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How to use community HealthPathways: Practical tips to support decision making in the consulting room
Resource type
Authors/contributors
- Kruys, Edwin (Author)
- Harper, Jon (Author)
Title
How to use community HealthPathways: Practical tips to support decision making in the consulting room
Abstract
Background
Community HealthPathways are clinical decision support tools, combining evidence-based guidelines with local service and referral information, collaboratively developed and collated by primary care and hospital clinicians. HealthPathways is being implemented throughout Australia, New Zealand and the UK, and often plays a role in supporting local service redesign and integrated care.
Objective
This article summarises the background and benefits of community HealthPathways and provides tips to support decision making in the consulting room. The article highlights the influence a community of clinicians can have on service redesign through developing and publishing HealthPathways.
Discussion
Clinical information-seeking is often done during consultations, and having access to evidence-based, decision support tools like HealthPathways can facilitate consistency of best practice clinical care across jurisdictions and streamline referrals to local health services. Through the process of collaboration, HealthPathways supports integration of health services. Knowledge about the structure of HealthPathways and how to find information is useful for busy clinicians to aid decision support at the point of care.
Publication
Australian Journal of General Practice
Date
2024-11-11
Volume
53
Issue
11 Suppl
Pages
S132-S136
Journal Abbr
Aust J Gen Pract
Accessed
7/6/25, 10:49 PM
ISSN
2208794X, 22087958
Short Title
How to use community HealthPathways
Language
en
Library Catalog
DOI.org (Crossref)
Notes
Study topic:
Practical guidance for general practitioners on using community HealthPathways during consultations, with emphasis on its role in clinical decision support and service integration.
Study type:
Practice-based guidance and expert commentary.
Key findings:
- HealthPathways integrates evidence-based clinical guidance and local referral information to support decision-making at the point of care.
- Having HealthPathways open during consultations enables clinicians to access up-to-date information efficiently, improving use in busy settings.
- HealthPathways improves the quality and completeness of referrals by clarifying pre-referral steps and aligning with current triage criteria.
- Clinicians who contribute to HealthPathways development often participate in service redesign, improving communication and coordination across care settings.
- The tool supports best-practice care, enhances local service use, and facilitates equitable referral triage and patient flow through the system.
- Implementation of HealthPathways has been associated with reduced outpatient visits and cost savings in some settings.
Citation
Kruys, E., & Harper, J. (2024). How to use community HealthPathways: Practical tips to support decision making in the consulting room. Australian Journal of General Practice, 53(11 Suppl), S132–S136. https://doi.org/10.31128/AJGP-02-24-7134
Topic
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