Researchers from the Caring Futures Institute have been selected to present at an inaugural Australian and New Zealand summit exploring the latest research and developments that are driving us towards consumer-centred health care.

The Consumer Health Forum of Australia (CHF) 2021 Summit: ‘Shifting Gears’, held virtually from 17-19 March, will be the first Australian and New Zealand conference focussed on consumer leadership and experience in health care and will draw together consumers and other leaders from the sector.

The summit is supported by the Australian Department of Health, NSW Health, Australian Commission for Safety and Quality in Health Care and the Australian Digital Health Agency.

Caring Futures Institute researcher Dr Alejandra Pinero De Plaza and consumer co-researcher Penelope McMillan will present at the summit while fellow researchers Dr Alline Beleigoli, Dr Michael Lawless, Dr Mandy Archibald, Alexandra Mudd, Prof Alison Kitson and consumer co-researcher Ms Buchanan will also attend.

Dr Pinero and Ms McMillan will share with attendees their co-research experience with health consumers and its relevance for understanding and optimising their research processes and generating meaningful research impact.

Dr Pinero alongside Ms McMillan and Ms Buchanan conducted a program of research to help bring solutions to Frail, Homebound and Bedridden Persons (FHBP) in Australia.

FHBP are Australians who live with complex, incapacitating, and debilitating illnesses or injuries that unify them under one important characteristic: being trapped and unable to leave home [1, 2].

The research team has been emphasising the exclusion and marginalisation that FHBP confront because our healthcare system has been designed around physical attendance [1, 2, 3].

The team invites industry and other organisations to support the implementation of their co-created technological solutions concerning: (1) Telehealth and Virtual Care; (2) Social Prescription via technology; and (3) Education for health practitioners and all service providers about FHBP needs [1, 2, 3].

References:

1. Buchanan, R. (2018). “Just Invisible” Medical Access Issues For Homebound/Bedridden Persons. https://www.notdoneliving.net/just-invisible.html Accessed on the 20/06/2019.
2. Pinero de Plaza, M.A. Beleigoli, A. Mudd, A. Tieu, M. Lawless, M. McMillan, P. Feo, R. Archibald, M. Kitson, A. (2020) “Not well enough to attend appointments: Telehealth versus health marginalization”. (Accepted -Open access IOS Press series) Studies in Health Technology and Informatics. (Thursday, 3 September 2020 6:00 PM).
3. Disability Insider. Telehealth cuts see services withdrawn to Australians with disabilities (2020). Coronavirus Pandemic, Disability Insider. https://disabilityinsider.com/2020/07/29/covid/telehealth-cuts-see-services-withdrawn-to-australians-with-disabilities/ Accessed 29/07/2020.