Establishing a communication model of infection control in country South Australia: a qualitative approach

Abstract

This paper summarises the elements of a qualitative approach used to develop a communication model for infection control in South Australia's (SA) rural and remote health services. In designing the qualitative approach, consideration was given to the geographical vastness of rural and remote SA, in particular the distance separating regional hospitals. A qualitative methodology based on different models of inquiry enabled the project coordinator to gain entry into the health services in order to investigate, in collaboration with the local staff, the possibility of implementing a centralised infection control communication model. Principles of grounded theory and methods facilitated the process of implementing change. Gaining knowledge of the country regional health services by way of field visits and interviews was of great value as it provided insight into the special difficulties of health care delivery in remote and rural areas, where distance, funding, resources and accessibility are the main barriers in the delivery of care. The results show that careful planning, building relationships with regional staff, and working together to find potential solutions to problems helped to gain support for the proposed model. Although the project outcome was not exactly as proposed by this model, mainly due to a structural reorganisation of country health services, a country infection control forum has been established to ensure sustainability of the basic concepts of the model represented.