Communication, collaboration and common sense – Country patients in city hospitals

"There is a great deal of coordination and collaboration among and between health services in South Australia resulting in benefits for consumers. There are also instances where coordination and collaboration are poor, resulting in inefficient, ineffective communication and waste of time and resources for consumers and health workers"
(SACHRU, 1995. Continuity of Care: the consumers view on links between health sectors)

The paper is based on the introduction and current role of the Rural Liaison Nurse at Royal Adelaide Hospital. Royal Adelaide Hospital created the position of Rural Liaison Nurse as an initiative to improve communication between themselves and rural health care providers.

Royal Adelaide Hospital is a major South Australian metropolitan teaching hospital that provides a range of services to the populations of South Australia and nearby states and territories. Rural populations are often required to travel long distances to access the specialty services of metropolitan hospitals. Patients and their relatives and carers have specific needs and concerns which are often different from their metropolitan counterparts.

Who benefits from the introduction of a Rural Liaison Nurse? The metropolitan health service, country patients and carers, rural health care providers or country hospitals?

This paper will discuss some of the perceptions and misconceptions that are evident between the rural and metropolitan health care sectors, communication problems and solutions and the rural patient’s experience in a metropolitan hospital.