BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF PRIMARY HEALTH CARE

By keeping in touch directly and indirectly with diverse people in policy, practice and research sectors, PHC RIS staff members have been aware of and responsive to their current information needs.

Scanning the environment

PHC RIS eBulletin, which keeps subscribers informed of emerging issues, resources and ideas, continued to grow in popularity, scope and utility in 2008. It is one of our most popular services, consistently ranking highly in our Stakeholder surveys. In January PHC RIS eBulletin had 1389 subscribers, by December the subscriber base had grown by 25% to 1741. An average of 523 or 34% of subscribers followed at least one link in the weekly email.

Your regular email communications are very highly regarded and a valuable resource to those of us in more remote locations.

Analyse, interpret and synthesise information about the Divisions Network

Data have been collected through the Annual Survey of Divisions (ASD) since the inception of the Divisions of General Practice Program thirteen years ago. Moving ahead, the report of the Annual Survey of Divisions for 2006-07 documents the functioning of the Divisions Network at the national level in 2006-07, touching on issues of regional focus. The report looks at key changes over time in response to evolving government policies and initiatives, and demonstrates the strength of the Divisions Network when pursuing common directions. Approximately 807 bound copies of Moving ahead were distributed in 2008 with 226 web downloads of the report and 498 downloads of its chapters since being published online on 24 October 2008. There were also 181 downloads of the summary sheet.

PHC RIS provided tailored feedback on Annual Survey data to organisations within the Divisions Network, and delivered presentations to staff in the Department of Health and Ageing, AGPN and Division network audiences on Annual Survey data and on information from the 2006-07 National Performance Indicators.

Generate targeted information for stakeholders

In 2008 the Primary Health Care Research Evaluation and Development Strategy (PHCRED) evaluation and the health reform climate increased the need for timely and accurate information about many aspects of PHCRED as well as primary health care research in general.

PHC RIS rapidly produced a summary of key issues in international primary health care at the request of the Primary and Ambulatory Care Division, and provided information about PHCRED as well as PHC RIS to the PHCRED evaluators.

Seventy-six RDP researchers, RCBI supported researchers and APHCRI funded researchers presented their work at the annual 2008 General Practice and Primary Health Care Research Conference. The number of researcher profiles and projects in the Roadmap of Australian Primary Health Care Research database (ROAR) grew to 440 profiles and 579 projects.

The six issues of PHC RIS infonet included 70 articles from PHCRED funded university departments under a prominent heading of PHCRED Strategy, as well as Fast Facts about these departments synthesised from 2007 Annual Reports by Ellen McIntyre. PHC RIS infonet readers have commented not only on their satisfaction with being able to read what was happening in their stakeholder group but across the whole spectrum of primary health care.

[PHC RIS infonet is] a very useful way of keeping up to date
- Researcher

The Primary Health Care Research and Information Service (PHC RIS) launched the Snapshot of Australian primary health care research at the 2008 GP & PHC Research Conference in June. Snapshot highlighted the achievements and outcomes of the PHCRED strategy, and demonstrates the potential for primary health care research to improve the health of Australians.

A new product, RESEARCH ROUNDup, was developed in 2008 to address changing policy requirements. The aim was to highlight new Australian primary health care research developments with information and resources relevant to policy makers. Three issues were released in 2008 on: A new climate for Indigenous health; Researching patient & family experience; and Improving access to rural health care.

In 2008 PHC RIS promoted its comprehensive range of Fact Sheets at PHCRED State Forums, in Orientation Packs, and at the 2008 GP & PHC Research Conference. In addition, PHC RIS produced four new Product Cards that promoted the website, ROAR, eBulletin and Fast Facts. During the year, we updated, expanded and developed PHC RIS infoBytes on dissemination, research and evaluation, primary hearth care, and Divisions.

Product cards promoting the website, eBulletin, Fast Facts and ROAR.