SynthesisBMC health services research2025
Investigation of primary health care service delivery models used in allied health practice in rural and remote areas of Australia: a systematic review.
Synthesis in BMC health services research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- The Perceptions of Victorian Rural Community Pharmacists on the Dispensing and Supply of Vapes for Smoking Cessation and Nicotine Dependence: A Qualitative Study.The Australian journal of rural health · 2026Article
- Public-private partnerships for UAV-assisted emergency medical services in aging communities: an evolutionary game approach.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Strengthening the Commissioning Capacity of Primary Health Networks: A Framework and Strategies for Development.Journal of healthcare leadership · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionIn Australia, access to primary health care (PHC) services is limited in comparison to major cities. Allied health professionals play a pivotal role in providing necessary PHC in rural and remote areas. However, there is limited evidence about the most effective allied health specific PHC models of care that can be utilised in these settings. The aim of this review was to describe the PHC models used by allied health professionals in rural and remote areas of Australia and report on their impact and effectiveness in improving care.
methodsA search of five databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsychINFO and Informit Health) was undertaken. Articles were included that related to a refined list of allied health professions that specifically work in PHC settings, these included: dietetics; occupational therapy; physiotherapy; psychology; speech pathology; social work; podiatry; exercise physiology; pharmacy; optometry; and audiology. Articles with a focus on a PHC model of service delivery in a rural or remote area were included. The effectiveness and impact of these models was examined. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool was used to assess the quality of the included articles.
resultsA total of 57 articles met the inclusion criteria, from an initial 1864 unique citations sourced from searches. Of the 57 articles, 22 studies were in the Australian context and were included in this paper. The outcome measures typically included improving access to services, however minimal impact or effectiveness data was reported. Studies were categorised into an existing typology of PHC models: integrated services (n = 9); outreach services (n = 3); virtual outreach services (n = 4); discrete services (n = 4); with an additional model being health promotion (n = 5).
conclusionA range of PHC models were used by allied health disciplines in rural and remote areas of Australia. These models focused on improving access to allied health services in primary care settings to address health inequities faced. Given the limited reporting of the impact of these services, it is recommended that rigorous evaluations of existing allied health models are undertaken. There is a gap in the literature regarding the models of service delivery being used by allied health professionals in non-metropolitan areas.
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Registered trials
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