ACPIC 2021: Accessing emergency healthcare services during COVID-19: Perceptions of the Australian Community

The ACP International Conference provides an unmatched opportunity for our members to learn from experts and leaders in paramedicine. ACPIC 2021 was delivered as a hybrid conference (online and face to face in the Sunshine Coast, QLD and Hobart, TAS) in November 2021.

This research explored community-members perceptions of emergency healthcare services (EHS) during public health emergencies. An online questionnaire (n = 5261) and qualitative interviews (n = 67) were undertaken during late 2020 and early 2021. The findings suggest people were less willing to engage with EHS during COVID-19 compared to before the pandemic, and people with chronic health conditions were concerned with exposure and infection. The findings from the questionnaire and interviews were utilised to develop an interactive education video for paramedics targeting communication with community-members during public health emergencies.

Biography: Michella Hill

Michella is a Research Associate and PhD candidate in the Paramedicine team at Edith Cowan University (ECU), mother of four and an Ahpra registered non-practicing paramedic. In 2020, she completed her Master by Research project ‘Dr Google’ which reviewed online symptoms checkers accessible to the Australian public. For this research, she was awarded the Best Media Campaign by a HDR student at ECU. Her PhD project is focused on developing and evaluating an out-of-hospital immersive birthing simulation training program for paramedics using virtual reality technology.

Session moderator: Linda Ross