Digital health technologies to improve access to comprehensive primary health care in remote Northern Territory, Australia: qualitative findings from thought leader interviews.
11 affiliations
- 1Menzies School of Health Research, Remote Health Systems and Climate Change Centre, Charles Darwin University, Mparntwe (Alice Springs), Northern Territory, Australia. [email protected].
- 2School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Warrane (Sydney), NSW, Australia.
- 3Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Warrane (Sydney), NSW, Australia.
- 4Menzies School of Health Research, Remote Health Systems and Climate Change Centre, Charles Darwin University, Mparntwe (Alice Springs), Northern Territory, Australia.
- 5Leeder Centre for Health Policy, Economics & Data (The Leeder Centre), Faculty of Medicine and Health, Warrane (Sydney), NSW, Australia.
- 6The Poche Centre for Indigenous Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Warrane (Sydney), NSW, Australia.
- 7Onemda: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health and Wellbeing, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Naarm (Melbourne), VIC, Australia.
- 8Northern Territory Department of Health, Garramilla (Darwin), Northern Territory, Australia.
- 9Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT), Mparntwe (Alice Springs), Northern Territory, Australia.
- 10University Centre for Rural Health, The University of Sydney, Warrane (Sydney), NSW, Australia.
- 11Northern Territory Primary Health Network, Garramilla (Darwin), Northern Territory, Australia.
Abstract
Background
Existing literature shows the potential of digital health technologies (DHTs) to improve access to Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC) by overcoming various challenges to care provision. However, the usefulness of DHTs in the remote Northern Territory (NT) Australian context to support the delivery of CPHC has rarely been explored. This study explores thought leaders' perspectives about the key challenges to accessing CPHC services and the role of DHTs in overcoming these challenges in remote NT.Methods
In-depth interviews were conducted with 17 participants between February 2023 and February 2024 who were working or had previously worked in remote NT, including in leadership, governance, and management roles with the NT Health Department or Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services. Thematic analysis was conducted using a deductive approach based on the theory of access.Results
Key challenges to accessing CPHC in remote NT include workforce issues (staff shortages, high staff turnover, poor continuity of care), the large distances and high costs of providing care, and issues related to how health care services were organised and delivered. Participants highlighted the potential of DHTs for improving challenges relating to provider availability, continuity of care, and high service delivery costs incurred by health services. Challenges to implementing DHT solutions were also raised which were broadly classified as technical and non-technical. Poor digital infrastructure, intermittent connectivity, and the lack of interoperability of systems between healthcare organisations were key technical challenges. Low rates of digital device ownership and low digital literacy of community members, together with limited local availability of skilled staff to support DHT solutions, and the lack of flexibility in the way appointments were organise were identified as key non-technical challenges.Conclusions
There was optimism that DHTs could substantially improve CPHC access in remote NT. Telehealth, used where clinically and culturally appropriate and in combination with face-to-face care using a hybrid approach, could potentially improve remote patients' access to a range of healthcare providers, reduce patients' and providers' need to travel and improve continuity of care. This will necessitate increased investment in training local Aboriginal people to support communities' access to DHTs and improve the quality and cultural safety of care.
Related
- TVET teachers’ perceptions of ICT integration in resource-constrained teaching contexts: a qualitative thematic analysis of interviews from Hebei, China
- “It’s not necessarily science based”: understanding organ utilisation decision-making in cardiothoracic transplantation in the UK through qualitative interviews
- Negotiating safety and inclusivity: a qualitative analysis examining public priorities for sexual behaviour screening in blood donation in Australia
- Identifying barriers to immunotherapy access for triple-negative breast cancer: A qualitative analysis of interviews with medical oncologists
- Stakeholder perspectives on sustainable antenatal point-of-care ultrasound (APOCUS) implementation in rural Australia: a qualitative study of professional body submissions and clinician focus groups.
BibTeX
@article{khanal2026digital,
title = {{Digital health technologies to improve access to comprehensive primary health care in remote Northern Territory, Australia: qualitative findings from thought leader interviews.}},
author = {Vishnu Khanal and Emily Saurman and Nicki Newton and Kureisha Wilson and Josielli Comachio and Karina Coombes and Alexandar Puruntatameri and Hilda Bert and Amy Von Huben and Sarah Norris and Meredith Makeham and Michelle Dickson and Sean Taylor and Paul Burgess and Tamsin Cockayne and Jeff Robson and David Reeve and David Edwards and Alison Lloyd and John Wakerman and Tim Shaw and Deborah Russell},
journal = {BMC primary care},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1186/s12875-026-03480-6},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42897484},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Digital health technologies to improve access to comprehensive primary health care in remote Northern Territory, Australia: qualitative findings from thought leader interviews.
AU - Vishnu Khanal
AU - Emily Saurman
AU - Nicki Newton
AU - Kureisha Wilson
AU - Josielli Comachio
AU - Karina Coombes
AU - Alexandar Puruntatameri
AU - Hilda Bert
AU - Amy Von Huben
AU - Sarah Norris
AU - Meredith Makeham
AU - Michelle Dickson
AU - Sean Taylor
AU - Paul Burgess
AU - Tamsin Cockayne
AU - Jeff Robson
AU - David Reeve
AU - David Edwards
AU - Alison Lloyd
AU - John Wakerman
AU - Tim Shaw
AU - Deborah Russell
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/01
JO - BMC primary care
DO - 10.1186/s12875-026-03480-6
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42897484
AB - Background Existing literature shows the potential of digital health technologies (DHTs) to improve access to Comprehensive Primary Health Care (CPHC) by overcoming various challenges to care provision. However, the usefulness of DHTs in the remote Northern Territory (NT) Australian context to support the delivery of CPHC has rarely been explored. This study explores thought leaders' perspectives about the key challenges to accessing CPHC services and the role of DHTs in overcoming these challenges in remote NT.Methods In-depth interviews were conducted with 17 participants between February 2023 and February 2024 who were working or had previously worked in remote NT, including in leadership, governance, and management roles with the NT Health Department or Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services. Thematic analysis was conducted using a deductive approach based on the theory of access.Results Key challenges to accessing CPHC in remote NT include workforce issues (staff shortages, high staff turnover, poor continuity of care), the large distances and high costs of providing care, and issues related to how health care services were organised and delivered. Participants highlighted the potential of DHTs for improving challenges relating to provider availability, continuity of care, and high service delivery costs incurred by health services. Challenges to implementing DHT solutions were also raised which were broadly classified as technical and non-technical. Poor digital infrastructure, intermittent connectivity, and the lack of interoperability of systems between healthcare organisations were key technical challenges. Low rates of digital device ownership and low digital literacy of community members, together with limited local availability of skilled staff to support DHT solutions, and the lack of flexibility in the way appointments were organise were identified as key non-technical challenges.Conclusions There was optimism that DHTs could substantially improve CPHC access in remote NT. Telehealth, used where clinically and culturally appropriate and in combination with face-to-face care using a hybrid approach, could potentially improve remote patients' access to a range of healthcare providers, reduce patients' and providers' need to travel and improve continuity of care. This will necessitate increased investment in training local Aboriginal people to support communities' access to DHTs and improve the quality and cultural safety of care.
SN - 2731-4553
ER -