Incorporating indigenous knowledge in health services: a consumer partnership framework

Area of Science:

• Indigenous Health
• Health Services Research
• Chronic Kidney Disease Management

Background:

• Healthcare policy requires user-provider partnerships, especially for frequent users like Indigenous Australians with high chronic kidney disease (CKD) burden.
• Effective healthcare planning necessitates incorporating patient expectations and satisfaction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore optimal methods for enhancing renal services in Australia's Northern Territory.
• To incorporate the expectations and satisfaction of renal patients into service enhancement strategies.

Main Methods:

• Participatory action research framework.
• An Indigenous Reference Group of six end-stage kidney disease patients provided input.
• Bimonthly meetings (April-November 2017) structured as focus groups.
• Findings were fed back to health policy and planners.

Main Results:

• Indigenous knowledge guided project priorities.
• Timely feedback informed health service strengths and priorities.
• Identified changes were addressed promptly.

Conclusions:

• This qualitative framework effectively generates local data for patient-centered health system change.
• Consumer partnership models should be embedded in operational structures for sustainability.