By Meagan Snewin, Program Manager
In July, Annette Schmiede and I embarked on a journey to Pirlangimpi, located in the Tiwi Islands, Northern Territory (NT). The visit coincided with the halfway mark of a project in our ongoing efforts to evaluate how technology can enhance comprehensive primary care in remote Indigenous communities.
Strengthening Research through Partnerships on Country
We were joined by our project partners and colleagues from the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care (DoHAC), Daniel McCabe and Simon Cleverly, Co-Principal Investigator Professor Tim Shaw from the University of Sydney and Director of Primary Care, Dr Tasmin Cockayne and Karina Coombes for Menzies School of Health Research. Karina is a community-based researcher that is supporting the research on the ground, helping to connect and coordinate research activities. This work has been commendable and has helped strengthen the research in the community and fostered key partnerships, both of which are pivotal to facilitating successful research in remote areas.
A Warm Welcome and Cultural Connection
During our time in Pirlangimpi, we hosted a barbeque on the beach and received a Welcome to Country from the local community, an experience enriched by traditional dancing and the opportunity to engage with community Elders – something I will never forget. We saw that the female Elders play a vital role in maintaining strong community ties and passing on traditions to teach younger generations within the community. This deepened our understanding of the local context and the importance of deep connection to social, emotional and wellbeing that needs to be considered in any health initiatives.
Overcoming Challenges in Connecting Care
One of the most significant challenges we face is connectivity and interoperability across the numerous organisations serving remote areas in the Northern Territory. I am lucky enough to have been the Program Manager for this project (DHCRC-0179) since its inception. The project is dedicated to learning and prioritising the community viewpoint. We want to know how digital technologies can be configured and deployed in an integrated, culturally safe, and scalable manner that improves primary health care access in remote Indigenous communities. Our time at Pirlangimpi reinforced the critical role of the coordination of digital health consults, and how the workforce is imperative to the uptake of digital health initiatives supporting resilient and thriving communities. It’s not always about the connectivity or technology.
Empowering Collaboration at the Sparked AU Accelerator Workshop
The week in the NT concluded with the Sparked AU Accelerator Workshop, which brought together a wide array of service providers and all state-based Health departments from across the country. We heard stories and insights from those delivering services at point of care which was invaluable. The ongoing challenges and frustrations of unconnected systems and data silos were highlighted as there is no seamless way for individuals to navigate between different care settings or providers.
