Research news
Graphic: GP clinic with the RFDS
Access to primary care is the key to better health outcomes in remote Australia
A new Royal Flying Doctor Service research report series, entitled Best for the Bush, Rural and Remote Health Base Line 2022, was released today.
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Improving stroke care in regional and rural Australia
13 May 2022The RFDS Research and Policy Unit has just released a health education paper on the impact of stroke on people living in the bush.
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Survey Highlights Importance of Understanding in Mental Health
09 Oct 2021A new research report by the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) research team, in collaboration with the Australian Catholic University (ACU), found that a better understanding of mental health leads to better outcomes for individuals and the whole community.
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New Study on RFDS Pregnancy Patients
18 Jan 2021New Study reveals one out of every 420 women who gave birth Australia-wide during 2015–2017 received an aeromedical retrieval by the RFDS
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Impact of COVID lockdown on aeromedical retrievals
13 Jan 2021New data released this week by Australian researchers reveals the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown period on aeromedical retrievals in rural and remote regions.
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Equitable health access for all Australians
17 Dec 2020As part of a submission to the Federal Government's Inquiry into Regional Australia, the RFDS has just released a new research paper entitled 'Equitable Patient Access to Primary Healthcare in Australia'.
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Aeromedical Retrieval for Stroke in Australia
02 Jul 2020RFDS Research shows rural, remote, and Indigenous stroke patients have worse stroke outcomes than urban Australians. This may be due to lack of timely access to expert facilities.
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Mental Health Crises in Rural and Remote Australia
01 Jul 2020RFDS Research: Direct medical costs associated with air retrievals for people experiencing mental health crisis are substantial. Majority of costs are associated with hospital admission and treatment; however, the indirect (loss of productivity) and intangible (quality of life) costs are far greater
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RFDS Research: COVID-19 activity and surge modelling for rural and remote Australia
21 May 2020A newly published research paper reviews RFDS COVID-19 patient transport data since February 2020, and includes modelling for anticipated rural and remote hot spots, as part of surge preparation within the national health crisis.
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RFDS Research Unit provides a voice to Rural and Remote Australians
05 May 2020Did you know the RFDS has a Research Unit that is dedicated to improving health outcomes for people in rural and remote Australia by 'giving them a voice'?
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RFDS Research: Aeromedical retrieval for suspected appendicitis in paediatrics patients
30 Jan 2020A significant number of paediatric patients are aeromedically retrieved from rural and remote locations with a diagnosis of appendicitis or acute abdominal pain. Future research should consider whether training in abdominal point-of-care ultrasound reduces retrievals.
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Expanding Hearing Screening And Treatment In Remote Australia
12 Dec 2019A new collaboration between Hearing Australia and the Royal Flying Doctor Service will see innovative hearing screening tools adopted and rolled out across the country as part of RFDS primary health care clinics to remote areas.
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Rehab services vital to prevent bush cardiac deaths
04 Oct 2019A new RFDS research paper released today, details how cardiac rehabilitation services, if made available in the bush, could prevent as many as 80% of premature deaths from cardiac disease.
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Mental Health in the Bush: Access a fifth the rate of city
26 Aug 2019RFDS research published by the Medical Journal of Australia, reveals more about mental health in the bush and access to mental health services.
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RFDS and Hearing Australia Trial
01 Jun 2019A research paper entitled “Evaluation of the Royal Flying Doctor service and Australian Hearing Hearing Screening Trial” has been released.
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Service Planning and Operational Tool
01 Feb 2019As an Australian first, the RFDS use a Service Planning and Operational Tool called ‘SPOT’. SPOT is a custom made software, developed to assist the RFDS in planning where services should be located, relative to need. This is done by mapping existing services and overlaying these with population data
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