over one and a half years old. While an independent audit service has been desired by the radiotherapy professions, (Radiation Oncology, Medical Physics and Radiotherapy) for a few decades, the dosimetry incidents at Adelaide and Coffs Harbor stimulated all levels of government in Australia. While not very significant in comparison to international incidents, they were important in convincing the Government to act. One outcome was a formal agreement for the Australian Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA), to fund a 3 year trial program of an Australia-wide radiotherapy dosimetry audit program. In 2010, the Australian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with DoHA to establish the auditing service (ACDS). This article is intended to be the first of an annual communication from the ACDS to the radiotherapy professions informing them about the methods and rationale behind the ACDS’ actions. This article focuses on the initial setup of the ACDS, the design of the audit structure, discussion points arising from the audits performed so far and our immediate goals. It is also an invitation for comment and discussion about the ACDS procedures and function, and its future. In February 2011, the Australian government formally launched the Australian Clinical Dosimetry Service, a radiotherapy auditing service unique in its scope, oversight and assessment: Scope Over an initial three year trial period dosimetric audits will be provided free of charge to all public and private radiotherapy providers in Australia. Participation is voluntary. Over the 3 years, the ACDS must develop a three level audit program and capture 80 % of the existing Linacs in Australia and at least 50 % of all new Linac installations.

The Mismatch between Australian Population and General Practice Medical Workforce

Aims: To review and analyse Australian general practitioner’s workforce data for the 2000 to 2010 period by comparing this to Australian population trends and to make informed recommendations about GP workforce planning. Study Design: Descriptive analysis of the available Australian government data on GP workforce and the Australian population between 2000 and 2010. Place and Duration of Study: Griffith University, Australia, between April and November 2011. Methodology: Australian GP workforce data for the 2000 to 2010 period was obtained from the Australian Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) website and population data was obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics website. A descriptive analysis of workforce trends using variables of interests such as overseas trained GPs, gender, age,

The importance of a One Health approach to public health and food security in Australia – a perspective from the Chief Medical Officer

I have had the privilege of being Australia?s Chief Medical Officer for the past 18 months, which has given me a unique perspective on a range of health-related matters. My role is to provide advice to the Minister and the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) including input to the development and administration of major health reforms for all Australians and ensuring the development of evidence-based public health policy. I am responsible for the DoHA?s Office of Health Protection and I chair the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee which advises and makes recommendation to the Australian Health Ministers? Advisory Council on national approaches to public health emergencies, communicable disease threats and environmental threats to public health.

Advanced forensic pathology: quiz

This will be a quiz session using the audience response keypads that have been funded by the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) through the provision of Specialist Training Programme (STP) grants by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA). This will allow anonymous answers to be collected and informative feedback provided for each question as the quiz progresses.

Determining a threshold hospital size for the application of activity-based funding

Under the Heads of Agreement – National Health Reform, reached at the Council of Australian Governments’ meeting on 13th February 2011, the Australian and State/Territory Governments agreed to establish a national approach to activity-based funding (ABF). They also agreed to fund, wherever possible from 1st July 2012, public hospitals on the basis of a national efficient price for each service provided to a public patient. Clause 30 of that Agreement states that “some small rural hospitals will continue to be funded by block grants where ABF alone would not enable these hospitals to maintain community services obligations (CSOs)”. To move forward on ABF implementation, the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) commissioned a project to determine which hospitals should be block-funded (that is, termed CSO hospitals).

Vaccination, consent and multidose vials

Multidose vials (MDVs) for injectable therapeutic agents, including vaccines, pose a risk of infection to injected patients as a result of contamination of the vials. The Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) distributed the vaccine against pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza in MDVs. The distribution was accompanied by consent forms. The consent forms provided an inadequate basis for a discussion with patients about the risks associated with the use of MDVs. The High Court of Australia has previously held that medical practitioners who fail to explain the material risks of medical procedures to their patients might be held liable in negligence for any adverse sequelae of the procedures, even if the risks are very low. Medical practitioners, nurses, medical indemnity insurers and the DoHA should prepare now for the probable future use of MDVs by developing a consent form that would provide a solid foundation for a discussion of material risks with patients seeking vaccination.

The Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Influenza outbreak in Australia: The impact on Emergency Departments

The Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Influenza outbreak in Australia: The impact on Emergency Departments

Health Across Generations: Findings From the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health

Interpretation of changes in health and health care utilization patterns across the life span depends on an understanding of the effects of age, period, and cohort. The purpose of this article is to illustrate differences among three generations of women in demographic factors, health risk factors, and health status indicators from 1996 to 2008. The article examines data from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, a broad-ranging project funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) and involving three age groups of women (born in the periods 1973-1978, 1946-1951, and 1921-1926) who were first surveyed in 1996 and will be surveyed every 3 years until at least 2015. Patterns in selected demographic factors (marital status and level of educational qualification), health risk factors (smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and body mass index [BMI]), and health status indicators (asthma, hypertension, diabetes and depression; physical functioning and mental health scores from the SF-36) were examined to illustrate examples of biological age, generational differences, or period effects that affect all age groups and generations simultaneously. The results can be used to inform the development of responsive and effective models for both prevention and management of chronic disease, including health and aged-care systems that will meet the needs of different generations of women across their life span.

