Aboriginal Patient Reported Outcome Measures – What are rural and remote perspectives?

From Dr Mark J Lock (Ngiyampaa nation), Aboriginal Co-Chair (Aboriginal Health Working Group – Patient Reported Measures, NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation)

What do you think a Patient Reported Outcomes Measure can do to ensure that rural and remote Aboriginal people receive culturally safe care?

Cultural voices need to be heard

I know that Aboriginal peoples’ cultural voices should be heard in every point and pathway of healthcare governance. Therefore, as co-chair of this group, I’m work hard to ensure that the Working Group’s governance processes are culturally safe. The Agency for Clinical Innovation (via co-chair Melissa Tinsley) are very supportive of this approach.

You can read about the program’s progress (https://aci.health.nsw.gov.au/about/clinician-connect/program-update/2021/patient-reported-measures-progress) and I’ve cut and pasted some of the content to this post.

‘In December 2019, the ACI established a Patient Reported Measures Aboriginal Health Working Group. The purpose of the PRMs Aboriginal Health Working Group is to assess the cultural validity of the current patient-reported outcome measures (PROM) tools for Aboriginal populations across the state, with specific reference to the health-related quality of life (QoL) tool.’

Deadly Dennis Golding’s PROMs art

The ACI commissioned Aboriginal artwork by Dennis Golding (dennisgolding.com), that references patient-reported measures through indigenous cultural symbolism and creative practices of innovation (source: https://aci.health.nsw.gov.au/statewide-programs/prms/about).

What I want to hear more of is your perspective as a patient, clinician, community member, or an interested stakeholder. I will ensure that your cultural safety is not diminished, demeaned, or devalued.

Let your cultural voice shine!

Email ACI-PRM@health.nsw.gov.au to get in-touch with the PRMs Aboriginal Health Working Group:

  1. Email subject – PRMs Aboriginal Health Working Group
  2. Email subject – PRMs Aboriginal Health Working Group Community of Interest meetings (this allows for opportunities to hear the voices of Aboriginal consumers and stakeholders in the development of the NSW Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) Program)
  3. Email subject – Aboriginal PROM Trial and Evaluation group participation.

You can also subscribe to general PRMs newsletter and community of interest here: https://aci.health.nsw.gov.au/statewide-programs/prms/connect

As I asked at the beginning, What do you think a Patient Reported Outcomes Measure can do to ensure that rural and remote Aboriginal people receive culturally safe care? For me, a survey needs to be more about cultural safety and less about physical illness. I’ll let you know how it goes, or better yet, come along to a meeting and let your cultural voice shine!

By drlockediting

I apply my academic and cultural skills to editing your important writing. With a Doctor of Philosophy (Public Health), Master of Public Health, Honours in Nutrition, and a Bachelor of Science, I bring strong educational skills to my editing. As a First Nations Australia (Ngiyampaa), with First Fleet heritage (The Lucas Clan) and growing up in country NSW, I bring a unique cultural lens to my practice. My editing will empower your cultural safety - respecting your cultural identity, heritage, and values - so that your cultural voice shines through in your writing. If you need editing of your creative writing, academic writing, or report writing, then contact Cultural Safety Editing Service.

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