Benefits of Structured Engagement with Target Audiences of a Health Website: Study Design for a Multi-Case Study

Enhancing the efficacy of healthcare information websites: a case for the development of a best practice framework

Online healthcare information has the potential to improve health outcomes via the widespread, cost-effective translation of research evidence into practice by healthcare professionals and use by consumers. However, comparatively little is known about how healthcare professionals and consumers engage with healthcare websites, or whether the knowledge that is made available through digital platforms is translated into better health outcomes. To realise the potential of such resources, we argue that an evidence-based framework-grounded in a nuanced understanding of how audiences engage with and use information provided by healthcare websites-is needed. The goal of this paper is to outline a case for the development of a best-practice framework that can guide the development of websites that provide healthcare information to clinicians and consumers. In addition to supporting the design of more effective online resources, a common framework for understanding how better health outcomes can be achieved via digital knowledge translation has the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes in the face of a complex, rapidly changing and resource-constrained healthcare landscape.

Palliative Care Within the Primary Health Care Setting in Australia: A Scoping Review

Objectives: This scoping review identifies and details the scope of practice of health professionals who provide palliative care within the primary health setting in Australia.

Methods: A scoping review approach was conducted on the Cinahl (Ebsco), Scopus, Medline (Ovid) and PubMed databases to extract articles from 1 December 2015 to 1 December 2020. Broad text words and MeSH headings were used with relevance to palliative care, general practice, primary health, and community setting. Extracted journal articles were limited to those based on the Australian population or Australian health system.

Results: Eighty-four papers met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The review identified the following health professional roles within the Primary Health Care setting undertaking palliative care: General Practitioner, Nurse, Pharmacist, Paramedics, Carers, and Allied Health professionals.

Conclusion: This review offers a first understanding of the individual health professional roles and multidisciplinary team approach to actively providing palliative care within the Primary Health Care setting in Australia.