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Is HealthPathways viewed as a useful and trustworthy source of information by health professionals?
Resource type
Authors/contributors
- Tretheway, Rebecca (Author)
- Visser, Victoria (Author)
- Mollard, Sarah (Author)
Title
Is HealthPathways viewed as a useful and trustworthy source of information by health professionals?
Abstract
Objective HealthPathways is a web-based platform designed for use during a consultation to offer health professionals locally agreed information to support clinical and referral decision making. This study aimed to investigate whether access to specific HealthPathways pages in the North Coast New South Wales (NSW) region increased during specific critical events. High pageviews is used as a proxy for platform usefulness, and/or trust as a source of up-to-date information. Methods Data were extracted from Google Analytics from December 2015 to December 2021. Descriptive statistics were generated for the total number of pageviews for all pages by month and year (2015–2021); for the top 15 most viewed pages in 2019, February–March 2020 inclusive (early COVID-19 pandemic period), 10–24 March 2021 (North Coast NSW region local disaster declaration period) and 26 June–11 October 2021 (NSW COVID-19 lockdown period); and for monthly pageviews for the Influenza Immunisation pathway (2016–2021). Results Access to specific pages in HealthPathways increased alongside the occurrence of critical events affecting the region. Spikes in access to specific pages were seen during COVID-19 lockdown periods, during natural disasters, as well as during the annual influenza season. Conclusions HealthPathways is viewed as a useful and trusted source of information for health professionals in the North Coast NSW region. HealthPathways provides an opportunity for timely dissemination of information during critical events, including natural disasters and emergencies.
Publication
Australian Health Review
Date
2024-4-15
Volume
48
Issue
3
Pages
291-298
Journal Abbr
Aust. Health Rev.
DOI
Accessed
7/6/25, 10:41 PM
ISSN
0156-5788, 1449-8944
Language
en
Library Catalog
DOI.org (Crossref)
Notes
Study topic:
Evaluation of HealthPathways usage in North Coast NSW during critical events to assess its perceived usefulness and trustworthiness among health professionals.
Study type:
Quantitative descriptive study using Google Analytics data.
Key findings:
- HealthPathways usage spiked during critical events such as COVID-19 lockdowns, natural disasters, and influenza seasons, indicating its value as a trusted information source.
- The platform’s localisation and ability to rapidly update content were key benefits for clinicians navigating changing clinical environments.
- Antenatal care pathways remained among the most viewed pages even during crises, indicating sustained relevance for routine clinical care.
- Usage data suggest potential for broader engagement, especially with targeted promotion and individualised tracking to improve reach and responsiveness.
-
The findings support HealthPathways as a trusted, go-to resource for clinicians seeking region-specific clinical and referral guidance in both emergency and non-emergency contexts.
Citation
Tretheway, R., Visser, V., & Mollard, S. (2024). Is HealthPathways viewed as a useful and trustworthy source of information by health professionals? Australian Health Review, 48(3), 291–298. https://doi.org/10.1071/AH23107
Topic
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