What is known about the topic? Diagnostic error affects around 1 in 10 diagnostic decisions, with some causing serious patient harm. Most feature individual clinician cognitive error and predisposing organisational factors. What does this paper add? Healthcare organisations need frameworks for improving diagnostic safety. Modelled on the US Safer Dx framework, we propose an Australianised framework focused on hospitals, including practical strategies actionable within individual departments. What are the implications for practitioners? The proposed framework may act as a starting point for healthcare organisations to develop diagnostic safety programs in collaboration with health service standard and accreditation authorities.

What is known about the topic? Non-traumatic musculoskeletal pain accounts for 3% of all emergency department (ED) presentations. Although often high in acuity, the vast majority of these cases (>99%) are not considered life threatening by EDs and are triaged as non-urgent. What does this paper add? Findings offer seven major themes relating to why patients chose to present to an ED over non-ED services and the interaction of these themes. What are the implications for practitioners? Education to address these reasons and misconceptions may encourage better utilisation of health services and decrease non-urgent ED presentations in the first instance.

What is known about the topic? Timely information regarding the risk of admission due to diabetes complications is required for policy planning, as diabetes complications are responsible for the large burden of disease experienced by people living with diabetes in Australia. What does this paper add? Our results demonstrated the high demand on hospital services due to diabetes complications (especially macrovascular complications) and highlighted the importance of preventing and properly managing microvascular complications. What are the implications for practitioners? Our findings will assist planning for improved management of diabetes complications by determining the high demand on hospital services related to diabetes complications and identifying complications requiring higher health service utilisation.

What is known about the topic? Survivorship care requires increased focus in Australia. Some states and territories have included objectives within cancer plans. What does this paper add? We conducted an audit of state and territory cancer plans. While plans frequently include objectives focusing on different aspects of survivorship care, there is considerable variation. There is also lack of consensus regarding appropriate outcome measures. Tools to assess survivor's patient reported outcomes and experiences appears to be a priority. What are the implications for practitioners? Harmonisation of state and territory survivorship efforts could benefit the care of cancer survivors in Australia.

What is known about the topic? Out-of-pocket costs have been rising for patients using radiotherapy services funded through the Medicare Benefits Schedule. What does this paper add? At an aggregate level, this paper identifies potential reasons for rising patient and government cost trends. The increasing proportion of benefits paid through the Extended Medicare Safety Net helps explain these trends. What are the implications for practitioners? Despite increasing Medicare funding, some patients face increasing financial barriers. It is important for policymakers to revisit previous reviews of radiation oncology services to ensure that services are easily accessible for all those needing treatment.

What is known about the topic? There is limited evidence comprehensively describing the functional abilities of older adults undertaking transition care programs. Clinicians in this setting need to identify whether older adults have adequate functional ability for successful community living. What does this paper add? Older adults discharged home after completing a transition care program scored below normative community values for gait speed and mobility tasks and had significant decline in performance of instrumental activities of daily living. What are the implications for practitioners? Rehabilitation in transition care needs to be tailored and sufficiently intensive, particularly for lower functioning older adults, to improve the broader aspects of function that are needed for successful independent community living.

What is known about the topic? Person-centred approaches are considered best-practice for injury rehabilitation, yet lived experiences are rarely evaluated. What does this paper add? Interviews with clients and rehabilitation staff highlighted the value of allied health treatment delivered alongside return-to-work services. However, systemic barriers limited the quality of this integrated care. What are the implications for practitioners? Effective communication between clients, case managers, employers and health providers should include early discussion about return-to-work expectations. Where possible, jurisdictions may need to reform their return-to-work processes to strengthen this collaboration.

What is known about the topic? Increased total work hours for junior doctors are known to increase error, fatigue and burnout. However, the optimal distribution of these hours through rostering patterns is unknown. What does this paper add? This paper summarises considerations required for junior doctor rostering, including fatigue management, adequate training opportunities, and availability of cover for unexpected leave. The paper also describes potential rostering patterns and guidelines that may assist in balancing these considerations. What are the implications for practitioners? Institutions should consider work patterns which prevent fatigue-associated errors while providing adequate training time, exposure, and flexibility.

What is known about the topic? Task analysis is an evidence-based method used to understand the practices or tasks of health professionals within healthcare systems. What does this paper add? Nurses spent 30.6% of their time in the provision of direct patient care, enrolled and registered nurse activities varied by shift, and there were no significant differences in nursing activities of nurses of different levels of appointment. What are the implications for practitioners? This work provides a foundation for disinvestment in tasks currently performed by nurses that others could do, and how best to optimise nurses’ time and expertise in provision of patient care.

What is known about the topic? The introduction of an electronic medical record (EMR) is proposed to have numerous clinical and operational benefits. However, optimisation and improved utilisation of an EMR is a continuous process and can be complex due to system and contextual barriers. Currently, little is known about the EMR optimisation opportunities and priorities for allied health professionals (AHPs). What does this paper add? This paper identifies key opportunities for EMR optimisation for AHPs using a concept mapping methodology. Three broad categories of optimisation opportunities were identified, including end-user skills and training; software and system capability; and streamlining processes in relation to collaboration and governance for optimisation requests and enhancements. What are the implications for practitioners? Identifying several changeable and important areas of EMR optimisation for AHPs supports clinicians to create meaningful change in EMR utilisation within their workplace.

What is known about the topic? Access to health care is important to maintain public health. There are limited studies to investigate the geospatial data of population and age groups in terms of accessibility to hospitals and emergency departments. What does this paper add? This paper reveals the percentages of population and age groups in terms of accessibility to hospitals. What are the implications for practitioners? The results of this study could be used to locate and improve areas of need with a high burden of disease and low accessibility to healthcare services.