What is known about the topic? Comorbid chronic conditions are common in people with cancer, but the uitlisation of Medicare chronic disease management (CDM) item numbers for them remained unexplored. What does this paper add? Approximately half of the cancer survivors had General Practitioner Management Plan and Team Care Arrangements, and just over two-fifths utilised subsidised allied health services, with notable variations by people with cancers’ characteristics. What are the implications for practitioners? The findings underscore the need for further investigation to examine the contributing factors for the variation in CDM plans and the low utilisation of allied health services, particularly those living in the outer regional or remote areas.

What is known about the topic? Workforce costs are known to be a significant contributor to the cost of health services and complex health technologies. What does this paper add? This paper systematically quantifies the variation in workforce costs across five Australian states, demonstrating that these differences are substantial enough to influence cost-effectiveness outcomes for genomic testing services. By identifying key areas of cost variation – such as base salaries, superannuation contributions, and allowances – this paper highlights how jurisdictional variations can contribute to differential health service costs, potentially impacting the affordability and sustainability of health programs and technologies, across states. What are the implications for practitioners? We provide reproducible estimates of workforce costs for use by health economists and policymakers conducting economic evaluations. The framework presented in this paper can also be adapted by other professionals in health economics and health workforce planning to assess jurisdictional variations and their implications for resource allocation and service delivery.

What is known about the topic? Shortage of hospital beds may lead to cancellation of surgeries. What does this paper add? Historical data could be used to predict hospital bed utilisation for post-surgical care. What are the implications for practitioners? A predictive tool is proposed, which may provide decision support to the planning of surgeries and bed management.

What is known about this topic? Barriers to accessing allied health services in primary care in Australia exist, especially among those in need. What does this paper add? We show that hotspots (areas with greater density) versus coldspots (areas with lower density) of potentially preventable hospitalisations were significantly more disadvantaged. Hotspots also had poorer access to allied health services. What are the implications for practitioners? This provides evidence to practitioners and policy makers for advocating greater access to allied health services in areas of socioeconomic disadvantage.

What is known about the topic? The HOSPITAL score and LACE index are used to predict readmissions, but their utility and comparative effectiveness in Australian healthcare settings are unclear. What does this paper add? This study found that both the HOSPITAL score and LACE index have modest and comparable abilities in predicting community-acquired pneumonia readmissions in Australian settings. What are the implications for practitioners? There is a need for further refinement of readmission prediction models to better suit Australian healthcare conditions.

What is known about the topic? The environmental footprint of health care itself is important. Carbon footprinting of surgical operations are becoming more common, although detailed analyses are rare. What does this paper add? The carbon footprint of a total knee replacement was 132 kg CO₂e, i.e. the equivalent of driving >900 km in a typical 2022 Australian car. Orthopaedic surgery itself contributed to 80% of the emissions, with anaesthesia and operating room energy use contributing 10% each to the total carbon footprint. What are the implications for practitioners? By replacing single-use with reusable equipment, and by using 100% renewable energy for decontamination, the greenhouse gas emissions for a total knee replacement can become negligible.

What is known about the topic? Involving patients in communications about their health care can improve the experience and quality of care and reduce miscommunication. Digital technologies, such as mobile apps, can enable patient-centred care through improved patient–clinician communication, however, their utility for patient–bedside nurse communication has not been widely studied. What does this paper add? This prototype app shows early promise for enabling patients to articulate their care priorities to bedside nurses, and to facilitate patient-centred care. However, user perceptions regarding the influence of the app on patient involvement in bedside handover were mixed. What are the implications for practitioners? This digital app has potential to improve the safety and quality of care through improved patient–nurse communication about what matters most to patients.

What is known about the topic? People living with severe mental illness experience a 20-year reduced life expectancy due to a combination of modifiable lifestyle factors and increased rates of chronic disease. What does this paper add? This paper describes the Living Well, Living Longer integrated care program, which introduces various strategies to address this problem. What are the implications for practitioners? Living Well, Living Longer demonstrates that with strong executive support, multidisciplinary collaboration, and engagement with lived experience expertise, effective care pathways can be implemented to improve the health of people living with severe mental illness.

What is known about the topic? High chief executive officer (CEO) turnover in hospitals leads to instability, financial costs, and disruptions in patient care. Effective retention strategies are essential but often lack comprehensive, context-specific models. What does this paper add? This paper presents a tailored CEO retention model for Australian hospitals, integrating mutual respect, organisational culture, competitive rewards, recruitment practices, and professional development, aligned with Transformational Leadership Theory. What are the implications for practitioners? Practitioners can use this model to implement comprehensive retention strategies, enhancing organisational stability and reducing CEO turnover in hospitals.

What is known about the topic? Self-management strategies and multidisciplinary rehabilitation with self-monitoring are considered best practice for treatment of Long COVID. What does this paper add? A workplace delivered outpatient multidisciplinary service was feasible in terms of demand, acceptability and practicality and provided valued support for hospital staff experiencing Long COVID. What are the implications for practitioners? A flexible, workplace delivered multidisciplinary service was acceptable and convenient to hospital staff with Long COVID. Further research is required to confirm the effectiveness of such a service on patient outcomes.