Figure 1
Flow chart illustrating patient enrolment in the Western HealthLinks program over time and the number who completed at least one component of the study questionnaire at each time point.
Table 1
Demographic characteristics of patients who completed at least one patient survey.
| CHARACTERISTIC | NUMBER (AND PERCENTAGE) |
|---|---|
| Gender* | |
| Female | 487 (46.7%) |
| Male | 555 (53.3%) |
| Age | |
| <46 years | 28 (2.7%) |
| 46–65 years | 160 (15.4%) |
| 66–75 years | 295 (28.3%) |
| 76–85 years | 374 (35.9%) |
| 86–95 years | 169 (16.2%) |
| >95 years | 16 (1.5%) |
| Country of Birth (with >1.5% of population) | |
| Australia | 490 (47%) |
| Malta | 93 (8.9%) |
| United Kingdom | 74 (7.1%) |
| Italy | 69 (6.6%) |
| Germany | 27 (2.6%) |
| Croatia | 26 (2.5%) |
| Greece | 26 (2.5%) |
| Ireland | 16 (1.5%) |
| Yugoslavia/Macedonia | 15 (1.4%) |
| Philippines | 15 (1.4%) |
| Poland | 15 (1.4%) |
| Scotland | 15 (1.4%) |
| New Zealand | 12 (1.2%) |
| Others (<1.1% per country) | 149 (14.3%) |
[i] *Gender as per medical record data.
Figure 2
Visual Analogue Scale measuring healthcare experience – medians, quartiles and extreme values at different timepoints.
Figure 3
AQoL4D measuring health related quality of life – medians, quartiles and extreme values at different timepoints.
Figure 4
Trend over time for health related quality life measured with AQoL4D and AQoL4D dimensions – effect size estimates.
Table 2
Selected participant responses to patient survey organised by theme.
| PARTICIPANT NUMBER | TIME | QUESTION | PARTICIPANT RESPONSE TO: QUESTION 1 – “WHAT WORKS WELL WITH THE HEALTHCARE YOU RECEIVE?” QUESTION 2 – “WHAT DOESN’T WORK WELL WITH THE HEALTHCARE YOU RECEIVE?” QUESTION 3 – “WHAT COULD BE DONE TO IMPROVE THE HEALTHCARE YOU RECEIVE?” |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theme 1 – Home care/local services | |||
| 68 | 12 months | Question 1 | “It works well for me because nurses come to me at home. The pharmacy deliver the medication. I visit my GP when needed.” |
| 179 | Baseline | Question 2 | “It would be a comfort if I could telephone a health worker for advice if needed.” |
| 142 | Baseline | Question 3 | “Closer facilities for appointments” |
| Theme 2 – Access to hospital services | |||
| 122 | 6 months | Question 1 | “Critical hospital care, access to medical services” |
| 124 | Baseline | Question 2 | “I need an operation and I cant get into the speacialist to be reviewed.” |
| 180 | 18 months | Question 3 | “I think it would be nice to have more often access to the specialists” |
| Theme 3 – Individualisation of care | |||
| 222 | Baseline | Question 1 | “An understanding of my needs, appropriate medication. Appropriate healthcare plan.” |
| 228 | 6 months | Question 2 | “We have had no problems except for the meals during hospital stay. No real consideration for previous health issue of gastrectomy” |
| 122 | 12 months | Question 3 | “Age specific exercise and diet programs (I’m not 80 years old)” |
| Theme 4 – Coordination of care | |||
| 126 | 12 months | Question 1 | “The availability of a nurse who has my history on hand and ability to contact the local GP and relevant hospital personnel with background knowledge” |
| 314 | 12 months | Question 2 | “Because I see so many doctors information from a department to the others is not happening thus the doctors find it hard to treat me.” |
| 58 | Baseline | Question 3 | “Everyone is good except there is overlapping of services & no-one talks to each other. E.g-Xray done already but in hospital they do again.” |
| Theme 5 – Consistency of care | |||
| 203 | 24 months | Question 1 | “Consistent people who know me & my medical problems” |
| 10 | Baseline | Question 2 | “Seeing GPs who are unfamiliar to me that are unable to make changes or assist” |
| 196 | 6 months | Question 3 | “Have one case manager per client” |
| Theme 6 – Communication | |||
| 189 | 6 months | Question 1 | “All nurses/Gps advising what will happen, why I’m taking the tablets” |
| 44 | Baseline | Question 2 | “Having multiple health professionals at bedside with no introductions & no communication from team to patient.” |
| 45 | Baseline | Question 3 | “Less bombarding with information is needed. Introduction at bedside very important.” |
| Theme 7 – Waiting times | |||
| 179 | 24 months | Question 1 | “When I needed phone advice it was available immediately.” |
| 260 | 12 months | Question 2 | “Going to emergency and waiting for up to 12 hrs or so with uncomfortable chairs” |
| 151 | 6 months | Question 3 | “Improve the waiting times in hospital. Recently I waited 2 hours on a ambulance stretcher with 3 ambos waiting with me, what a joke if I moved I could of topped over, they are so narrow.” |
| Theme 8 – Healthcare provider qualities | |||
| 122 | Baseline | Question 1 | “All healthcare workers are professional. Caring and positive regarding my care.” |
| 8 | Baseline | Question 2 | “GP lack of understanding and lack of compassion” |
| 45 | 24 months | Question 3 | “Patients and understanding.” |
| Theme 9 – Transport and parking | |||
| 309 | 12 months | Question 1 | “Community transport (link) to various needs. E.g. Hospitals. Specialist- shopping. Visiting family and friends. 1/2 taxi fare, free Ambulance as required. For emergencies.” |
| 68 | 24 months | Question 2 | “Well I need transport to take me to appointments and so far I have to depend on taxis or a friend to take me” |
| 49 | 6 months | Question 3 | “More parking for disabled at hospitals” |