Review of the cultural safety of a national Indigenous point-of-care testing program for diabetes management
Mark Shephard A , Christopher O’Brien B , Anthony Burgoyne C , Jody Croft D , Trevor Garlett E , Kristina Barancek F , Heather Halls A , Bridgit McAteer A , Lara Motta A and Anne Shephard A GA Flinders University International Centre for Point-of-Care Testing, Sturt Campus, West Wing, Level 3, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia.
B Illawarra Aboriginal Medical Service, 150 Church Street, Wollongong, NSW 2500, Australia.
C Port Lincoln Aboriginal Health Service, 19A Oxford Terrace, Port Lincoln, SA 5606, Australia.
D Mallee District Aboriginal Service, 70 Nyah Road, Swan Hill, Vic. 3585, Australia.
E Western Australia Country Health Service, Wheatbelt Aboriginal Health Service, 65 Wellington Street, Northam, WA 6401, Australia.
F Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia Quality Assurance Programs, 257 Gilbert Street, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.
G Corresponding author. Email: Anne.Shephard@flinders.edu.au
Australian Journal of Primary Health 22(4) 368-374 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY15050
Submitted: 17 March 2015 Accepted: 7 June 2015 Published: 2 September 2015
Abstract
In Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have approximately three-fold higher rates of diabetes than non-Indigenous Australians. Point-of-care testing, where pathology tests are conducted close to the patient, with results available during the patient consultation, can potentially deliver several benefits for both the Indigenous client and the health professional team involved in their care. Currently, point-of-care testing for diabetes management is being conducted in over 180 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Medical Services as part of a national program called Quality Assurance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Medical Services (QAAMS). The cultural safety of the Program was reviewed by sourcing the views of the QAAMS Indigenous Leaders Team in a focus group setting and by surveying the point-of-care testing operators enrolled in QAAMS, via an electronic questionnaire. The current study confirms that QAAMS remains a culturally safe program that fills a permanent and positive niche within the Indigenous health sector. The study demonstrates that QAAMS provides a convenient and accessible ‘one-stop’ pathology service for Indigenous clients with diabetes and empowers Aboriginal Health Workers to have a direct role in the care of their diabetes clients.
Additional keywords: Aboriginal health workers, Indigenous Leaders Team, pathology tests, Quality Assurance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Medical Services (QAAMS).
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