Hospital Casemix Protocol - Medibank Private Perspective.

Hospital Casemix Protocol data provide a brief summary outlining morbidity data and costs associated with an episode of care. Federal government legislation requires that hospitals report this information to private health insurers who, in turn, merge these data with benefit outlays and report their findings to the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA). This article gives a brief outline of the collection, cleansing and processing of these data and subsequent reporting to DoHA by Medibank Private, which accounts for approximately 30% of collected data.

The WellingTONNE Challenge Toolkit: Using the RE-AIM framework to evaluate a community resource promoting healthy lifestyle behaviours

Objective: The RE-AIM framework has been recognized as a tool to evaluate the adoption, delivery, and sustainability of an intervention, and estimate its potential public health impact. In this study four dimensions of the RE-AIM framework (adoption, implementation, effectiveness, and maintenance) were used to evaluate the WellingTONNE Challenge Toolkit, a step-by-step resource explaining how to develop, implement and disseminate a healthy lifestyle community intervention. Design: Process evaluation. Methods: In association with the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing (DHA), a self-report questionnaire was distributed to individuals from health care organizations, local councils and community organizations throughout Australia who had received and/or requested the WellingTONNE Challenge Toolkit from the DHA. Results: The RE-AIM dimensions revealed a high adoption rate and confirmed that the toolkit was being implemented for what it was intended to be implemented for and was an effective resource for initiating, maintaining and encouraging a healthy lifestyle. Lastly, the evaluation highlighted that most participants would maintain use of the toolkit in future projects. Conclusion: The RE-AIM framework provided valuable information concerning the uptake, implementation and usability of the WellingTONNE Challenge Toolkit, however, future research should address the behavioural outcomes associated with using the toolkit in order to provide a clearer understanding of how research can be translated into public health practice.

The effectiveness of interprofessional education in university based health professional programs: A systematic review

The effectiveness of interprofessional education in university based health professional programs: A systematic review

The effectiveness of interprofessional education in university based health professional programs: A systematic review.

The effectiveness of interprofessional education in university based health professional programs: A systematic review.

Health: how do we maintain the borders in the face of disease emergencies?

The Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) aims to protect and improve the health of all Australians. One of the ways DoHA works to achieve this is through preventing the entry of communicable diseases into Australia. This is achieved in partnership with Australia?s border control agencies and with States and Territories.

The WellingTONNE Challenge Toolkit

Health promotion continues to be faced with the challenge of translating short-term evidence-based interventions into long-term public health practice. To meet this challenge the RE-AIM framework has been recognised as a tool to evaluate the reach, adoption, delivery, and sustainability of an intervention, and estimate its potential public health impact. PURPOSE: In this study four dimensions of the RE-AIM framework (adoption, implementation, effectiveness, and maintenance) were used to evaluate the WellingTONNE Challenge Toolkit, a step-by-step resource explaining how to develop, implement and disseminate a healthy lifestyle community intervention. METHODS: In association with the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing (DHA), a self-report questionnaire, which was specifically designed for this study, was distributed to individuals from health care organisations, local councils and community organisations throughout Australia who had received and/or requested the WellingTONNE Challenge Toolkit from the DHA. RESULTS: The RE-AIM dimensions revealed a high adoption rate (71.2%); confirmed that the toolkit was being implemented for what it was intended to be implemented for (98.1%), and it was an effective resource for initiating, maintaining and encouraging healthy lifestyles (62%). Lastly, the evaluation highlighted that most participants would maintain use of the toolkit in future projects (68%) and would recommend (91.2%) the use of the toolkit to their colleagues and other organisations planning to develop or maintain a healthy lifestyle program. CONCLUSIONS: This evaluation provides researchers and resource developers with valuable feedback concerning the usability of a resource, such as the WellingTONNE challenge toolkit, and its potential for translating research into practice.

The impact of Aboriginal community controlled health service advocacy on Aboriginal health policy

This paper reviews the advocacy role of Aboriginal community controlled health services (ACCHSs) in the development of Aboriginal health policy over the past 30 years, with a specific focus on the recent changes in Commonwealth funding and administrative responsibility - the transfer of Aboriginal health service funding from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) to the Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Services (OATSIHS) within the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA), and the development of policies aimed at Aboriginal health services accessing mainstream (Medical Benefits Scheme [MBS]) funds. The outcomes of this policy change include a significant increase in funding to Aboriginal primary health care (PHC), the inclusion of ACCHSs in collaborative strategic relationships, and the development of new arrangements involving regional planning and access to per capita funds based on MBS equivalents. However, the community sector remains significantly disadvantaged in participating in this collaborative effort, and imposed bureaucratic processes have resulted in serious delays in releasing funds for actual services in communities. Government agencies need to take greater heed of community advocacy, and provide appropriate resourcing to enable community organisations to better direct government effort, especially at the implementation phase. These remain major concerns and should be considered by non-health sectors in the development of new funding and program development mechanisms in the wake of the abolition of ATSIC.