Abstract:
Introduction:
Telecommunication infrastructure is being rolled out across Australia with little
knowledge about the uptake by health professionals in remote areas. Computer
mediated communication has the potential to offer educational support to remote
practitioners however the viability of this is uncertain. The aim of this research was to
establish and evaluate an Internet based resource library targeting the needs of remote
area maternity service providers.
Methods:
A participatory action research (PAR) approach was used to involve remote area
maternity service providers in the Northern Territory (NT) of Australia. The evaluation
of the Resource Library included its performance on reach, agency affiliation and
richness, factors identified to affect the sustainability and utility of such a resource. An
additional component of the evaluation framework documented the facilitators and
barriers of using an information technology (IT) strategy to reduce the isolation of
remote area maternity service providers.
Results:
Overall, the evaluation of the Resource Library was very positive. Feedback from the
PAR team described the resource as contemporary, useful and relevant. Practitioners in
leadership and education positions identified the Resource Library as a valuable tool
that enabled them to access professional knowledge, which could then be distributed to
any remote based practitioners, who experienced difficulties with access themselves.
The evaluation found that logistical issues were a major problem for potential users.
Hardware inadequacies, access difficulties, unfamiliarity with computers, and a lack of
management support for nursing and midwifery staff to utilise the resource were all
identified barriers. Remote area practitioners highlighted education, training and 24
hour support as key priorities.
Conclusions:
Results from this research clearly showed the potential of web-based resources to offer
educational support through access to clinical guidelines, reports and research, thus
reducing the isolation of the remote practitioner. However, it highlighted the need for
clear strategic direction at policy level, whereby all stakeholders unite to synchronise
the rollout of information technology infrastructure with the necessary education,
training and support as an integral component.
