TY - JOUR
T1 - A Review of the Cultural Safety of a National Indigenous Point-of-Care Testing Program for Diabetes Management
AU - Shephard, Mark Douglas
AU - O'Brien, Christopher
AU - Burgoyne, Anthony
AU - Croft, Jody
AU - Garlett, Trevor
AU - Barancek, Kristina
AU - Halls, Heather Joan
AU - McAteer, Bridgit
AU - Motta, Lara Alexandra
AU - Shephard, Anne Kathryn
PY - 2016
Y1 - 2016
N2 - In Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have approximately three-fold higher rates of diabetes than non-Indigenous Australians. Point-of-care testing, where pathology tests are conducted close to the patient, with results available during the patient consultation, can potentially deliver several benefits for both the Indigenous client and the health professional team involved in their care. Currently, point-of-care testing for diabetes management is being conducted in over 180 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Medical Services as part of a national program called Quality Assurance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Medical Services (QAAMS). The cultural safety of the Program was reviewed by sourcing the views of the QAAMS Indigenous Leaders Team in a focus group setting and by surveying the point-of-care testing operators enrolled in QAAMS, via an electronic questionnaire. The current study confirms that QAAMS remains a culturally safe program that fills a permanent and positive niche within the Indigenous health sector. The study demonstrates that QAAMS provides a convenient and accessible 'one-stop' pathology service for Indigenous clients with diabetes and empowers Aboriginal Health Workers to have a direct role in the care of their diabetes clients.
AB - In Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have approximately three-fold higher rates of diabetes than non-Indigenous Australians. Point-of-care testing, where pathology tests are conducted close to the patient, with results available during the patient consultation, can potentially deliver several benefits for both the Indigenous client and the health professional team involved in their care. Currently, point-of-care testing for diabetes management is being conducted in over 180 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Medical Services as part of a national program called Quality Assurance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Medical Services (QAAMS). The cultural safety of the Program was reviewed by sourcing the views of the QAAMS Indigenous Leaders Team in a focus group setting and by surveying the point-of-care testing operators enrolled in QAAMS, via an electronic questionnaire. The current study confirms that QAAMS remains a culturally safe program that fills a permanent and positive niche within the Indigenous health sector. The study demonstrates that QAAMS provides a convenient and accessible 'one-stop' pathology service for Indigenous clients with diabetes and empowers Aboriginal Health Workers to have a direct role in the care of their diabetes clients.
KW - Aboriginal health workers
KW - Indigenous Leaders Team
KW - pathology tests
KW - Quality Assurance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Medical Services (QAAMS).
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84984640329&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1071/PY15050
DO - 10.1071/PY15050
M3 - Article
VL - 22
SP - 368
EP - 374
JO - Australian Journal of Primary Health
JF - Australian Journal of Primary Health
SN - 1448-7527
IS - 4
ER -