Study protocol: national research partnership to improve primary health care performance and outcomes for Indigenous peoples.
BACKGROUND
Strengthening primary health care is critical to reducing health inequity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. The Audit and Best practice for Chronic Disease Extension (ABCDE) project has facilitated the implementation of modern Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) approaches in Indigenous community health care centres across Australia. The project demonstrated improvements in health centre systems, delivery of primary care services and in patient intermediate outcomes. It has also highlighted substantial variation in quality of care. Through a partnership between academic researchers, service providers and policy makers, we are now implementing a study which aims to 1) explore the factors associated with variation in clinical performance; 2) examine specific strategies that have been effective in improving primary care clinical performance; and 3) work with health service staff, management and policy makers to enhance the effective implementation of successful strategies.


METHODS
The study will be conducted in Indigenous community health centres from at least six States/Territories (Northern Territory, Western Australia, New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland and Victoria) over a five year period. A research hub will be established in each region to support collection and reporting of quantitative and qualitative clinical and health centre system performance data, to investigate factors affecting variation in quality of care and to facilitate effective translation of research evidence into policy and practice. The project is supported by a web-based information system, providing automated analysis and reporting of clinical care performance to health centre staff and management.


CONCLUSIONS
By linking researchers directly to users of research (service providers, managers and policy makers), the partnership is well placed to generate new knowledge on effective strategies for improving the quality of primary health care and fostering effective and efficient exchange and use of data and information among service providers and policy makers to achieve evidence-based resource allocation, service planning, system development, and improvements of service delivery and Indigenous health outcomes.
Bailie
Ross
R
Menzies School of Health Research, Institute of Advanced Studies, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Australia.
Si
Damin
D
Shannon
Cindy
C
Semmens
James
J
Rowley
Kevin
K
Scrimgeour
David J
DJ
Nagel
Tricia
T
Anderson
Ian
I
Connors
Christine
C
Weeramanthri
Tarun
T
Thompson
Sandra
S
McDermott
Robyn
R
Burke
Hugh
H
Moore
Elizabeth
E
Leon
Dallas
D
Weston
Richard
R
Grogan
Haylene
H
Stanley
Andrew
A
Gardner
Karen
K
D001315:Australia; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000628:therapy; D003151:Community Health Centers / Q000458:organization & administration; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006302:Health Services Research; D006303:Health Services, Indigenous / Q000592:standards*; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000458:organization & administration; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000592:standards; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care