Providing quality healthcare to children in rural and remote areas poses unique challenges, particularly for those with developmental health concerns, delays, and disabilities. The recent systematic scoping review titled "Exploring Allied Health Models of Care for Children with Developmental Health Concerns, Delays, and Disabilities in Rural and Remote Areas" offers valuable insights into various models of care (MoCs) that have been implemented to address these challenges.
In this blog, we will delve into the findings of this review and discuss how practitioners can improve their skills by implementing these models or conducting further research.
Key Findings from the Systematic Scoping Review
The review identified four primary MoCs used in rural and remote areas:
- Screening Services: These services involve assessments to identify children with developmental needs and refer them for appropriate care. They have been effective in improving the quality of healthcare by ensuring timely and accurate diagnoses.
- Consultative Services: These services focus on educating and upskilling local community members, including allied health professionals (AHPs), parents, and educators, to provide better care for children with developmental needs.
- Role Substitution: This model involves using alternative professionals, such as AHP students or assistants, to deliver services under the supervision of senior therapists. This approach helps to address the shortage of specialized professionals in rural areas.
- Online-Based Services: Teletherapy and other online services have been increasingly used to provide care to children in remote areas, reducing travel time and costs for families.
Impact on Quality of Healthcare
The review assessed the impact of these MoCs on the quality of healthcare across five domains: timeliness, effectiveness, equity, efficiency, and patient-centeredness. Here are some key takeaways:
- Timeliness: Screening services and role substitution models have been effective in improving referral pathways and reducing wait times for children in need of care.
- Effectiveness: All four MoCs demonstrated positive impacts on child health outcomes, including improvements in speech, language, social skills, and overall participation in daily activities.
- Equity: Online services and role substitution models have improved accessibility to care, ensuring that children in remote areas receive the same standard of care as those in urban areas.
- Efficiency: These MoCs have optimized the use of resources, reducing waste and ensuring that care is delivered in a cost-effective manner.
- Patient-Centeredness: Including family perspectives and co-designing services with families have ensured that care is responsive to the needs and values of the children and their families.
Recommendations for Practitioners
Based on the findings of this review, practitioners can take the following steps to improve their skills and enhance the quality of care for children in rural and remote areas:
- Implement Screening Services: Develop and implement screening programs to identify children with developmental needs early and refer them for appropriate care.
- Leverage Teletherapy: Utilize teletherapy and other online services to provide care to children in remote areas, reducing travel time and costs for families.
- Engage in Role Substitution: Train and supervise AHP students and assistants to deliver services, addressing the shortage of specialized professionals in rural areas.
- Participate in Consultative Services: Educate and upskill local community members, including parents and educators, to provide better care for children with developmental needs.
- Conduct Further Research: Engage in research to explore the effectiveness of different MoCs and identify best practices for delivering care to children in rural and remote areas.
By implementing these recommendations, practitioners can improve the quality of care for children with developmental health concerns, delays, and disabilities in rural and remote areas.
To read the original research paper, please follow this link: Exploring Allied Health Models of Care for Children with Developmental Health Concerns, Delays, and Disabilities in Rural and Remote Areas: A Systematic Scoping Review.
