Stute Michelle, Hurwood Andrea, Hulcombe Julie, Kuipers Pim
Prince Charles Hospital, Chermside, QLD 4032, Australia. Email:
Aust Health Rev. 2013 Nov;37(5):602-6. doi: 10.1071/AH13042.
The uptake and utilisation of allied health assistants as professional support staff has been variable across disciplines and jurisdictions. Although they are potentially very important in the current health workforce context, there is little agreement on their roles or the most suitable methods to define these roles.
Based on a review of literature, existing role descriptions and focus groups, a Delphi survey process was undertaken. This process comprising three rounds of discussion and clarification via email, with between 107 and 188 participants, was undertaken to define and establish consensus on allied health assistant roles at three levels.
Three cycles of editing, qualitative feedback and rating of agreement with statements resulted in substantial clarification of roles and a meaningful degree of consensus regarding the role and scope of such positions. High levels of agreement were not reached for more high-level or contested clinical tasks.
The Delphi process resulted in key tasks and roles being defined and contentious aspects clearly identified. The process facilitated engagement with workforce members most closely affected by these questions. It was a useful means of drawing together the opinions of the workforce and informing implementation trials to follow.
作为专业辅助人员，联合健康助理在各学科和司法管辖区的使用和利用情况各不相同。尽管在当前的卫生人力背景下，他们可能非常重要，但对于他们的角色或定义这些角色的最合适方法，几乎没有达成共识。
基于对文献、现有角色描述和焦点小组的回顾，开展了德尔菲调查过程。该过程包括通过电子邮件进行三轮讨论和澄清，参与者有107至188人，旨在在三个层面上定义联合健康助理的角色并达成共识。
经过三轮对陈述的编辑、定性反馈和同意程度评级，角色得到了大幅澄清，并且就此类职位的角色和范围达成了有意义的共识程度。对于更高级别或有争议的临床任务，并未达成高度共识。
德尔菲过程确定了关键任务和角色，并明确识别了有争议的方面。该过程促进了与受这些问题影响最密切的卫生人力成员的参与。它是汇集卫生人力意见并为后续实施试验提供信息的有用手段。
