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Australian Journal of Primary Health Australian Journal of Primary Health Society
The issues influencing community health services and primary health care
RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

Investigating high-risk rural regions for potentially preventable hospitalisations: a method for place-based primary healthcare planning

Susan O’Neill https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7978-4439 A * , Steve Begg A , Evelien Spelten A Nerida Hyett A B C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A La Trobe University, Violet Vines Marshman Centre for Rural Health Research, La Trobe Rural Health School, Bendigo, Vic 3550, Australia.

B Murray Primary Health Network, Bendigo, Vic 3550, Australia.

C Monash University, Monash Rural Health, Clayton, Vic 3800, Australia.

* Correspondence to: susan.oneill@latrobe.edu.au

Australian Journal of Primary Health 31, PY25020 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY25020
Submitted: 28 January 2025  Accepted: 12 May 2025  Published: 5 June 2025

© 2025 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of La Trobe University. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

Background

Inaccessibility of primary healthcare services in rural and remote communities is argued to lead to higher rates of potentially preventable hospitalisations. This research aimed to develop an explanatory method that could be applied for investigating a rural setting considered high risk for potentially preventable hospitalisations, and to describe how to improve place-based pathways to primary healthcare services that would prevent potentially preventable hospitalisations.

Methods

The method described in this paper provides a structured and detailed plan for examining regions identified as high risk for a particular potentially preventable hospitalisation condition. The method was developed and tested through a series of research studies on ear, nose and throat (ENT) conditions in the Murray Primary Health Network, that had regions identified as high-risk hotspots for ear, nose and throat potentially preventable hospitalisations.

Results

The procedure developed for investigating hotspot regions of potentially preventable ear, nose and throat hospitalisations included six steps: (1) develop investigative questions; (2) identify and select potentially preventable hospitalisations condition and region; (3) literature review of best practice service needs and service mapping; (4) healthcare provider and consumer experiences; (5) illustrate patient journey; and (6) summarise recommendations for primary health care.

Conclusions

This method provides an understanding of the access pathways to primary healthcare services, and identifies where interventions and prevention strategies would support residents in obtaining equitable health care. This developed method can be further applied and tested as a mechanism for health and service needs assessment by primary healthcare planning and coordination agencies, which in Australia include Primary Health Networks, public health units and hospital networks.

Keywords: health needs assessment, hotspots, mixed methods, place-based, potentially preventable hospitalisations, Primary Health Networks, primary healthcare, rural and remote.

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