Australasian College of Paramedicine International Conference (ACPIC 2022)

ACPIC 2022 delivered a wide range of clinical and research sessions from experts and leaders in paramedicine. Hosted in Brisbane (September 2022) the program was designed to inspire, educate and broaden horizons.

Conference theme: Embracing Strengths | Shaping Futures

Shaping the Future of Access to Health Care with New Partners; community paramedicine based in community health services

Community Paramedicine (CP) is rapidly evolving as a new model of care to mitigate the stresses of the current health system. While CP-models are becoming more familiar inside ambulance services, there is a lack of information on how this model can work outside of ambulance services. For example, community health services provide integrated health and social care for vulnerable populations in the primary care environment. The aim of this study was to implement a CP service in a community health service in Victoria, Australia

Biographies

Associate Professor Evelien Spelten

Dr. Spelten is Associate Professor with La Trobe University Rural Health School and the Violet Vines Marshman Research Centre. Her work focusses on workforce innovation and quality of care. As an occupational psychologist, she has been privileged to work multidisciplinary, and has worked across many different health care disciplines. She is principal supervisor of 10 regional PhD Students, five of which are industry PhDs with local rural organisations. She has received two awards for her translational research. Dr. Spelten is Deputy Editor of the Australian Journal of Rural Health and she has published more than 100 articles.

Linda Henderson

Operational Manager of Health Equity Unit at Sunraysia Community Health Services (SCHS) a regional community in North West Victoria. SCHS provides primary and preventive care for community members who are at risk of poor health outcomes, and experience health disparities through a Social Determinants of Health (SDoH) lens. The centrepiece of care at SCHS is providing a client relationship based care coordination approach, that identifies and attempts to address the SDoH for clients, work with consumers and community members, to structure their care around the context in which they live and work.

Moderated by: Dr Louise Reynolds, Associate Professor of Paramedicine, Victoria University