Evaluating the CQWBSC PHN’s Coordination of the GPLO Network
Highlights
- Commonwealth Department of Health wanted to improve links and coordination between GPs and HHSs.
- Abt consultation with key stakeholders and a review of documentation to evaluate the GPLO network’s effectiveness.
- Early findings suggest that the network has made improvements over previous years.
The General Practitioner Liaison Officer (GPLO) Network aims to strengthen the link between Health and Hospital Services (HHSs) and general practice by identifying service gaps and improving the communication, the integration of services, and the clinical pathways between these settings. The Central Queensland Wide Bay Sunshine Coast PHN was contracted to coordinate the GPLO network, and has engaged Abt Global to evaluate the coordination function of this network to ensure the efficacy of the process.
Abt developed a mixed-methods evaluation plan that includes the collection and analysis of information from a range of sources, including:
- Surveys with network members at two points in time,
- Interviews with key stakeholders, and
- An analysis of project documentation.
Abt also reviewed documentation to assess the effectiveness of the network coordination and provide recommendations for future implementation.
Early findings suggest that the network has made improvements over previous years. A final report on our findings will explore the effectiveness of the coordination of the network, including changes over time during the PHN’s coordination of the network. Based on these findings, recommendations for potential improvements to support future network coordination will be provided.