Role of multi-purpose service programs providing residential aged care in rural Australia: a discussion paper.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if multi-purpose service (MPS) Programs deliver improved residential aged care as opposed to traditional rural hospitals.


METHODS
A variation on comparative-experimentalist: type 4. In this design 2 groups providing different service models of rural health services are compared.


METHODS
Six MPS Programs and three traditional hospitals in rural New South Wales.


METHODS
Key stakeholders--area representatives, health service managers, MPS managers, doctors, staff, MPS or hospital committee members and consumer groups including residents.


METHODS
To analyse the ability of MPS Programs to deliver quality residential aged care as opposed to using traditional hospitals for such services.


RESULTS
Multi-purpose service programs provided better residential environments and greater flexibility of service provision. There were few apparent differences between the two service models in regard to organisational culture and training.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of this evaluation suggest that in the provision of residential aged care in rural communities, MPS Programs demonstrated better standards of care than traditional hospital based services.
Neumayer
Bob
B
School of Community Health, Charles Sturt University, Albury, New South Wales, Australia. bneumayer@csu.edu.au
Chapman
Janet
J
Whiteford
Gail
G
D000368:Aged; D003266:Continuity of Patient Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D006302:Health Services Research; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006780:Hospitals, Rural / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009096:Multi-Institutional Systems / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009517:New South Wales; D015279:Organizational Culture; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012112:Residential Facilities / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*