AHS205: The Australian Healthcare System within a Global Context

Assessment Task

For this assessment task, you are invited to engage with the case scenario document provided in the Assessment folder on MyLearn and select one (1) individual as your case study individual. You will then explore and identify relevant health services that align with the needs of your selected patient and positively assess the availability and accessibility of these services within a rural town in your chosen state of residence. Please refer to the Instructions for details on how to complete this task.

Context

The first part of The Australian Healthcare System within a Global Context investigates the structures and functions of the various components of the Australian Healthcare System, focusing on the range of services available, the providers of these services, and who is eligible to access them. This assessment is designed to extend the theoretical knowledge and understanding you have developed in Modules 1 and 2 and to apply that knowledge in a practical context. Enhancing your ability to navigate the healthcare system will strengthen your capacity to support, manage, and advocate for patients and communities. It will also serve as a foundational reference for comparing Australia's healthcare system with international models in subsequent modules.

Instructions

Please refer to the case study document and select one patient to focus on for this assessment. The selected individual from your case study resides in a rural town. You are required to choose a rural town within your state and investigate the health services available in that location. Please refer to the task instructions outlined below.

To complete this assessment task, you should:

1. Clearly identify the individual you have selected from the case study document. Based on the information provided, outline all discharge needs relevant to the chosen individual. These should be identified and justified using evidence from the case study content.
    
2. Identify four (4) healthcare professionals who would be involved in addressing the discharge needs of your chosen individual. Describe the specific services each professional provides in relation to the case study scenario. At least one of these services must be nursing-related. Your discussion must be supported by current and credible Australian literature, with all references drawn from Australian sources.
    
3. Rural town - Select and research a rural town in your local state. Specify the name and geographic location of the town. Report the approximate population size based on publicly available data (for instance, from the Australian Bureau of Statistics or local council websites). Provide a general description of the community, including any notable health service challenges or demographic characteristics (for instance, ageing population, Indigenous population, farming community, limited access to healthcare).
    
4. Determine if the health professionals and services you identified for the individual you have chosen (in point 2 above) are available within the selected rural town. Where applicable, specify the typical hours of operation for each service in this rural context.
    
5. Critically analyse whether there are any gaps between the discharge needs of the individual and the health services available in your chosen rural town. If gaps exist, discuss whether these could be addressed by accessing services in a nearby metropolitan area. Consider factors such as workforce shortages, funding, service availability, accessibility, cost, and operating hours in your analysis.

Referencing

It is essential that you use current APA style for citing and referencing the sources that you use. Please see more information on citing and referencing guidelines on the Academic Success webpage.